Glenn Miller, Long-time Industry Leader and PERC Champion, Dies

(June 22, 2017) — Propane industry giant, Preston “Glenn” Miller, Sr, passed away Monday, June 19, 2017, at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Miller of of Bowling Green, Ky. was 74. Glenn was the owner of Miller’s Bottled Gas, which has been in business since 1945. For decades, Glenn was very active as a leader in the propane industry. He served as the Kentucky Propane Gas Association (KPGA) President twice, and on the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Board of Directors continuously since 1978.

Along with colleagues Milford Therrell (the father of PERC), and Butane-Propane News (BPN) owner and publisher, Bill Clark, the three industry icons were instrumental in the passage through the US Congress of legislation permitting the formation of the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) in 1996. Miller served as the council’s co-chairman for two terms. The impressive, three-year grass-roots effort made many members of Congress aware of the propane industry for the first time.

Under Miller’s impressive leadership as president of the KPGA, he pioneered the first autogas technician training program in partnership with the Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) located in the western part of the state. The college was the first in the nation to develop an Alternative Fuels Training Curriculum for its students and was awarded a National Science Foundation grant of nearly $750,000. Miller served as a lobbyist on behalf of the propane industry on both the state and federal level, as well as several years on the Kentucky Propane Advisory Council for the State Fire Marshal’s office.

Born in Evansville, Ind., on May 1, 1943, Miller was the son of the late Preston Smith Miller and Ola Mae Miller. He was preceded in death by brothers Frank and Charlie Miller and sister Joyce Miller Bierman.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joan Miller, three sons Preston Jr. (Sheryl) of Bowling Green and David (Lisa) of Ocean Springs, Miss., Jeffrey Miller of Bowling Green and daughter Melissa Miller Williams of Russellville, one sister, Bettye Ruth Cleveland of Bowling Green, seven grandchildren, Kristin McKee, Lauren Miller, James Preston Miller, Savannah McKee, Scott Miller, Reece Miller and Cathryn Miller, several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews and his “little fat girl,” his dog, Callie. Glenn attended Forest Park Baptist Church growing up and was a member of Providence Knob Baptist Church.

Expression of sympathy may take the form of donations to National Propane Gas Scholarship Foundation, 1899 L Street, NW, Suite 350, Washington DC 20036, or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 in the name of Glenn Miller.