Rich joined Pilko & Associates in June 2011 and employs his extensive operating and executive experience to help advise company executives and corporate boards in the energy, chemical and petrochemical-related industries. Rich recently retired from Valero Energy Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. With a career that spans over 36 years in the U.S. refining industry, his in-depth experience includes over 25 years with ExxonMobil followed by more than ten years with Valero.

As a member of Valero’s executive leadership team, Rich has extensive experience working with the Valero Board of Directors. He regularly stewarded operations, reviewed multi-year strategic plans and recommended major projects for approval. While at Valero, Rich was involved in Valero’s dramatic growth from a small, independent refining company to the largest North American refining company. He was given responsibility for Valero Refining Operations in 2001, then a six refinery system, and eventually managed the integration of all other refinery acquisitions. At one time, Valero grew to a 3.3 million barrel per day refining company with 19 plants. During this time, Rich integrated all corporate engineering, technology, energy management, project development, project execution, and procurement into a single integrated refining organization that was highly effective in managing the company’s growth. In addition, in 2006, he led the formation of a new Process Safety organization which implemented an advanced system for process safety management.

Over his career, Rich’s management experience includes working in Exxon’s refineries in Linden, NJ, Benicia, CA, and Baton Rouge, LA. He also worked in Exxon’s Refining and Supply headquarters in Houston, TX. He became the general manager of Exxon’s Benicia Refinery in the San Francisco Bay area in 1996. This plant was acquired by Valero in 2000 which was when he joined Valero. He transferred to Valero’s corporate office in San Antonio, TX in 2001 as a Senior Vice President and was subsequently promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2007.

Rich, a native of New York City, holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from New York University.