Propane Council CEO Roy Willis to Retire in 2017

Naples, Florida (November 2, 2016) – Roy Willis, who has led the staff of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) since March 1998, announced that he is retiring July 31, 2017. An executive search task force has been formed to seek a new chief executive.

“Roy has led the PERC staff and has been an industry leader for nearly 20 years,” PERC Chairman Tom Van Buren said. “He guided PERC through its start-up phase, acquired and championed modernizing the industry’s workforce training program, built an award-winning advertising campaign, transformed PERC during the restriction into a propane commercialization organization, and most recently after the restriction re-integrated consumer education into the Council’s strategy.”

“On reflection, it is amazing the challenges and opportunities Roy has helped lead us all through, and we should also remember his steady hand and voice to the market during the cold winter of 2013-14,” Van Buren said. “We have been blessed to have such a dedicated person help lead the way.”

“We recognize that Roy’s institutional knowledge, experience, and public profile are valuable assets that, fortunately, will continue, with Roy serving in a consultant role for a brief time after the new CEO takes the reins,” Van Buren said.

“The PERC Executive Committee and Roy have been working for months on a succession plan,” Van Buren said, announcing that a selection committee is in place to oversee the search for PERC’s next CEO. Members of the committee include the current PERC executive team of Chairman Tom Van Buren, Vice Chairman of Marketers Drew Combs, Vice Chairman of Producers Bruce Leonard, Treasurer Rob Chalmers, and Secretary Bob Barry. Also joining the committee are PERC Councilor Rob Freeman, PERC Councilor and former National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Chairman Gene Bissell, and current NPGA Chairman Stuart Weidie. Advisers will be NPGA CEO Rick Roldan, President and CEO of the Gas Processors Association Midstream Mark Sutton, and Roy himself.

“The selection of a CEO for a national organization of PERC’s size, revenue, and diverse mission warrants the serious consideration and due diligence that the committee will bring,” Van Buren said. “The first step will be to select a search firm to assist in evaluating candidates. The search will be open to qualified persons from our industry, including current PERC staff, and qualified persons from outside the industry. The next person has a solid foundation to build from with a great staff, and we will do our best in choosing the next CEO.”

Willis said he is grateful for the opportunity and experience PERC has provided, but believes that it is time for new leadership on the PERC staff. “It’s been the highlight of my career to work with the men and women of America’s propane industry, and especially those who have served on the Council and the Advisory Committee, and those who worked with me on the PERC staff. They will always have a special place in my heart,” Willis said.

“Still, as the scriptures remind us, ‘for every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven,’” Willis said. “I look forward to the coming season.”

About PERC:

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) was authorized by the U.S. Congress with the passage of Public Law 104-284, the Propane Education and Research Act (PERA), signed into law on October 11, 1996. The mission of the Propane Education & Research Council is to promote the safe, efficient use of odorized propane gas as a preferred energy source.