MESHsystems adds Adobe AIR

AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) packages a host of Web technologies and enables RIAs (rich Internet applications) to run outside of the browser on the user's local desktop. Those underlying technologies can be Adobe's own Flex, Flash, and ActionScript, for example, or just plain old HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and AJAX libraries.

The results can be spectacular. AIR applications can take on either a custom or native appearance. In particular, data-driven dashboards really sing when freed from browser constraints.

While all MESHsystems applications can run using AIR, it is already proven with the eLearning Editor in MESH. This allows the online eLearning modules to be updated from the system but play on the desktop without a need for an internet connection.

Again, MESHsystem technology jumps way ahead oa all competitors.

TDG completes initial training program (PSM Critical Indicators) for TEEX.`

The Critical Indicators course is an 8 hour course that will be offered by TEEX starting during the summer of 2008. It will focus on indicators within an organization that provide insight to problems that can alert companies of potential process safety problems.

Welcome LyondellBasell Refinery ERT

Lyondell Emergency Response procedures and training needed an upgrade and we just competed the overhaul of their documentation. Besides a review and update of content the format and style was modified to a more graphical and streamlined approach.

Tom conducted PSM TEEX training for Sinopec, Mary Kay Cosmetics and BP Texas City.

The PSM training was given under the TEEX pragram.

Join us in New Orleans at the 22nd Annual CCPS Conference and 3rd Global Congress on Process Safety.

We will be demonstrating the newest features to MESHsystems including the Flex, AIR and International language features.

The Drake Group is a partner with Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX)

With our extensive Process Safety experience, it was a perfect time to partner with TEEX for some of their new initiatives. One of them is the development of a leading edge course for PSM Critical Indicators. Follow TEEX news to see when this course will be offered.

Tom will speak at the ASSE Business of Safety, A Matter of Success Symposium in Baltimore on March 13-14.

The title of the presentation is "Using Technology to Track Your Goals and Performance Measures in Real Time"

In this session you will learn how to set up a goal setting, communication and tracking system, using real time technology. You will be analyzing your current method of tracking goals and develop a plan for a performance management system that will produce proactive data. You will view examples of successful system implementation to integrate and manage business processes and safety.

AIR Technology comes to MESHsystems

Adobe Integrated Runtime is the latest technology we are adding to push us even further ahead of our competition. What this allows us to do is run the MESHsystems modules directly on your desktop independent of the online system. This results in SPEED. The other important feature is that even if it running on your desktop, it is still communicating with the online system to stay updated, both with data being input and output.

MESHsystems is being upgraded to "Flex" technology.

Adobe Flex technology will position us ahead of our competition.....again. This exciting new programming will bring "Flash" level speed to our system and provide even more rich graphics and functionality.

TDG/MESHsystems will be at the ASSE Region III PDC in Ft Worth, Texas

We will be exhibiting at the PDC. on August 13, 2007.

Welcome Duke Energy

TDG is developing eLearning modules using the new FlexEditor.

Welcome Questar Market Resources

Safety Procedures Project.

Welcome Grace to our group of great clients

TDG will provide procedures and training for their EHS processes.

CHS Refinery MESHsystems

Implementation of MESHsystems at CHS Refinery in Laurel, Montana has started.

Lyondell Houston Refinery MESHsystem is online

MESHsystem components have been added to provide Process Troubleshooting and Consequences of Deviations online. Reciprocating Compressor training and a FlashEditor was also provided in the system.

MESHsystems is being updated to new style and technology.

MESHsystems is being re-engineered to ASP.NET and SQL 2005. The hybrid design of the system will allow for clients to utilize our comprehensive design while still having the ability to customize for company needs.

The background programming has been completed and modules have been revamped or added.

This is the only HES enterprise solution on the market today!

Tom presents at the Minnesota Safety Council

Tom presented 2 presentations at the Minnesota Safety Council conference. The first was "Training for Performance or Compliance" which was given at the conference last year. The other presentation was "Principle Based Safety".

TDG performs systems review for CHS in Billings, Montana

The review of facility systems used in PSM support was conducted to provide CHS with a strategic plan for process improvement.

Lyondell-Citgo Compressor eLearning Training Starts

TDG has started a project to update the LCR Reciprocating Compressor training with classroom presentations and eLearning. The project is the first with Training and Development Services in Houston and the partnership will produce significant client resources.

Motion Computing Partnership

TDG has become a strategic partner with Motion Computing in Austin, TX. Motion produces the Motion Tablet PC and will be used for field input of data into MESHsystems. They were selected because of the overall performance of their tablet, and especially for the "View Anywhere" display which performed the best in outdoor light situations.

The programming for the tablet will be for online and 'Thin Client" usage. With the internet connectivity and connection can be real-time and for areas without connections audits and other field activities can be performed and then data transferred when a connection is made.

We will be featuring this technology with the MESHsystems demonstrations.

Sebastian George Joins TDG

We are very pleased to add Sebastian and his advanced siills in .NET and essentially every leading-edge programming language. Sebastian is responsible for MESHsystems development and this advanced program requires a designer/programmer of Sebastian's caliber.

Tom speaks for the Minnesota Safety Council in Minneapolis

Tom was a featured speaker at the Minnesota conference with other notable speakers like Dr. Dan Petersen, Joel Tietjens, and Dr E. Scott Geller. The presentation title was Training for Compliance or Performance.

Benefits eLearning Project Completed

The Central Administration of ConocoPhillips wanted to upgrade their annual enrollment process. The existing worked, but needed a style upgrade and the availability of online assistance for each of the benefits plans. Our team provided a new "skin" to the system and developed Flash information modules for all of the plan elements.

The modules include professional voice over, controls, graphics, navigation, and flash animation to communicate plan details. After all movies were completed the final movies were compressed to an average file size of 1 MB.

Welcome Ben Williams to The Drake Group team

We are very pleased to have Ben Williams working with us on the ConocoPhillips project in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Ben will be the key person supporting the IBuy group and providing service to the Global Learning Strategy.

ASSE Safety Training Symposium and Expo

Tom Drake will present "Training for Performance or Compliannce" at the ASSE Safety Training Symposium and Expo in Scottsdale, AZ on November 12, 2004. information on the symposium can be obtained at www.asse.org.

Train-the-Trainer Delivered in Venezuela

A Train-the-Trainer workshop was developed and delivered by Pat Drake in Oklahoma and Caracas, Venezuela. The workshop focused on presentation skills and the development of specific content that will be presented by the participants.

eLearning Modules Released

8 new eLearning modules were developed to support SAP transactions. These modules were developed with "Flash" technology and were hosted on The Drake Group servers before being transferred to the clients servers.

Patti Polensky led the development process involved working with Subject Matter Experts and incorporated screens from the SAP system. The content was communicated with professional Voice Overs by Joe Turner and Flash development by Chris Drake, Clint Crowder, and Tom Drake. The modules feature a very small file size with sharp graphics that can be accesssed globally.

ConocoPhillips SAP Enterprise Implementation

ConcoPhillips in Bartlesville, Oklahoma is using our services in their SAP Implementation.

Support of training and communications will include eLearning and user learning initiatives that will greatly enhance the success for their SAP implementation.

Pat Drake and Patti Polensky Join the Team

Pat and Patti bring their years of Enterprise Implementation experience to The Drake Group. We have been talking about joining together for many years and the opportunity presented itself, so we eagarly jumped at it.

The Drake Group merges it's information design and management capabilities with Pat and Patti's subject expertise to provide services for SAP, Oracle, Siebel, and PeopleSoft implementation needs.

New Servers in a New Place

The Drake Group is operating from a new bank of Dell servers in facilities in Dallas. The servers manage web, data, and email to support normal web development, e-learning, and MESHsystems. These systems and facilities provide us with reliability, speed, and power to manage world-wide delivery.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) support systems expanded

Our emphasis on information development and delivery includes ERP with Pat Drake and Patti Polensky joining our team.Experience including SAP, Siebel, and Oracle systems fits extremely well with our products and services.

We have designed and delived e-learning to support ERP. The design is in Macromedia Flash with interactivity and hosted on our servers.

ASSE Professional Conference in Denver

Chris Drake, Justin Youens, and Tom Drake had a successful exhibit at the conference.

We were very pleased with the excitement our products and services produced and are underway with discussions with a wide range of companies and organizations. The debut of MESHsystem was a highlight and the interest in the system was outstanding.

Justin Youens attains MCSD.NET Certification

The Drake Group team member Justin Youens has recently been awarded the highest Microsoft development certification available, the Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD.NET). Justin is also a Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) and Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA), making him well suited to provide our clients with the latest in programming technology and solution-oriented development.

ASSE Denver June 22

The Drake Group will exhibit at the American Society of Safety Engineers meeting in Denver Colorado.

MESH global enterprise system is being developed

The Drake Group is developing MESH as a global enterprise system that manages critical HES and operational information.

It is unique because it provides a single source for information required for OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, MMS SEMP, DOT OQ, OSHA VPP, EPA NEPT, Responsible Care, ISO 9000, ISO 14000, ISO 18000, ILO-OSH. This approach offers outstanding cost savings and efficiency compared to managing these initiatives separately.

The primary elements in MESH include:

Action/Goals
Analysis
Certification
Chemicals
Communication
Contacts
Contractors
Emergencies
Forms/Permits
Incidents
Links
MOC
Procedures
Process
Training

MESH is managed on our servers in the InfoMart in Dallas. This is a world-class installation with huge bandwidth and security. It is written in Microsoft.net, which was selected for it's ease of integration in existing systems and it's ability to change and grow.

Implementation is the key to any successful venture and we have developed a strategy that offers exceptional opportunities to get it "just right" for clients. While we have mapped large amounts of content, we custom design the look and feel of the front end to the needs for the individual corporation. This was very successfully used with a major energy corporation to produce exactly what they wanted in an amazingly short amount of time.

Input into MESH is worldwide and by any means that can reach the internet. The front page is customized to the user and has dynamic news, incident, and action tracking data available in real time.

Operating Procedures Completed for Sunoco Refinery in Toledo

The Sunoco Toledo Refinery took a new approach and made a major commitment to become truly world class with their operating procedures.

Over a 4 year period, The Drake Group, performed a rigorous review of existing procedures and developed new ones. The key to the system is in the accuracy, presentation, and usability. We utilized a clean and straight forward style where distractions, such as wordiness, was eliminated. Emphasis of important content is made with specific font styles, graphics, and color.

We also developed the HES and laboratory procedures in a style that is all the same so they all work together. Each procedure has hyper-linking so an operating procedure that may involve a safety permit during a repair will have a hyperlink to the procedure.

Many elements were photographed and embedded or linked to the documents.

With over 9000 pages to the project, it was important to be able to approve and manage the procedures. We developed a Knowledge Management System that tracks all procedures and linked attachments. It also allows on-line certification and tracking reports to ensure persons with approving responsibilities can know when a procedure assigned to them is due.

SOP Project Completed for Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation

The Drake Group worked with team members of TDEC to develop operating procedures for their initial phase. The SOPs provide a method to coordinate existing work processes with TEMPO software, developed by AMS, INC.

The project involved implementation of procedures for Solid Waste, Water Pollution, Air Pollution, and the Fees Division. With the outstanding cooperation of the teams the project was completed on time and within budget. The project focus was to evaluate existing work processes and incorporate the TEMPO electronic systems into them. The results of this major change dramatically reduces redundant operations and enhances overall efficiency.

The project was completed by Tom and Chris on-site in Nashville, Tennessee.

New Mexico Environmental Department Phase 2 SOP Project Starts

After the success of Phase 1 work continues on Phase 2. The progress of implementation of TEMPO, developed by AMS, Inc continues and so does the integration of the system into their SOPs.

Clint and Michelle Pustejovsky are working in Santa Fe with the excellent team from New Mexico.

E-Learning Modules Ready for Sunoco Toledo Refinery

Tom and Chris Drake worked with the Sunoco HES and Training Departments to produce the first 2 of a series of E-Learning modules, Vehicle Safety and Lockout/Tagout. These are custom site-specific modules designed to be linked from procedure links or individually.

The technique involves scripting, shooting digital video, recording professional voice over, editing, and assembly in a web-based interface. The Vehicle Safety module was ready for final edit in 7 days and the Lockout/Tagout was ready in 12. We have developed a technique that produces modules in very small files sizes which permits intranet and internet delivery. An average size is 1 meg per produced minute. This includes navigation screens, backgrounds, sound, video, stills, and titles.

Sunoco HES Procedures Ready for Toledo Refinery

A complete revision to the HES procedures for the Sunoco Toledo Refinery features a major upgrade. While the content was examined and enhances, the procedure look and usability was given equal attention.

I feel, says Tom Drake, "the HES procedures receive their major benefit by being tightly integrated with the Operating procedures project nearing completion". They work hand-in-hand and each supports the other. This is the way that facility information should work. This means that Operating, Laboratory, and HES are all functioning under the same system and are linked together.

E-learning modules were developed for Vehicle Safety and Lockout/Tagout that are launched from the procedures. As an example, the HES and the various operating and maintenance procedures using Lockout/Tagout will have links and can launch the Lockout/Tagout e-learning module.

New MESHsystems Safety/Environmental Management System Design Complete

The Drake Group has developed a leading edge web/database system named MESHsystems. In a project with BP/Amoco, The Drake Group developed a web concept for a complete HES enterprise system. This was a dream project as it was a true integration of the many systems and concepts developed by Tom Drake over the past 20 years. We were able to incorporate a few of these elements into a system for Unocal 4 years ago and the power of this approach was demonstrated.

MESHsystems has a true web front-end using the power of .NET and is adaptable with many databases. Functionality is being developed by Justin Youens presently and Chris and Tom have completed the navigation and have completed the working design. MESHsystems is designed to be customized with features needed by the client.

E-Learning Modules Delivered to Sunoco

E-Learning modules for Vehicle Safety and Lockout/Tagout feature custom digital movies and professional voice-overs. Chris Drake has developed a technique for fast and efficient editing and conversion to Macromedia Flash for full custom modules at very small file sizes that streams to the user as the module plays. The Vehicle Safety module was compressed to 7 Meg and still had great visual and audio quality.

These modules work with the Safety and Environmental procedures completed this spring. They actually launch from the procedure or can be accessed independently. While there are many Web and Computer Based modules available for general topics, our niche is the custom module that is site or company specific. EduNeering still is the recommended company for compliance modules.

New MOHO (Mobile Office/Home Office) is an American Dream

A new 40' American Dream coach was delivered by Ancira RV and has undergone transformation into a fully functional mobile office. The original Coachmen Sportscoach was a good platform for experimenting with the various equipment arrangements over a 2 year period. It has been so successful that it was time for a step up in size and amenities so the American Dream coach was selected.

It contains all of the network equipment used in the prior coach in an arrangement that is even more compact and functional. The main addition is the MotoSat satellite Internet system which is capable of unlink and downlink at broadband speeds. A wireless hub has also been added to permit internet use of laptops without hooking into the network with cables. Tom thinks that it is neat to set outside under the awning answering e-mails while drinking a cool beverage.

It was a good thing that a lot of the setup was thought out beforehand because there was only a 2-week period before heading out to a project with the EPA in Kentucky for 2 months. The new setup is a real pleasure to work in and should provide even better service to clients as well as the substantial travel cost reduction demonstrated previously.

Kentucky EPA starts TEMPO Phase 1

The Drake Group will develop SOPs for Kentucky EPA that enhances the use of TEMPO software developed by AMS, Inc. The project is similar to the SOP development previously completed for New Mexico EPA.

Tom Drake Co-presents at the Integrity Management and Operator Qualification Seminar

EduNeering,Inc sponsored an industry seminar, Integrity Management and Operator Qualification which focused on 49CFR 192-195 - Pipeline Safety:Qualification of Pipeline Personnel at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel in Houston, Texas on October 24, 2001.

William Bertges, Senior Engineer/Inspector Office of Pipeline Safety for the Southwest region presented on the direction the Southwest Region is taking on this rule. Tom Drake provided methods for evaluating existing resources and strategies for creating new resources to complete the Operator Qualification requirements. Operators must be qualified by demonstration of work performance and acceptable evaluation by October 27, 2002. The Drake Group has developed methods and support software for managing Operator Qualification.

SOPs at New Mexico EPA

New Mexico EPA is updating their methods of managing their processes with the TEMPO computer system developed by AMS, Inc. The Drake Group is developing SOPs that evaluates the existing work processes and integrates TEMPO into the process.

There is a dramatic potential for increased efficiency with TEMPO and the utilization of the SOPs into the process.