Veteran energy industry executive to direct the company’s flagship studies of refinery performance, encompassing 85 percent of global capacity.

DALLAS (February 7, 2011) – Solomon Associates, the leading performance improvement company for the global energy industry, today announced that it has promoted Bill Trout to vice president of refining studies. Trout will lead the company’s definitive benchmarking studies for refiners, including the Worldwide Fuels Refinery Performance Analysis (Fuels Study) and the Worldwide Paraffinic Lube Refinery Performance Analysis (Lube Study), as well as specialty studies and the company’s 3D Analysis offering.

“Bill has been with Solomon Associates for more than 11 years, playing a key role in the refining studies as well as greenhouse gas projects and other strategic initiatives,” said Dale Emanuel, president of Solomon Associates. “We’re delighted to have him join our senior leadership team and look forward to his additional contributions to the company’s growth and success in the future.”

Trout has served as manager of refining studies since 2010, directing the company’s Fuels and Lube Studies. These authoritative flagship studies, designed to help refiners identify opportunities for performance improvement, include participants representing approximately 85 percent of the world’s refining capacity.

Since joining Solomon Associates in 1999, Trout has assisted various operating organizations around the world in developing margin, operating expense and environmental performance improvement programs through his extensive industry experience and his expertise in the effective application of benchmarking methodologies and performance gap analysis techniques.

Prior to Solomon Associates, Trout worked 26 years for ExxonMobil, including 10 years at the Baytown, Texas, refinery and 16 years at refining headquarters in Houston. Trout has spoken at various industry conferences in North America and Europe, addressing benchmarking approaches for issues related to climate change regulation. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

About Solomon Associates
Based in Dallas, HSB Solomon Associates LLC is the world’s leading performance improvement company for energy companies seeking to identify and close gaps in operational performance. Combining proven, patented methodologies with objective data analysis, and led by a team steeped in hands-on operational experience, Solomon Associates consistently helps clients with energy-intensive assets achieve greater efficiencies, enhanced reliability, and improved margins. Solomon Associates is part of HSB Group, Inc. To learn more about Solomon Associates, visit www.solomononline.com.

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