LyondellBasell Engineer Michelle Kelley Looks Back at Military Career

CLINTON, Iowa- Nov. 7, 2018 –17-year-old Michelle Kelley was determined to join the military and pursue her dream of going to Iraq to support her county. Nothing could stand in her way, minus one small obstacle.

“I actually needed my mom to sign a permission slip!” Kelley says with a laugh.

Kelley, now an adult with two small children of her own, looks back at her military duty with both a sense of pride and a grateful mindset.

During her first deployment in Iraq, Kelley spent time working at a bulk fuel farm.

Halfway through her deployment, Kelley was offered a job driving a gun truck to provide convoy security to her fellow soldiers. She calls the experience, “the ultimate defensive driving course” and counts her blessings when the truck she was driving detonated an explosive device in the road.

“Fortunately, everyone came out uninjured and was able to walk away,” said Kelley. “It was most definitely an experience I will never forget.”

Not allowing the experience to rattle her, Kelley signed up for a second deployment to Iraq, and this time she was offered a job as a pilot. She attended flight school to learn to fly a UH60 Blackhawk helicopter and eventually became a Medevac pilot.

As a Blackhawk pilot it was Kelley’s responsibility to transport injured members of military, contractors and civilians to get medical care. The experience gave her a lot of perspective on helping others.

“It was very rewarding to help bring people to safety and even reunite the injured back to their families,” said Kelley.

Knowing she wanted to pursue an engineering degree, Kelley graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Shortly after, she was hired at LyondellBasell and eventually made her way to the Clinton Complex.

Now a full time environmental engineer, both she and her husband Drew work for LyondellBasell and reside in Clinton with their children.

“Not every company thanks their service members and I’m appreciative LyondellBasell does,” said Kelley. “LyondellBasell takes it a step further and they’re not just thankful of my service, but they are all mindful of the experiences that come with my military background.”

Kelley says the military taught her skills that she uses every day when interacting with her peers and leaders in the company.

“I credit the military for the person I am today,” Kelley said. “And even though I am a veteran now, I am so grateful to our active service men and women who keep our country safe.”

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About LyondellBasell’s Clinton Complex
With approximately 400 employees and contractors, and covering an area of almost 239 acres, the Clinton Complex is one of the largest chemical plants in Iowa. Using natural gas liquids as a feedstock, the plant manufactures ethylene, the world’s most widely-used petrochemical, which is then converted into polyethylene plastic resins. These resins are the building blocks for products such as leak-proof and shatter-proof containers for industrial and household chemicals, packaging that protects food from spoilage and contamination, and children’s toys that are safe and durable.

About LyondellBasell
LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) is one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. Driven by its employees around the globe, LyondellBasell produces materials and products that are key to advancing solutions to modern challenges like enhancing food safety through lightweight and flexible packaging, protecting the purity of water supplies through stronger and more versatile pipes, improving the safety, comfort and fuel efficiency of many of the cars and trucks on the road, and ensuring the safe and effective functionality in electronics and appliances. LyondellBasell sells products into more than 100 countries and is the world's largest producer of polymer compounds and the largest licensor of polyolefin technologies. In 2018, LyondellBasell was named to Fortune magazine’s list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.” More information about LyondellBasell can be found at  www.LyondellBasell.com.

Media Contact: Megan Borchers O: 815-942-7474 C. 815-210-1980 megan.borchers@lyb.com