Frank Jungers: Pioneer of Saudization

He held what Fortune Magazine called “One of the Most Delicate Positions in all Industry.” 
 
Undisputedly a key figure in the company’s history, CEO Frank Jungers oversaw momentous growth during his time with Aramco. Originally from North Dakota, Jungers was educated in Oregon and Washington State in engineering. He served in the U.S. Navy and then immediately went to work for Standard Oil of California in San Francisco. It was 1947, and Jungers was just 23 years of age when he was sent to Saudi Arabia for the first time. He was immediately given a permanent assignment in the Kingdom to work on a construction project. He quickly developed a reputation for maintaining very positive relations with the Saudi workforce. This is the reputation that Jungers carried with him throughout his career and an attribute that made him a great success with the company.
 
Unlike some of the earlier pioneers who built the company and its facilities from the ground up, Jungers joined a going concern, and worked hard to enhance and improve its operations. The course had already been laid out by his predecessors. Jungers, however, faced equally daunting challenges, as he was running Aramco during an era of massive change.
 
A natural problem solver, Jungers was tapped early on for managerial roles in Ras Tanura and then in Dhahran. In his desire to communicate better with his Saudi workforce, Jungers became fluent in Arabic. In 1971, Jungers was appointed as President of Aramco and served as Chairman of the Board and CEO from 1973 to 1978. During his time of senior leadership, Jungers oversaw the creation of the Kingdom’s Master Gas System, the negotiations surrounding the Saudization of the company, and the OPEC oil embargo. A key figure during a critical time, Jungers today is recognized for his 30 years of service with Aramco and his dedication to the growth and professional development of the Saudi workforce during his tenure.