Four female employees of Freeport-McMoRan’s Bagdad operation recently shared their employment experiences with Prescott Woman Magazine.
Valisa Grimes, Hope Johnston, Amber Pehringer and Jennifer Wriston all agree Bagdad values and promotes diversity, inclusion and family life, and provides significant opportunities for education and career advancement.
Setting the benchmark for this expectation at the top is company President and Chief Executive Officer Kathleen Quirk, who recently received the prestigious Ankh Award from The Copper Club. This award recognized Kathleen’s exceptional leadership and commitment to the copper industry.
Valisa Grimes, Senior Supervisor of Mine Maintenance
Time with Freeport-McMoRan: 16 years
What her role entails: Valisa manages a maintenance shop of 85 mechanics (employees and contractors) who work specifically on large equipment, such as haul trucks, track dozers, backhoes, motor graders and water trucks.
What she enjoys most about her work: Freeport is an environmental steward and focuses on responsible production. “Mining contributes value to our everyday lives by sustaining technology and the advancement of clean energy,” she said.
On being a woman in mining at Bagdad: In her 16 years at Bagdad, Valisa has worked in various roles, from equipment operator in mine operations, to maintenance planner at the mill, to her current role as senior supervisor at the mine maintenance shop. “When I began at Bagdad, there were fewer women in on-site roles. Today, in mine operations, women operate the large machines and serve as geologists and engineers. Freeport’s company culture and support of diversity has led to more women employees than ever before.”
Hope Johnston, Senior Environmental Scientist
Time with Freeport-McMoRan: 13 years
What her role entails: Hope supports site compliance with environmental permits, water quality and air quality monitoring. She also helps develop and coach the next group of environmental scientists.
What she enjoys most about her work: “Developing our people.” Hope enjoys learning what interests and motivates people, as she coaches others to reach their personal and professional goals.
On being a woman in mining at Bagdad: “My experience with Freeport has been amazing. Respect, diversity and inclusion define the company culture. At Bagdad, we are encouraged to participate in Women in Mining. In addition, Freeport provides many opportunities to learn and grow in the industry, for example, through its internship program and tuition reimbursement program, which enabled me to obtain a master’s degree in environmental management. The company also supports work-life balance. Freeport has been the most ethical company I have worked for from a gender equality, safety and environmental standpoint.”
Amber Pehringer, Innovation Engineer at Bagdad
Time with Freeport-McMoRan: 4.5 years
What her role entails: While employed at Bagdad, Amber has focused on process improvement and the goal of boosting productivity. Amber assisted in designing, testing and implementing digital solutions at the mine.
What she enjoys most about her work: Freeport is a family-oriented company, which was demonstrated recently when her family relocated to the Phoenix area as Amber accepted a role at the corporate office. “It’s rewarding to work for a company whose values align with your own.” Amber is excited to apply her experiences from Bagdad and advance her career in her new corporate role as a tailings engineer.
On being a woman in mining at Bagdad: “My experience at Freeport has provided opportunities to grow. At Bagdad, we started our own branch of a national organization, Women in Mining, with the mission to encourage, inspire and empower all employees. This included efforts to improve facilities for women to support inclusion and diversity. I also was a panelist for our company’s Women’s Leadership Forum. These opportunities have helped me build my confidence and advance my career.”
Jennifer Wriston, Controller and Townsite/Utilities Manager
Time with Freeport-McMoRan: 30 years
What her role entails: Jennifer wears two hats as Controller and Townsite/Utilities Manager at Bagdad. As Controller, she is responsible for financial reporting and ensures internal controls are working effectively as she develops, leads and provides guidance on business decisions. As Townsite/Utilities Manager, Jennifer leads a team of about 30 employees and provides strategic direction for townsite maintenance and administration – including house rentals to employees and other personnel – and the municipal gas and water utilities. She also serves as Bagdad site manager for the Information Services team.
What she enjoys most about her work: Appreciative of the diverse career opportunities, Jennifer has worked at company sites North and South America, including in Chile, El Paso, Texas, and the former Bayway site in New Jersey. She has embraced opportunities to connect with people in different areas of the operations, which helped her broaden her skill set and leadership experience.
On being a woman in mining at Bagdad: “As an organization, Freeport promotes diversity in all disciplines, and that has shaped where I am today. From early in my career, as I was growing and learning, I received valuable support from my supervisors to meet challenges and focus on building strong relationships with customers, mentors, leaders and peers.”
For more information, visit https://www.fcx.com.