Reflections by Rick Baldridge on Maintenance and Reliability

Our editorial director had the privilege of conversing with Rick Baldridge, a prominent figure in the field of maintenance and reliability. Throughout his distinguished career at Cargill Incorporated and his notable performance at SMRP and SMRPCO, Rick has accumulated extensive experience and knowledge in the field of maintenance and reliability. In this interview, he shared reflections on his professional journey, sector challenges and valuable advice for standing out in this constantly evolving field.

More about Rick Baldridge:

Rick holds a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and an associate degree in business and psychology from North Dakota State University. He was responsible for leading and directing the primary stream of reliability excellence at Cargill Incorporated. Rick served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMRP (The Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals) and held the position twice at the Certification Organization (SMRPCO). Additionally, Rick served as Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President for both organizations, as well as a participant in SMRP's Government Relations Committee. In 2006, he was the Chairman of SMRP's Annual Conference. Rick holds the CAMA professional certification through WPiAM and ASNT-TC 1A certifications in Vibration, Thermography, Oil Analysis, MLT, AE, UT, VT, PT, ET, and MT.

How would you describe your experience as Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMRP?

Rick Baldridge - My experience when I was in all the board positions, multiple times w/in both SMRP and SMRPCO, has been valuable to me both professionally and personally. Specifically, as Chairperson, was in accepting the responsibility of leading the largest global non-for-profit reliability organization. The preparation in the other board positions was critical in learning and accepting that responsibility. There were two primary value streams that have helped me in the own growth. The success in effective reliability leadership requires a significant mind shift from being a line manager to being an influencer. My SMRP board experience and challenges being influenced and influencing with members of different companies (practitioners and service providers) as well a professional management company brought significant growth in my abilities and skills to be more effective in leading reliability w/in the company that employed me. Secondly, I was able to gain new reliability knowledge and skills from collaborating with practitioners having similar leadership jobs in other companies.

What were the main challenges you faced during your tenure as Chairman of the SMRP Board, and how did this experience influence your professional and personal development?

Rick Baldridge - I experienced historically as a board member the change of (4) management companies that SMRP funds to execute and support the strategic tactics of the board. One of the biggest challenges I faced was in leading the most recent one of those changes. The due diligence required and the responsibility in making the right decision was challenging. We as a nonprofit organization board needed to learn the difference in acting and making strategic decisions in contrast to focusing on tactical decisions and execution. Kellen (current SMRP management company) and Erin Erickson (Executive Director) have enabled the board's capability to understand, adapt and fit and are now making a crucial difference in the organization. Another significant challenge has been in significant discussing, deciding, and supporting whether SMRP is a North American or global organization. Great strides have been made as we learn more during the past year through very specific strategic initiatives.

In addition to the CMRP certification, you are also a Certified Asset Management Assessor (CAMA). How has this certification contributed to your career?

Rick Baldridge - The Certified Asset Management Assessor (CAMA) professional certification has brought me a new perspective and holistic understanding of Asset Management. As a result, I have expanded my already comprehensive integrated approach to reliability. The preparation for the certification itself led and enabled me to more deeply understand ISO 55000 (Why), 55001 (What) and 55002 (How) of the standards of Asset Management. Personally, the CAMA has enabled me to speak and act intelligently as I promote ISO 55000.

After 44 years at Cargill Incorporated, how has your approach to reliability excellence evolved over the years?

Rick Baldridge - I have had the luxury over the (44) years at Cargill as well as external to Cargill to be exposed to and learn from many operational functions and perspectives. I began my career as a production supervisor at a large export grain handling facility, during that period was asked to be a maintenance supervisor working under one of the few real mentors that I had in my career. While supervising maintenance, I got my first exposure to a CMMS. I was asked to assemble all the tasks to enable good work management practices. I took that knowledge and skill to become the plant superintendent for two barge loading facilities. Significant difference in approach to maintenance as production workers were also the maintenance crew, all those skills aided me when asked to be a maintenance manager at a large grain export facility. A much faster pace and greater results for safety, cost control and machine uptime were the expectations. I am most proud that during those 16 years under my supervision there was never a reported injury. I then moved into one of the North American businesses as the procurement manager supporting all the locations in that business. My maintenance experience used, however, sharply shifted to a reliability focus as I took the principles of reliability centered deign and total cost of ownership as my approach to procurement. This experience led me to reliability leadership for one of the North American businesses. During this time, my focus was to learn and put technology into action. It was from there that my biggest evolution in perspective and approach began when I moved into a global corporate role. I certainly had the technical knowledge and skill however at this time I learned that even more important is change management and the focus on people. To this day, I believe that reliability is about people. The technical side is very important however the critical success factor is people.

How do you envision the future of maintenance and reliability in the industry considering current trends?

Rick Baldridge - There are very big challenges that facilities will face in the future. The very top of my short list would be the exponential development of technology, the growing shortage of a skilled workforce and much higher competitive expectations to produce at the lowest cost of ownership. The biggest challenge with technology, as important as it is and will continue to be, will be in understanding at the right levels of the organization and placement of that technology where value is needed and created - not necessarily everywhere. The challenge of the shortage of skilled workers is real. That shortage has been primarily focused on a skilled technical workforce (maintenance mechanical and electrical crafts). I strongly believe what will soon be realized that there will be the same shortage for skilled production workers as facilities continue to become smarter. For those successful and having the right focus will be difficult to compete with. This will put higher pressures in operational supply chains, further increasing cost optimization and productivity expectations. Unfolded will be the survival and profitability of the best.

What advice would you give to professionals looking to stand out in the field of reliability and maintenance today?

Rick Baldridge - Standing out in the field of reliability and maintenance will only happen over a period of time. Standing out as being the motivation to enter this profession will bring less than successful results. Those that have the motivation to learn, grow and achieve results will stand out. One must seek out organizational goals for alignment of strategy. I highly recommend reliability practitioners and other operational leadership roles to sit for the CMRP (Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional) professional certification exam. I have found this to be one of the best reliability knowledge gap assessment tools. I believe there are (3) different candidates. The first and second most advantaged are those that take the exam and immediately achieve certification. I, however, have seen that there sometimes is a typical thought that there is no more to learn. The most advantaged are those that take the exam, are unsuccessful however embrace the knowledge gaps and seek out to close those gaps. I typically see these individuals as perpetual learners from there. The third candidate type are those that fail by not offering themselves the opportunity to take the exam. These are the only candidates that fail. SMRP now offers an excellent training program that began in 2024. It covers all the SMRP bodies of knowledge. Practitioners need to keep in mind that adults learning capacity is narrow. I always recommend understanding knowledge gaps, take small bites and immediately execute that knowledge over and over again to transform into skill. I hear the words and promises of transformational and culture change. This is a promise that is not achieved overnight. Accumulation of small bits of knowledge immediately executed over and over again will acquire skill. These building blocks of skill accumulated for self and others will make the change. When the "new" becomes the "old" you will have cultural and transformational change. I also very much believe in collaboration across multiple professional disciplines brings valuable perspective that will help enable strategies. Be a leader of this change within yourself and others. Always remember that you need to be well rounded in the leadership of technology, process and people. There are no silver bullets. I do however believe that how you interact with and primary focus on people will be the shiniest bullet. Be patient as it takes years, and you will end up standing out.

If you could share a life lesson learned throughout your career, what would it be?

Rick Baldridge - The biggest life lesson learned throughout my career has been to not put your primary focus on your next advancement or job. Even as coworkers might leapfrog you focus on being the best at what you are being compensated for. That does not mean you should not be working on career development. I have seen coworkers since my first year put more focus on a perceived next job and lose sight of development and results of their current job. I have seen short term gains, however, have never seen long term success. I also have had the opportunity of working with many Change Management professionals. I have, however, had the luxury of working with a few great Change Management professionals. I analyzed the difference between the two groups and have come to the conclusion that the great ones live both their personal and professional lives with the same change management principles. My capability for Change Management was enabled by a couple of the great ones and has made the biggest positive change in my development. You don't simply pick a strategic or tactical change management tool and apply it. (I most often see change managements as defined by doing stakeholder management. If properly executed and at the right time, stakeholder management is very valuable. It is not the only tool.) Change Management should be "integrated" whenever there is an initiative of any type that there is a desire to be implemented. The initiative should be broken down in its individual components and analyzed for their change impacts. That analysis should include impacts to people, process, structure and culture. This is where an understanding is gained as to what strategic or tactical change management tool will address that/those impact(s). Technical people and engineers naturally have the impulse to immediately execute upon technology or process thinking change management is soft and for others. This is one of those areas that sustainment fails. Finally, mutual respect, mutual benefit and mutual trust should be an outcome when working with colleagues, service providers, distributors, OEM's etc.

Outside of your professional life, what is your favorite pastime to unwind and recharge?

Rick Baldridge - There are three things outside of my professional life that fulfill me, bring joy and make me ready for my next challenge. My family, hunting and fishing, and baseball/college football. My wife, our three successful children and our (5) grandchildren are the biggest rewards in life. Secondly, I love to hunt and fish. Big game and upland hunting in Montana and North Dakota and fishing for walleyes in North Dakota bring enough challenge and relaxation that can temporarily take me from my professional life. Finally, baseball is also a big passion of mine. I administrated, managed or coached youth baseball for (12) years. During that time, I sat on (2) city and (1) state youth baseball boards. I also watch about (150) professional baseball games each year. The team my son and I follow is the New York Mets. My son and I are also avid fans of the NDSU Bison - my alumni.

Entrevista por

Lisset Chávez