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Meet Your Neighbor: Meet The Neighbor – John Holmstrom

By Callie Thomas

Is there an unsung hero in your life? When you think back, there was probably a math teacher, football coach or perhaps a scout leader that made a difference or supported a meaningful event that you’ll remember throughout your life. Resident John Holmstrom is one of those heroes, and the students, athletes and scouts that have been under his tutelage have the memories and trophies to help illustrate his influence on their lives.

John Holmstrom DS1D8272F

Holmstrom has shared his talents throughout the community in a variety of ways, which has included evaluating challenges and providing flexible solutions that he developed as a project engineer while working with Tronox. In that position, he was responsible for every phase of capital construction projects, from conceptual planning to detailed design, budgeting and permitting, all the way through construction and start up, all for a variety of projects that went beyond the responsibilities of an electrical engineer. Currently, Holmstrom serves as the Maintenance Manager for the Tronox Henderson plant and is responsible for maintenance and repair of all plant operations. As a part of the Tronox company culture, Holmstrom also lends his expertise to Mannion Middle School’s Tech Program, which introduces students to engineering fields. In fact, his “official” capacity with the class is Engineer Mentor.

Another title that Holmstrom has earned is that of Assistant Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America Troop 95. He has had an influence on countless kids in the program. In fact, all three of his own children have come up through the organization, and his two sons earned their Eagle rank. He has also volunteered his efforts with the City of Henderson Recreation Department, adding the title of “Coach” to the list. The multi-talented Holmstrom has inspired youth through baseball, softball, basketball and soccer programs. Even years later, former team and troop members and students enjoy recalling those memories. The active resident shares his experiences and the unexpected rewards of being a mentor to so many.

Tell us about your role as “Engineer Mentor” at Mannion Middle School.

“When my daughter was a student at Burkholder Middle School, she took the class and asked for my help when they had to design a city of the future and build parts of the city. In the course of this, I got to be good friends with the teacher, Jackie Welch-Doubeck, and I have been volunteering with the class for about twelve years, first at Burkholder and now at Mannion. Tronox, my employer, also encourages staff to be involved in educational efforts, specifically involving engineering and robotics. It is a huge part of our company culture.”

How did you become involved with the Boy Scouts of America?

“I’m a fan of the skills and abilities that they teach kids and young adults. All of my kids came up through the Boy Scouts; my daughter was the first president of Crew 95, a high adventure Venture Crew unit that backpacked, climbed, rappelled, rafted and more. My two boys were active in both the Troop and Crew.”

Were your children involved in your decision to work with the City of Henderson Recreation Department?

“Yes. When my kids were in elementary and middle school, I volunteered as a coach. The city’s year-round program keeps kids active with an emphasis on fun and participation.”

Any experiences with these groups you could share?

“Occasionally, I bump into one of the kids and we talk about a basketball game we had or the moving parts we built for their city model, white water rafting at summer camp or how much weight their bridge model held before it crushed. It’s nice to know that we can have a positive, lasting impact while doing something fun.”

What accomplishments are you most proud to have achieved?

“My family with the love of my life, my wife Kristy. My two Eagle Scouts and the dozen or so others I got to work with on their path to Eagle, a valedictorian, two Tech Pro class teams that made it to national competitions in Washington, D.C., a hallway lined with team pictures and a pot shelf crammed with team trophies and memorabilia. I am also proud of my position as the Maintenance Manager of Tronox and hope that my civic efforts encourage the staff to remain involved in community service.”

Any advice or life inspiration you’d like to share?

“Do good work and do your best. We all get knocked down sometimes, but we need to get back up, help our neighbors up, dust off and move on.”

 

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