August 27, 2018 - The Center High School Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2018 Hall of Honor recipient is Gwen Taylor Stewart - Class of 1966. Gwen Taylor Stewart will be presented the Hall of Honor award at the CHS Alumni Meeting on September 22 at 10 am at the Windham Civic Center. Doors open at 9 am. Alumni meeting 10-11am.
Gwen Taylor Stewart is the daughter of long-time Center ISD math teacher J.B. Taylor (CHS class of 1931) and business manager Vivien Taylor. She graduated with the class of 1966 as co-Valedictorian and was voted most likely to succeed by her classmates. Gwen completed a Bachelor of Science degree in 1969 at Stephen F. Austin, majoring in Chemistry and Mathematics, and continued her education at Rice University. She taught junior and senior high math in Houston for a time before starting her career with Shell and returning to school at University of Houston to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree.
During her 27-year career with Shell, Gwen served in various downstream capacities and locations with increasing responsibility including Vice President – Technical at Shell Deer Park Refining Company; President and CEO, Shell Odessa Refining Company; General Manager – Shell Chemical LP in Mobile, Alabama, and General Manager – Los Angeles Refinery. After retiring from Shell, she continued working in the energy industry as a consultant in process safety, a blend of engineering and management skills focused on preventing catastrophic accidents, particularly fires, explosions and toxic releases, associated with the production and use of chemicals, oil and other hydrocarbon products. Her working career took her to a variety of locations in the US, along with projects and assignments in England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico and Canada.
She is a former member of the Board of Directors for Clean Channel Association in Pasadena, Texas; the Salvation Army in Saraland, Alabama and the Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department in Bergheim, Texas.
Gwen and her husband James are now both retired and live in Hill Country of Texas northwest of San Antonio.
Congratulations to Gwen Taylor Stewart - Class of 1966.
