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12-06-2024

Meet Our HR Manager, Laura Morales

At Golden Triangle Polymers, our mission to build a safe, productive and vibrant work environment is led by dedicated professionals like Laura Morales, our Human Resources Manager. With a rich history working at Chevron Phillips Chemical and now Golden Triangle Polymers, Morales leads the effort to identify top talent and build a work culture that supports every employee’s success and well-being.

Morales

Her keys to success? “Being collaborative, involving the right people and not being afraid to roll up my sleeves and work hard,” Morales said.

 

A Journey of Growth and Leadership

 

Morales' career journey began in a place close to her heart—helping her parents navigate the complex world of employee benefits. This early exposure to human resources ignited a passion for assisting others, but she quickly realized that HR was about much more than answering questions.

 

“From my first assignment out of school, I quickly learned it was a lot more than that,” Morales said.

 

Laura’s professional career started at Chevron Phillips Chemical, where she spent years in roles ranging from HR business partner to compensation representative, college relations specialist, among others, before diversifying her professional experience. Her time spent outside of Chevron Phillips Chemical included work at an exploration and production company, Phillips 66 and an LNG startup.

 

“I’ve worked with different leadership approaches and in various states with unique challenges,” Morales said. “When combined with my CPChem history, I feel this was instrumental when taking on the HR role responsible for the GTP facility.” Laura’s experience has equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the challenge of staffing a new facility as it is built, with the goals of preserving CPChem’s values and setting Golden Triangle Polymers up for long-term success.

 

Building a Rewarding Work Culture

 

With construction on Golden Triangle Polymers underway, Morales has the unique opportunity to build the organization from the ground up, attract the industry’s best and brightest and establish a positive and productive work environment.

 

“Staffing, along with building the culture of the organization, has been the most important. Identifying top talent is critical to our success,” she said.

 

Morales appreciates the ability to connect with employees during the construction phase before the facility is operational.

 

“The interactions happening now have allowed us to get to know each other on a more personal level, which is invaluable for building strong relationships moving forward,” she said.

 

Golden Triangle Polymers has adopted several Chevron Phillips Chemical initiatives, including Elevate Talent Management and Career Framework, which provide tools and development opportunities to help employees advance their careers and reach their full potential.

 

“As leaders of the organization, we work closely with employees to discuss career aspirations and identify experiences, training and other opportunities to support them on their career journey,” Morales said.

 

Fostering Work-Life Balance and Employee Well-being

 

Morales believes work-life balance is essential to creating a safe and productive workplace.

 

“While a lot of work goes into building a new plant, site leadership has never lost focus on ensuring our employees have good work-life balance,” she said, noting that this is an important aspect of CPChem’s work culture.

 

When asked about the challenges facing HR professionals in the chemical industry, Morales describes balancing the task of ensuring qualified staff is always in place while meeting the changing needs of the workforce.

 

Morales has helped Golden Triangle Polymers find innovative solutions to balance operational reliability with organizational flexibility.

 

“As the plant operator, CPChem has done an excellent job of incorporating flexible work schedules and offering other resources to help team members achieve job satisfaction while meeting our larger business objectives,” she said.

 

To empower every job applicant with tools for success, the company offers employability screening, online application assistance and referrals to local educational institutions for additional training and certification.

 

A Bright Future at GTP

 

As Morales looks ahead, she is excited about the future of Golden Triangle Polymers and its role in the community. The facility is expected to generate long-term benefits to the local economy -- an estimated $50 billion in residual economic impacts—and create 500 full-time positions once operational​.

 

“CPChem has a strong reputation for its culture and sense of family,” Morales said.

 

This culture, combined with the company’s strong development programs and commitment to employee well-being, positions Golden Triangle Polymers as an employer of choice in the region.

 

For those interested in learning more about Golden Triangle Polymers, be sure to visit our Project FAQs page. Job seekers can get information about GTP’s job-readiness resources and explore current opportunities. To stay connected, Follow GTP on Facebook for the latest updates on our progress.