Eric S

Eric started in the receiving area but has evolved into an all-around building maintenance manager and helps us with all kinds of projects, like building more racks and renovating buildings. Eric might look intimidating, like he’s could kick your butt; in reality, he lifts weights and actually could kick your butt but he probably wouldn’t because he’s such a nice guy. Eric loves traveling the country, is a goalie for various indoor soccer leagues, and spends time doing graphic design. Or at least, he did, till he had a kid. Now he spends time taking care of his son, who thankfully is a good traveler and falls asleep immediately upon hitting the road.

By |2024-01-23T14:03:53-05:002024|Jack of All Trades, People, Receiving|Comments Off on Eric S

Anna

Anna is our master analyst, which means she creates and trains all new analysts who pass through the halllowed doors at Blackstone. When she’s not training up newbies, handling many of our bookkeeping needs, and writing reports, she enjoys listening to podcasts, trying to relearn all the French she forgot from high school and college, and razzing her Shepherd/Lab mix, Meshka.

By |2024-01-23T14:11:53-05:002024|Analyst, Jack of All Trades, People|Comments Off on Anna

Joe

Joe studied Communication and Culture at Indiana University, and he’s put that education to good use as a senior analyst, podcast producer, social media manager, and all around oil guru at Blackstone. Between penning oil reports, recording episodes of Slick Talk, and crafting social media posts Joe is always trying to find new ways to impart the good news of used oil analysis. Outside the office, you might find him scavenging vinyl to complete his Bob Dylan collection, improving his marathon time, or sipping an ice-cold brew (preferably with his beloved Cubs, Bears, or IU basketball on the TV).

By |2024-01-23T14:12:04-05:002024|Analyst, Jack of All Trades, People|Comments Off on Joe

Luke

Luke is our senior-analyst-turned quality control manager, motorcycle mechanic, and all around great guy. Despite the picture, he doesn’t always transport children in a wheelbarrow. That alone is all you really need to know about him, but wait, there’s more! In his free time Luke trains Arabian horses, consults with foreign dignitaries on the value of the yen, practices reiki, applies for patents in nuclear energy, and snowboards. Some or all of this may be true about Luke; you can decide how much. Note to potential employees: this is what happens when you can’t come up with anything for your website description.

By |2024-01-23T14:13:36-05:002024|Analyst, Jack of All Trades, Lab, People|Comments Off on Luke

Travis

Travis is a man of many talents. Not only is he a coder and word-crafter of the highest order, he can take apart and reassemble engines and transmissions with ease. When he’s not coding or talking engines with Blackstone’s clientele, Travis has been known to restart hearts and rescue accident victims as an EMT, which makes him handy to have around when cars crash into our building (editor’s note: this actually happened — twice). He also can bend steel with his bare hands, and he once wrestled a grizzly bear to the ground and ate his ear. Note: The actual Travis may vary some from that last part.

By |2024-01-23T14:13:54-05:002024|Analyst, Jack of All Trades, People|Comments Off on Travis

Erik

Erik took to Blackstone like a Labrador takes to the water. Erik spends his days in the lab improving processes, setting up new machines, and building things. When he’s not doing his yearly bluegrass thing at Skunk Fest in South Carolina, Erik has been known to spend his free time tearing apart engines and fixing up his house for his wife and three kids. That’s our kind of guy.

By |2024-01-23T14:14:12-05:002024|Jack of All Trades, People|Comments Off on Erik

Kristin

Kristin deviated from the family flock by attending Indiana University, earning an English degree. She worked as an editor and writer in Colorado and Michigan before the siren call of Blackstone brought her back to Indiana. Kristin started at Blackstone in 2002 and has since learned to love the intoxicating world of oil analysis. When she’s not working on the website, creating newsletters, overseeing HR, or writing reports, Kristin enjoys running, swimming, and lifting weights to make her back stop hurting. She set a goal of — and succeeded in — visiting all 50 states with her husband and kids before the kids graduated from high school. She highly recommends Alaska.

By |2024-01-23T14:14:25-05:002024|Analyst, Jack of All Trades, People|Comments Off on Kristin

Ryan

Ryan started at Blackstone in 1997 after graduating from Purdue University with a degree in mechanical engineering. Ryan is the President of Blackstone Laboratories, and he’s responsible for writing and maintaining Blackstone’s software program, overseeing the lab, writing reports, and a million other things that need to be done in a business.

When he’s not kicking ass in the lab or writing code, Ryan enjoys putting his pilot’s license to good use, working on his ’84 Chevy 3/4 ton, and cheering on his alma mater, Purdue University. As an experiment, Ryan ran Aeroshell W65 — an oil with no zinc or phosphorus in it — in his Chevy to determine if the hype over ZDDP (zinc dithiophosphate) is all that or not, figuring if the experiment ruined his engine, well, he’s rebuilt it before. (Spoiler alert: The engine was fine.)

By |2024-01-26T10:22:29-05:002024|Analyst, Jack of All Trades, Lab, People|Comments Off on Ryan

Jim Stark

Jim Stark passed away peacefully at his home in Ossian, Indiana on Nov. 20, 2015. He was 73.

Jim was an inventor, entrepreneur, pilot, musician, writer, workshop tinkerer, mechanic, and an all-around interesting guy.

He enjoyed happy hour (three-beer limit unless scotch was available), playing guitar and the ukulele, traveling and camping with his wife Kathy, passionately rooting for Purdue, hot tubbing, writing stories, John Prine music, and checking himself out of the hospital. Jim and Kathy played music wherever they went on their travels across the country. Jim founded Blackstone Laboratories back in 1985, a successful company that is still going strong today. He was building his own airplane – a Van’s RV12 – just before he died.

Jim survived a tour in Vietnam, crashing an airplane, two heart attacks and two heart surgeries, jumping out of an airplane (barely) when he was 70, and the doctors in Indianapolis before lung cancer got him in the end.

His spirit is among the stars, and he will be greatly missed by all who loved him.

By |2024-01-23T14:14:44-05:002024|Jack of All Trades, People|Comments Off on Jim Stark
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