Key Points

• Wayne Davis, Marathon Petroleum Marine Transportation Tankering Services supervisor supporting the Gulf Coast, was named to The Waterways Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award list, recognizing his contributions to the inland marine transportation industry.
• Davis has built a 19-year marine career, growing from a shore-based tankerman into a leader of nearly 25 team members supporting barge operations across Texas and Louisiana.
• His leadership focuses on respect, safety and shared accountability, helping strengthen team culture, support zero OSHA recordable injuries and encourage others to grow in the industry.

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When Wayne Davis, Marathon Petroleum Marine Tankering Services Supervisor supporting the Gulf Coast, learned he had been named to The Waterways Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award list, the recognition felt bigger than a personal achievement.

“It was a very surreal moment,” Davis said. “You don’t hear about coming from shore tanking to getting awards in the industry. It was an honor to be celebrated in front of industry partners.”

The annual 40 Under 40 Award recognizes men and women who have made significant contributions to the inland marine transportation industry and show promise in shaping its future. For Davis, who supports Marathon’s Galveston Bay, Texas, and Garyville, Louisiana, refineries and third-party docks in both states, it also shines a light on a part of the marine industry that is often less visible.

An Unexpected Start

Davis has worked in the marine industry since 2006 and marked four years with Marathon in August. His path began unexpectedly when he was working at a sporting goods store at age 18. After he helped a customer load weightlifting equipment for a vessel, she offered him a job opportunity.

“I didn’t know this industry existed,” Davis said. “She offered me a better opportunity and more of a career than what I was doing.”

Davis started as a shore-based tankerman and has built a 19-year career rooted in reliability, initiative and a willingness to keep learning. Today, Davis supervises a growing team of nearly 25 shore-based Tankerman across Texas and Louisiana who support the movement of products by barge across key Gulf Coast locations. While vessel crews move the barges, shore-based tankermen meet them at the dock, connect the equipment and oversee the transfer process that helps keep products moving across our integrated value chain safely and reliably.

“Wayne’s leadership style is grounded in accountability, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to safety.”

Leading with Respect

For Davis, leadership starts with respect, consistency and accountability. He said he makes it a point to treat frontline employees and leaders with the same professionalism, creating an environment where people feel valued and supported.

“My job is to go to work and make sure the team feels respected,” Davis said. “Make sure they feel treated right; make sure they feel taken care of. We’re all human beings. We’re all grown adults at work.”

Chris Snouffer, Marine Tankering Services Manager, said Davis’s leadership has had a significant impact on both the Marine Transportation organization and MPC.

“Wayne’s leadership style is grounded in accountability, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to safety,” Snouffer said. “He sets the tone for the group by making safety not just a priority, but a core value in every decision and action.”

Snouffer said Davis has strengthened the safety culture, empowered teams to speak up, and helps drive operational excellence.

“Because of Wayne’s leadership, our organization operates with greater discipline, confidence, and a shared focus on protecting our people and assets every day,” Snouffer said.

Safety as a Shared Responsibility

That approach has helped Davis strengthen a team culture built on safety and shared ownership. Under his supervision, the group has achieved zero OSHA recordable injuries, supported by knowledge assessments and participation in behavior-based safety processes. Davis reinforces that safety is not optional.

“Safety is built into everything we do,” Davis said. “It’s how we protect our team, support our operations and serve the communities around us.”

Davis often describes the team’s culture as one where employees make each other better. In practice, he said, it means employees are encouraged to share observations, offer feedback and look at familiar tasks from different perspectives.

“You don’t have to feel offended when someone comes to correct you,” Davis said. “Learn how to take feedback as a way to grow.”

That focus on respect and shared accountability has also shaped how Davis supports the people around him.

“Wayne is an exceptional leader that always goes above and beyond to ensure his team, and everyone around him, feels heard, respected and valued,” said Pam Shafer, Senior Human Resources Business Partner. “He truly goes the extra mile to share his knowledge with others and is helping to develop the Tankering Services Group for a positive future.”

Service Beyond Work

His commitment to service extends beyond work. Davis has volunteered with Bay Area Habitat for Humanity build days, and he and his wife regularly involve their children in grassroots efforts to provide meals and supplies to people in need.

While the 40 Under 40 Award recognizes what Davis has already accomplished, he said what motivates him now is helping others see what is possible in the same industry that once found him.

“Being able to help people and encourage people to want better for themselves in the same industry, it helps get me up for work now,” Davis said. “With this team and the leadership around us, I’m excited about where we’re headed and what we can continue to accomplish together.”