Ben Shamblin likes variety. “That’s part of why I like working for Cemex so much,” he says. It’s not flying the drones or using the cutting-edge mapping software— “Though that stuff is pretty cool, too,” he admits—it’s that the job is never the same.
“Something is always changing,” says Shamblin. “It’s my job to mold that change into three to five-year plans.”
As a mine planner, Shamblin keeps track of Cemex’s inventory and reserves—or, more simply, the rock that’s already been produced and the rock that remains on site to mine. Shamblin maps out the reserves to show Production Managers where they need to mine to stay productive. “It’s the sort of job where new challenges pop up every day,” he says.
Ben Shamblin is a local through and through. He was born and raised in Brooksville where his father was also a mining professional. Ben went on to marry his high school sweetheart, their daughter attends the same school they attended, and he spends his free time coaching his son’s little league team and serving as Majors Division Assistant Director of Brooksville HYL Baseball—the same league he played in as a kid.
“I like the fact that Brooksville hasn’t grown up too much,” says Shamblin. “It’s still quiet and you really get to know everyone. I’m very happy my job at Cemex has allowed me to make a life here.”
It may sound inconsistent that a man could thrive on variety at work and yet love the fact that his hometown has remained the same. Ben doesn’t see it that way: “If serving your community is boring, you’re not doing it right,” Shamblin quips.
Along with teaching kids the fundamentals of baseball, Shamblin always tries to be a part of Ce,ex’s educational outreach. He says he wishes more people knew about Cemex’s Quarry Tours, as well as Cemex’s Environmental Education Centers, where thousands of students are taught about native wildlife and local ecosystems each year.
“I always want to let folks know we’re open to visitors,” he says. “My son’s school came out this year for the first time. We talked about our process and how everything we use in our modern world is either grown or mined.”
He explains that when you’re working to preserve what you love about your hometown new challenges are inevitable. “It’s why I coach,” says Shamblin. “I’m helping to bring these kids up to be good sportsmen, just like my coaches did—and there’s nothing more challenging than that.”
To learn more about Cemex’s Environmental Education Centers, email: jennar.emerson@cemex.com.
