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BPN Staff

Compiled by BPN Staff

 

  • Feature Articles

    Southeastern Expo Highlights: Recruitment, Regulations, Willis Retirement

    Attracting new employees to the propane industry was among the leading issues for discussion in April at the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo April 21-23, 2017, in Nashville. The industry’s Workforce Development Task Force met to discuss new methods, such as an increased social media presence focusing on recruitment. An NPGA regulatory update focusing on issues such as cylinder requalification and an entry-level driver training rule, in addition to a retirement ceremony for Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) president and CEO Roy Willis were among the other highlights of the convention, the largest U.S. propane industry event. A presentation by PERC preceding the opening of the exhibits featured council chairman Tom Van Buren honoring Willis’ service to the...

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  • Feature Articles

    Propane Days 2017 — Taxes, Supply, Cranes Among Top Issues

    (June 19, 2017) — Tax reform, winter propane supply, and a crane rule deadline extension are three issues the propane industry plans to bring up with lawmakers at Propane Days, June 19 to 21, according to an “Issue Sneak Preview” that the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) released at its Southeastern Convention in Nashville this past April. “But the one that I think is the sharpest issue and the one that we’re going to have the most focused request on is the crane rule, and that’s a rule that was published by OSHA [the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration] back in 2010, to require third-party certification of crane operators,” said Phil Squair, NPGA’s senior vice president of public and governmental affairs. “That’s going to...

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  • Feature Articles

    In Farewell Speeches, Willis Underscored PERC Successes

    Roy Willis did not talk much about himself during his retirement farewell speeches in April 2017 at the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Southeastern Convention and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) meeting. Instead, the outgoing PERC president and CEO directed most of his comments at the history of the council and how it has progressed since it was founded in 1996. But he did speak briefly about his personal journey, starting from his early career and continuing to PERC’s early days after he joined the council in 1998. He recalled the beginning of his career just after he was discharged from the U.S. Navy, when he took up undergraduate studies in communications. “My dad asked me, ‘Can you make a living doing that?’...

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  • Marketing

    CRESTWOOD ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE CHANGE IN MARKETING SUPPLY & LOGISTICS BUSINESS

    Kansas City, Mo. (June 9, 2017) – Longtime energy industry executive Bill Gautreaux has announced his resignation from Crestwood Equity Partners effective June 30th. Mr. Gautreaux has served as Chief Marketing Officer and President of Crestwood’s Marketing Supply & Logistics (MSL) Group based in Kansas City, Mo., since the completion of the merger between Crestwood and Inergy in 2013. Simultaneously, Crestwood announced that John Powell and Vance Harrington have been promoted to co-heads of the Marketing Supply & Logistics Group for Crestwood. In their new roles, Mr. Powell will serve as Senior Vice President – Chief Commercial Officer/MSL, and Mr. Harrington will serve as Senior Vice President – Chief Operations Officer/MSL. Philip Bouillette will continue in his role as Vice President/Business Development-NGL, and Will Moore...

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  • Feature Articles

    Retirement? Joe Rose Calls It ‘Shifting Gears’

    A walk from the 2017 NPGA Southeastern Propane Convention in Nashville to a hotel restaurant across the street is not a fast one when you walk with Joe Rose! Joe knows everyone and everyone knows Joe! This year, all of Rose’s friends and associates through 35 years in the propane industry are reaching out to shake his hand and wish him well as he retires in July. For the past 10 years, Rose has been president and CEO of the Propane Gas Association of New England (PGANE), an association he helped build from the ground up to 775 members. In July, Rose will leave the Association and Leslie Anderson, a propane industry veteran from Maine who has been working with Rose for the past six...

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  • Feature Articles

    Personalities in Propane: Natalie Hall “Dives In” At Como Oil & Propane

    Natalie Hall has only been with the family propane business, Como Oil and Propane (Palm City, Fla.), for about a year and a half, but she has already taken on a heavy marketing, operations, and back-office workload with the company. She is the project manager for the business’ conversion from an older software system to a new program and is leading the marketing operations including the website, advertising, and social media, all while still learning the ropes of the business. “When I first started here, I bounced around, trying to get my hands dirty, going out on delivery trucks, going out with service techs, and trying to learn all aspects of the business,” she said. “I also worked with the sales team to improve their...

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  • Feature Articles

    Emergency Recall: Flame King One-Pound Refillable Propane Cylinders

    (June 2, 2017) A recall has been issued on Flame King one-pound propane capacity refillable cylinders. Green cylinders with serial numbers between 000001 and 020800 and blue cylinders with serial numbers between 000001 and 004700 are being recalled due to the possibility that the cylinders do not contain a sealant which prevents the cylinder valve from becoming loose. The company is requesting that customers cease using the cylinders and they will be replaced. YSN Imports Inc is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to voluntarily recall the cylinders. It is expected that CPSC will announce the recall in the coming weeks. Further information can be obtained by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view...

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  • People

    NPGA Announces New Executive Officers For Women in Propane (WIP) Council

    Washington, D.C. (May 30, 2017) – Women in Propane (WIP) Council, the fastest-growing business council of the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), announced that Laurie Irish-Jones will assume the position of Chair effective June 8, 2017. Currently, Irish-Jones serves as Vice Chair. She will succeed Kelly Bosak, who is joining a Kansas City-based commercial development company. The council announced concurrently that Brilynn Johnson will step into the Vice Chair role, also effective June 8. Johnson now serves as the Past Chair of the council’s Programs & Events Committee. As Chair of WIP, Laurie will assume responsibility for directing the council’s growth and programming while ensuring financial stability and supplying exceptional value to its members. Irish-Jones commented, “I am honored and excited to lead the Women...

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  • Feature Articles

    Crestwood Expansion Planned For Rail Facility in Rose Hill, NC

    Kansas City, Mo. (May 25, 2017) – Crestwood Midstream has announced that its Rail Terminal in Rose Hill, North Carolina – just east of the Dixie Pipeline – is set to undergo an expansion. According to Max Johnson, Crestwood’s Supply and Asset Manager for the Southeast, the expansion will significantly increase the capacity of the terminal and create more opportunities for marketers in the region to diversify their supply source. “Response from customers to our Rose Hill facility, which opened a year ago in May, has been stronger than anticipated,” said Johnson. “We are confident that investing in an expansion will also be well-received by marketers across the region.” Johnson said the expansion will provide Crestwood customers with reliable supply closer to their customers. In...

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  • Feature Articles

    Perkins To Serve As New President and CEO of Propane Education & Research Council

    WASHINGTON (May 25, 2017) — The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has selected industry veteran Thomas “Tucker” Perkins as its next president and chief executive officer, said PERC Chairman Thomas Van Buren, who also led the executive search team. “We received interest from highly qualified individuals both within and outside our industry, which speaks volumes about the respect and recognition that PERC has earned in our industry and the broader energy world,” Van Buren, executive vice president, Ferrell North America & Midstream, said. “The selection team interviewed many truly extraordinary candidates, and we unanimously agreed that Tucker is the right person to build on our recent success and take us to new heights.” My professional life has been dedicated to the propane industry, and...

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