Page 32 - RC19 EDGE Spring All - final-2 - hi res

On the Cover

it does not have an engine in it, then it is just an expensive
pile of parts. Good, clean, reliable, and searchable data
from trusted sources is what allows you to effectively run
your day-to-day operations, and grow value. Data is the
engine. The third part is modern architecture, leveraging
APIs that allow efficient data flow between source
systems, applications and users.

What were the major technology projects you
started or completed last year?
We’ve done some great things back in E&PS centered
around smart building strategy. We took a global view of
all assets and categorized them by personas. So, instead
of looking at the number of facilities we had around the
world, we broke them down into five distinct personas,
or categories. This helped our strategies to become
relatable and obtainable, because instead of having to
devise a plan for a large number of sites with multiple
disciplines, we proposed five personas of sites, where
JARED SUMMERS everything in each was relatively similar. That enabled us

DATA FOUNDATION MANAGER to develop investment strategies based upon the effects
FUELS AND LUBRICANTS CO. we’re trying to achieve to drive the most value for that
persona. I am able to apply this same strategy to where I
EXXONMOBIL am within the company now.

Another accomplishment from last year we are very
proud of in the corporate real estate space relates to desk
Jared Summers is the Data Foundation Manager for the level utilization. This is incredibly important for us as an
Fuels & Lubricants Company at ExxonMobil, delivering on owner/operator because every square foot is a resource
the promise to unlock the tremendous value from their tied up that can’t be used elsewhere. We really wanted
data. He has extensive experience managing large-scale to optimize our footprint and provide notifications early
global programs. Jared brings a unique ability to under- if utilization was changing. We could then respond and
stand and articulate complex technologies in a relatable grow in a cost-effective manner, or address a shrinking
way while rapidly fielding innovative capabilities. footprint within a particular site or region. Along with
measuring utilization, we also wanted to deliver a truly
Tell us about your role within your organization. productive workspace. To accomplish this, we continued
I’ve recently been loaned from Environmental and the implementation of our Work Evolution 3 (WE3)
Property Solutions (E&PS), the organization tasked with program, an ‘activity-based working’ free-addressing
managing all Corporate Real Estate functions on behalf neighborhood that gives employees access to many
of the corporation, to the Fuels and Lubricants company different workspace types.
within ExxonMobil. My new role is Data Foundation
Manager, and the role covers several facets. One is However, free-addressed neighborhoods create
about foundational architecture and infrastructure that challenges for accurately measuring utilization. We first
enables all the new technologies which drive value. If the considered putting a sensor in every chair and on every
foundation’s not right, it doesn’t matter what capabilities desk; but at the scale we operate, it was expensive. Each
you want to enable—it’s just not possible at scale. Another sensor also has a battery, which means a maintenance
facet relates to data: data quality, data governance, schedule is needed to replace them. So we developed
master data management, metadata management—there an in-house solution that creates a heartbeat for laptops
are a lot of components. This data feeds directly into the when they are plugged in. Each work area is outfitted
foundation. To use a car analogy: if you own a Ferrari and with everything needed to plug-in and immediately be

30

RC19 EDGE Spring All but Covers - final - 19APR.indd 30 4/19/19 3:17 PM