A Great Mentor

It has been said that a mentor achieves greatness by success and results of mentees. Moreover, a great mentor is more than a coach, advisor, or guide, in that the mentor provides the mentee with a Vision, Mission, and Purpose in life along with effective results-oriented goal setting. In addition, the mentor continually focuses on a mentee to develop an inward path to discovering one’s own innate talent as well as best utilization of skills and other inherent attributes in a positive manner. Hugo P. Pomrehn, PhD is such a great mentor. Through the last four (4) decades, Dr. Pomrehn has mentored many persons from various walks-of-life and has selflessly helped mentees strive, achieve and rise to their fullest potential in both career and life. He has also taught mentees to channel their inner strength and courage to face various challenges and odds head-on, and if one stumbles and falls, to get up and persevere in life, career and community. Throughout his career and life, Dr. Pomrehn overcame many challenges, including seriously debilitating and ongoing bout with multiple sclerosis, and always set an example by always giving back and paying forward to others. He always brought out the best in every person he mentored and encouraged each mentee to someday become a mentor to another person in-need and continue the value chain.

Hugo P. Pomrehn, PhD

I am often reminded of President John F. Kennedy answering, when asked by a reporter to define "happiness",  that "The ancient Greeks definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence". Dr. Pomrehn always strived his best to have all his mentees to achieve that goal. Moreover, he taught his mentees that life is not all about fame and fortune, but, more about giving back and paying forward to others as well as society-at-large.

Dr. Pomrehn earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1960, his M.S. in Industrial Engineering in 1968, and his PhD in Engineering in 1975, all from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. He also earned a M.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering from George Washington University in 1965, and a Certificate from the Bettis Reactor Engineering School in 1963. After leaving the U.S. Nuclear Navy, Dr. Pomrehn's professional career began with the Bechtel Corporation in 1967, where he served as Assistant Chief Nuclear and Environmental Systems Engineer, Project Engineer on the Marsden B fossil fuel plant in New Zealand, and Project Manager of the Korean Nuclear projects, before becoming Vice President and Manager of Bechtel's Los Angeles Office. In 1992, he was nominated by President George H.W. Bush to the office of Undersecretary of Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy (serving then Secretary of Energy, Admiral (Ret.) James D. Watkins, former Chief of Naval Operations), where he was responsible for the Department of Energy's technical management and field operations, as well as environmental, safety, and health issues. He later served as Senior Vice President of PLG, Inc., an engineering and management consulting company which specializes in risk assessment, before becoming Chairman of Stayhealthy.Com, Inc. Dr. Pomrehn also served as Chairman & Chief Mentor of ERG LLC which specialized in consulting and contracting services for energy projects worldwide for Fortune 100 clients. He also served as Chairman of various private equity investment ventures. Dr. Pomrehn has been active in the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and is a Registered Professional Mechanical and Nuclear Engineer in the State of California. Dr. Pomrehn, as an active USC alumnus, also served as President of USC's Archimedes Circle and the USC Engineering Alumni Association.