Meet Brandon Coldicott, a Level III Controls Engineer based out of our Memphis, TN, office. Since joining LSI in 2017, Brandon has been a key contributor, particularly in our pulp and paper projects. His strong work ethic has earned the respect of both clients and colleagues. We’re proud to have him on the team and look forward to his continued success. The three words we use to describe Brandon are intrepid, resourceful, and creative. Read our latest Employee Spotlight interview below.
How long have you been with LSI?
7 years
Describe your current role and experience at LSI.
I am a Level III Controls Engineer located in St. Petersburg, FL. I’m currently part of a multi-year controls standardization project that will bring over 40 paper machines at 12 different sites up to date to corporate standards. This includes working with several systems (Honeywell Experion, Honeywell TDC3000, DeltaV, Modicon, Control Logix, etc.), all while communicating and balancing corporate objectives and local operations concerns so that top-to-bottom buy-in and ownership can be achieved, ensuring the short-term and long-term success of the project.
Where did you go to college?
I graduated from the University of Memphis with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
What industries have you been involved in?
Pulp & Paper, Food & Beverage, Brewing, Plastics, Hydroelectric, and Surface Mining.
Tell us about a project success story that you are proud of.
I love all my babies, but the most recent one of note is a mining site that called us in for a last-minute overhaul of a PLC being installed to control a conveyor belt system. Over the course of three weeks, LSI took a site that was using MCC HOAs for all control to using a PlantPAx-based SCADA system. I take a lot of pride in ensuring that the operators who were very unfamiliar and uncomfortable with computer-based controls, transition to having confidence in a system that worked with them, not against them.
What do you think is unique about LSI?
LSI is unique because of our people. I do not know the recipe that has made us such a compassionate and impassioned workplace, but I do know that many of us at LSI find it to be more than just a job. Part of what allows me to perform at my best is the passion and integrity of the other people I work with, and I believe LSI has a good eye for finding that in people.
How have you grown professionally since joining LSI?
When I joined LSI, I thought DCS was a video game and 120VAC was high voltage. Since then, I’ve had the privilege to learn from the best and to see just how many different ways a problem can be solved. Someone once told me that a year at a systems integrator is worth three at a single site, and I believe it. I’ve come to learn that there is no all-encompassing solution, except to listen to the client’s needs (which sometimes are not the same as their wants!) and to engage in long-term conversation about how to meet those needs.
What advice do you have for aspiring engineers?
When I was a college student, I thought my dream was to go into research and use my analytical mind to solve the world’s problems that way. I actually did a little research in computational material science (in a thesis I never finished, sorry Dr. Asadi), and I hated it because I was in a cubicle working by myself on problems that, if solutions were found, would be a small part of the much greater machine that drives technology forward. I realized that I didn’t have the vision to see myself (my worth, fulfillment) in that machine. Working at LSI, I have slowly developed my vision for what my fulfillment is: relationships. As I said above, I’ve had fun (and still do!) learning and developing the skills to make machines work as they should. But I’ve also had the experience that if, in that pursuit, I don’t also examine and engineer the human element at the center of all industrial action, then the project isn’t as successful. This includes both the client and the people you work with. My advice is the above testimony and the following:
- Have fun
- Stay Curious
- Save Often
What is your favorite vacation spot?
A part of my heart will always be in Scotland. After visiting twice, the land and the people just feel like home. I’m not usually a nature person, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the natural beauty that is free and easily accessible in Scotland. (click image to expand)
Do you have any hobbies or random facts about yourself that you could share with us?
Last year I went to a very famous clown school in France. Clown means a little more than blowing up balloons to them (and now me) and it was an amazing experience. I met and learned from some of the funniest people on the planet. I have taken that and started my journey into acting, having helped produce a short film this year in 7 days for a local film festival challenge. I am also in love with wood and wooden sailboats.
Here I am last year with Phillipe Gaulier, the founder of the school I went to in France. He has taught many famous people, including Sacha Baron Cohen, Emma Thompson, Julia Garner, and others.