Steven Hulme stumbled into the mining industry 15 years ago when he started his career as a mine surveyor with Newmont Mining and was instantly enamoured.
He said the influence of others lured him to mining, and he found it to be a fantastic industry to work in and is proud of his journey over the years.
“How many industries out there can you work anywhere, be afforded so many opportunities and pathways, get paid well, and meet a wide assortment of interesting characters,” Steven said. “There aren’t many.”
Over the course of his career, Steven has worked on owner-operated sites, client-contractor sites, and in mine consultancy with Golder Associates.
This included a stint at AngloGold Ashanti Australia, where he supported the Vice President Business Improvement with business planning, improvement, and analytics to assist site management teams to embed a culture of continuous improvement.
As a mining specialist within AngloGold Ashanti, Steven facilitated and supported business improvement opportunities in excess of $500 million over the term of the assets.
He joined Gold Road Resources in March 2020, where he is responsible for supporting the CEO and General Manager Corporate Development.
“As a mining specialist within Gold Road Resources I serve on the Gruyere Joint Venture Technical Committee and act as the Competent Person for Ore Reserves for the company,” Steven said.
“The company is focused on driving value and delivering opportunity for not only its shareholders but also its people.
“I am privileged to be a part of this journey with a great and experienced team at the helm.”
Steven believes that the key to unlocking success within a workforce is in ensuring that the capability and capacity can be improved by providing meaningful and relevant data to drive improvement.
The most interesting project he was involved with was the automated data analytics at the Tropicana open pits and pioneering work at Sunrise Dam underground.
“It was a privilege being a part of a team and a culture that truly aspired to achieve the ‘art of the possible’,” Steven said.
Steven joined the WA Mining Club a year ago and enjoys the opportunities to engage with his peers while staying abreast of critical issues and disruptions within the sector.
He finds that in any industry, people are the core of what is great, and has always thrived on helping and supporting others.
If he was not in mining, Steven would have become a doctor to realise his aspirations to help others.
A passion to support others is at the core of his three most memorable bosses, who he counts as mentors and good friends.
The three include Guy Christie, Vice President, Business integration and Supply Chain, AngloGold Ashanti Australia; Richard McLeod, General Manager, Sunrise Dam, AngloGold Ashanti Australia; and Jason Vos, Mining Manager, Perseus Mining.
“Guy is one of the few leaders within the industry today that can augment an improvement culture, and his dedication and resolve toward supporting his team is truly inspirational,” Steven said.
“Richard is a mining enigma with more than 43 years’ experience coming from the shop floor as a driller and making his way up through the management chain. He prides himself as a ‘change agent’ which he does very well and leverages the critical evaluation of data which is a true strength within his repertoire.
“Vossie’s energetic nature coupled with his ability to pull people in his team along with him is a true strength. He’s not one to deter from asking the hard questions, but he does it with a sense of humility and a caring nature.
“All three possess a passion to help and support people which is evident in everything they do and every interaction that is observed.
“Passion is a rarity within the industry and it’s important to call out the individuals who truly thrive on making it a more welcoming and enjoyable sector to be in.”
Steven thrives on the interaction with others which he sees as a critical building block for relationships and driving culture; something which was stopped in its tracks when COVID-19 hit last year.
“Like many others out there, I started a new role at the start of the pandemic and that truly requires a resilient nature and to be adaptable,” he said.
If there was one thing he could change about the world, it would be the eradication of COVID-19 bringing the world back to normal.
Steven lives his life by a simple mantra: “Happy, healthy, and wealthy and in that order.”
“So, what makes me happy is my family and friends, so they must have two-thirds of the seating arrangement of my ideal dinner party,” he said.
“My wife, Emma, is the love of my life and the backbone of what keeps me afloat most of the time. Her resilience and ability to put up with my energetic and random nature is a testament to her.
“My son, Vince, is a four-month-old bundle of joy. Like many new parents out there, kids add that little extra something that you just never dreamed of in life prior to having them.”
The third member of the party would be Arnold Schwarzeneggar, who has been an inspiration to Steven.
“And who doesn’t love his cheesy lines? I know my son does, ‘Get to the chopper!’”
When not working, Steven enjoys spending memorable times with family and friends and sinking a few whiskies or ten.
He also enjoys keeping fit, as well as walking his Doberman, Chuckie, and Siberian Husky, Sasha.
