Nikole Walston

Energizer
DISC Type : I

VP Refining Reliability & Operations Excellence at Phillips 66

Houston, Texas, United States

Overview

Nikole Walston is a seasoned refinery management professional, currently serving as a leader in Refining Reliability and Operations Excellence at Phillips 66. With a background that includes a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, she has extensive experience in capital projects, business transformation, and strategic optimization, including a decade at Valero Energy Corporation.

Growing up in West Texas, Nikole followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather, who were both mechanical engineers in the oil industry. This legacy fueled her interest in the complexities of refining, where she enjoys working with teams to drive improvements through more efficient processes and innovative facilities.

Unique fact: Nikole is a third-generation mechanical engineer working in the oil and gas sector.

Personality Overview

Informal

Big Picture Person

Believer

They are people oriented, friendly and like creating new connections.  They are naturally enthusiastic, so take their promise with a pinch of salt. They excel at seeing the bigger picture, and the long-term impact of their decisions.

Topics They Care About

Refinery Optimization
Her career has focused on optimizing refinery rates and reliability, with specific roles in regional and business unit optimization at Phillips 66.
Operational Excellence
This is a core tenet of her current and past roles, where she is responsible for driving performance improvement and ensuring initiative focus.
Business Transformation
She has held the title of Manager Business Transformation, indicating direct experience leading change and improving processes within a large organization.

Media Appearances

Nikole has no verified media appearances

Work History

9-2024
VP Refining Reliability & Operations Excellence at Phillips 66
6-2024 - 8-2024
Manager Business Transformation at Phillips 66
6-2023 - 6-2024
Manager Business Unit Strategy at Phillips 66
10-2022 - 6-2023
Regional Optimization Manager GC/EC at Phillips 66
5-2021 - 10-2022
Manager Optimization at Phillips 66

Education

1991 - 1995
Bachelor's Degree from Texas A&M University
1998 - 2001
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from The University of Texas at Dallas

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 30 Location : Houston, Texas, United States Job Level : Senior Designation : VP Refining Reliability & Operations Excellence at Phillips 66
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Insights For Selling To Nikole

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Talk about their team and how your product will help them do things better and easier
  • Invite them for a lunch or a drink/coffee
  • Share some stories about how you you have helped people in similar positions succeed

DONT's

  • Avoid ifs and buts, don’t talk too much about the risks etc.
  • Avoid overloading them with too much detail
  • Don’t assume a yes just because they have not said no

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Nikole is

  • Relationship and trust can be vital with them, sometimes more than anything else.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Nikole

  • They are unlikely to say no directly, you have to make that decision yourself.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Nikole move?

  • They are not the fastest decision makers, their friendly approach can give false positive signals.
  • Can Nikole take some risk or not?

  • They can accept limited risks, ones that they think will not impact them personally.

You And Nikole

Personality Compatibility


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