In Part 1 of our conversation with Ryan Corn, Lead Corporate Refining Reliability Specialist at Marathon, hosts Branden Stucky and Greg Alvarado trace Ryan’s path from pre-med classes in small-town Illinois to a career in mechanical integrity. Ryan shares how his experience in quality and process engineering at a glass stovetop manufacturer and later managing a machine shop that repaired pipeline valves prepared him for his eventual role as an inspection engineer in Robinson, Illinois. He discusses taking on the goal of running the refinery’s risk-based inspection (RBI) program and how the principles he learned in manufacturing quality control carried into his work in inspection.

The conversation then turns to what makes RBI work in practice, including why it is about defining the right inspection rather than simply deferring one, and why collaboration with operations, process, and corrosion experts was essential. Ryan also discusses his transition from inspection engineer to inspection supervisor, the shift from doing the work to supporting the people doing it, the mentors who shaped his career, and practical lessons on communicating with different personalities and presenting to leadership.

Part 2 of our conversation with Ryan is coming soon. Subscribe to Upon Further Inspection to stay up to date on future episodes and conversations. 

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:24 Illini Roots And Cardinals Fandom
• 03:10 Respect For The Front Lines
• 03:51 From Pre-Med To Mechanical Engineering
• 04:41 Glass Stove Top Manufacturing
• 05:04 Pipeline Valves And Joining Marathon
• 06:32 Junior College To University Of Illinois
• 07:17 How Glass Cooktops Are Made
• 08:46 Quality Lessons That Transfer To MI
• 09:33 Metallurgy For Non-Metallurgists
• 10:13 A Century-Old Refinery
• 11:23 Shifting From Time-Based To Risk-Based
• 12:29 RBI’s Bad Reputation
• 13:40 Defining The Best Inspection
• 14:00 Young Engineer, Veteran Inspectors
• 15:40 Earning Trust With Inspectors
• 17:25 The Inspector Personality Test
• 19:08 Path To Inspection Supervisor
• 21:26 From Contributor To Leader
• 23:17 Mentors Along The Way
• 24:14 Communicating Up The Organization
• 25:25 Learn How Others Communicate
• 28:32 Scripting Your Presentations
• 31:19 Building An RBI Program
• 33:21 Cross-Functional Buy-In
• 38:03 Marathon’s Area Team Concept
• 39:21 Breaking Down Silos With RBI
• 40:08 Using Everyone’s Time Wisely
• 40:58 Wrap Up And Conclusion 

Episode Acronyms & Abbreviations 

• API – American Petroleum Institute
• BME – Biomedical Engineering
• MI – Mechanical Integrity
• PT – Penetrant Testing
• RBI – Risk-Based Inspection
• Wet Mag – Wet Fluorescent Magnetic Particle Testing 

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Note:  The views and opinions expressed by the guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or the Upon Further Inspection podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Listeners should seek their own qualified advisors for guidance.