• An organization that supports non-profits and the business community in North Dakota’s state capital has honored Marathon Petroleum’s Mandan refinery.
• The Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals Network presented the refinery with a Community Champion Award for involvement in its outreach efforts over the past year.
• To aid the network’s goal of connecting organizations across the community, the refinery will host a bus tour of the site that highlights refining’s economic importance.

From fundraisers and service projects to professional development seminars, the Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals (YP) Network supports both the non-profit and business communities in North Dakota’s state capital. Over the past year, a key component of these efforts has been Marathon Petroleum Corp.’s (MPC) Mandan refinery, which recently received YP’s Community Champion Award for volunteer and financial assistance.

“2022 was the first year MPC formally became part of the network, and employees wasted little time getting involved with the team and in the community,” said Mandan Refining Engineer and YP member Cole Bachmeier.

Refinery employees account for about a dozen of the network’s 180 members. The organization began in 2005 and represents a wide range of local industries, including energy, banking, consulting, health care and real estate.

Among other activities so far in 2023, YP has organized a roadside cleanup, a fundraiser for Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center, career presentations at a local high school and Failing Successfully, an event for members in which speakers shared lessons from past career challenges and discussed how they applied what they learned.

YP’s mission statement refers to forging connections across organizations throughout the community. To this end, the Mandan refinery is scheduled to provide a bus tour of the facility later this month (July) for YP members, their families and associates that highlights details of the refining industry’s economic importance.

“For many years, folks have wanted to see what goes on behind the gates,” Bachmeier said. “Most consumers know that refineries make gasoline and other fuels, however, many don’t know about oil’s role in making electronics, textiles, health and beauty products, medical supplies and many other necessities.”