Personalities In Propane: Sam Fox, Man on a Mission

Sam Fox, director of propane sales at McCraw Oil (Bonham, Texas), is larger than life. Fiercely loyal, easy-going, solid, likeable, professional, dedicated, a warrior, a creative thinker, a hoot, a mentor, an expert…always willing to help. These descriptions are just a few (that were suitable to print) coming from colleagues, friends, his boss, fellow committee members, and even the chairman of the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA). But don’t think this is a eulogy of some sort. Far from it — Fox is just getting started.

He has worked for both large and small industry companies over the last several decades, beginning with his family business, Penny’s Gas in Kaufman, Texas. “I am proud to be a third-generation propane marketer. I was with my family company from 1988 through 2000 and loved learning the business from my dad, Ronnie Fox. The company was bought in 1997 by Independent Propane, and a few years later I left to join Progas, which was later acquired by Heritage,” said Fox. “All of my experiences at companies like Heritage, AmeriGas, and Pinnacle provided unique opportunities to grow and experience different segments of the industry.”

Fox has been with McCraw since December 2015, and he knew well before then that this was an ideal company for him. “I had competed against them, worked on [Texas Propane Gas Association] committees with them, and have always had great respect for their people. When I had the opportunity to join their team, I jumped at the chance.

My current role is director of propane sales. My responsibilities are so varied, and I love that. Whether my day is spent supporting my team members, doing a presentation for a potential fleet customer, or helping train landscape equipment dealers on propane conversions — every day is spent doing what I love. My primary goals are to grow the propane business and to always deliver on our promises. If you get the second part right, the first part happens naturally.”

McCraw Oil is a multistate marketer with multiple business segments such as fuel transport, C-stores, farm and ranch diesel delivery, and of course, Fox’s favorite, propane. “One of our greatest strengths is our team members. We do a better job than any company I know of when it comes to hiring great people. We value our people, invest in them, and they stay with us. From top to bottom, our organization is made of people that care about the company, each other, and our customers. Our company motto is ‘Leave ’em better.’ Our mission is to leave our employees, customers, and community better off for having known us.”

According to Stuart Weidie, NPGA chairman and president of Blossman Gas, “Sam is a creative thinker and has a strong desire to grow customers that use propane.” New markets are imperative for consistent cash flow, according to Fox — especially in Texas, where there isn’t a lot of cold weather and what they do get is unpredictable. “I am blessed to work for some very smart people that have provided me with tools to be successful in multiple segments. One of my key focuses is autogas. We are a member of Alliance AutoGas and have our own conversion shop. This allows me to control the customer experience from A to Z, and be the solution for my customer. I want to provide a great experience and be confident that the work is performed to the highest standard,” Fox notes.

“My advice for entering any new market is to learn everything you can about it. There are great tools for this that are free. Every industry member should take advantage of [the Propane Education & Research Council’s] Marketer Technology and Sales Training, and also tap into your state association. These resources are there to help you,” Fox continued. 

On top of his full-time job, Fox is known for his volunteer efforts and giving back to the industry. “My previous job involved extensive travel, and now that I actually have some free time, I want to make sure to use that extra time in a positive way,” Fox said. He is a member of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), an organization that advocates for children in Texas’ Child Protective Services, and works to get children out of the system and into a family member’s home. He is also the treasurer/finance chair of the Texas Propane Gas Association, board member of the Propane Council of Texas, and on the Propane Education & Research Council’s Safety and Training Working Group. He is an NPGA Benchmarking Council member and chair of his group, a vice chair for the overall steering committee, and an NPGA Workforce Development Task Force member. 

“With McCraw’s strong community service focus, I’ve had great support in my volunteer roles. I am very fortunate to be involved at the state and national level, and I plan to impact each of these roles by providing honest feedback and as much common sense as I can muster to help make our industry a safer, better place — a place where our kids would want to work.”