Emerson Automation Experts

Emerson Automation Experts


5 Questions for Operational Certainty Consultant Kendall Beushausen

November 11, 2019

Kendall Beushausen

Emerson's Kendall Beushausen joins our continuing podcast series, 5 Questions for an Emerson Expert. As an Operational Certainty consultant, Kendall works with clients to help improve reliability through the application of the latest technologies and improved work processes in process management, maintenance and reliability through the application of artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive analytics.

In the coming weeks, look for a more in-depth podcast with Kendall on the ways to think about the Industrial Internet of Things and its application in the process industries.

We hope you'll enjoy this episode and will consider subscribing to the whole FIRSTHAND: Operational Certainty in Pod series on your iOS or Android mobile device.
https://www.emersonautomationexperts.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/5-Questions-Kendall-Beushausen.mp3

Transcript
Jim: Hi, everyone. This is Jim Cahill, and welcome to "Five Questions for an Emerson Expert." Today, I'm joined by Kendall Beushausen. He's an Operational Certainty consultant for Emerson. Kendall has a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Thomas Edison State College and was an engineering officer of the watch and an auxiliary control room supervisor for the United States Navy. He has an extensive background in reliability and maintenance and has been with Emerson now for 11 years as a consultant. Welcome, Kendall.

Kendall: Good afternoon, Jim. Thanks for having me.

Jim: You bet. So, I'd like to start by asking everyone what their path was into this type of career. So what made you decide to pursue a STEM-based career?

Kendall: It was actually my dad. I left college and was making plans to join the service. He'd retired from the Navy. So, I asked for his advice and help as I pursued a naval career. And as soon as I asked him, he immediately said that I needed to apply for the Nuclear Power Program, which I did. And subsequently went into the Naval Nuclear Power Program and did eight and a half years in the Navy in Operations and Maintenance reactor and steam plants.

Jim: Wow. That's a fascinating background and of all the experts I've spoken with to date you're the first one with that kind of nuclear background, very cool there. From starting with that in the Navy, what got you into our world of process automation?

Kendall: Well, after I left the Navy, I went to work for a robotics company for several years and transitioned into a couple of follow-on manufacturing jobs where I was a maintenance supervisor. The last facility that I was at had implemented what they called a high-performance maintenance program, which was actually an Emerson-produced product, similar to reliability-centered maintenance.

And that plant was shut down due to economic reasons. And because we had been implementing this high-performance maintenance program, coincidentally I received an interview with Emerson. And it happened to be with the group that actually developed that program. So, I was hired relatively quickly into the Emerson group, and have been working in the services business with Emerson for 11 years now.

Jim: Wow. That really worked out well from having experience with it to going to the team that worked on it. That worked out very well for you. So tell us about a recent challenge that you've been working on perhaps with one of our customers or some of them to solve.

Kendall: Actually, I'm currently working with clients in the refining business. They have been working for several years to implement strategic asset management plans, ultimately moving them from the fourth quartile performance to higher levels. They've struggled to...not with the technical complexities of the work, but actually having the resources to complete all that's necessary to make that transition.