Manager, Audit Services
Evonne Tran
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Texas-Austin, graduated 1998.
Houston’s economy, still booming even during tough times, has been good to Evonne Tran. After starting her career in public accounting at Arthur Andersen and then moving into financial reporting at Continental Airlines – both based in Houston – Tran is now in her sixth year in audit services with Halliburton. She says it’s been like a different job each year, with growth in the energy industry always presenting new opportunities.
What first attracted you to Halliburton?
It was the international aspect of the company. We truly have a global presence, with more than 55,000 employees in 70 countries. In internal auditing, you get to visit different business units, comment on them, and make recommendations. There’s so much variety in it that I didn’t see the whole breadth of it right away.
What surprised you the most when you started?
I was surprised by how interesting the work is. When you study business, you think you might go into financial services or consumer products. Since Halliburton is an oil and gas services company, it’s really different. Now I can see how energy relates to politics and the world economy. When I read the news, I think about how everything will impact the company.
How does a typical day at work look?
I’m assessing different risks for the company, so I’m always talking to people, especially field and corporate managers. There are a lot of meetings and conference calls. Also, I schedule travel for the audit group to look at business units. Overall, we’re traveling maybe 50 percent of the time.
What are you most proud of in your work?
I’ve very proud when I can see tangible results from my work. For example, I worked on a project that assessed the operation controls for a business unit that operates all over the world. We visited 30 of their top sites and benchmarked them, looking at what they do well and not so well. The VP of the unit was going to retain a consulting firm for $1 million, so our work saved the company that much money.
What’s it like being a woman in a management position?
I’ve been lucky in my career, because I never felt like it was rare or unique to be a woman in this field. Some people may associate the energy industry with being a traditionally male field, and most engineers tend to be male. In finance, I’ve always had role models in the company and in my group who were female. They’ve given me a sense of the expectations here.
What advice do you have for women MBAs starting their career?
Don’t think that you have to be different or act different. You should focus on the traits that make a good leader - they’re not “male” or “female” traits. Remember that perception is important, so be professional and mature. You also need to communicate well, and focus on your strengths and competencies. That’s what will make you successful.