Monday, December 3, 2018
The Arkansas Propane Gas Association recently installed its officers for the 2018-2019 term. Drew Craft of Craft Propane (Jonesboro) will serve as president; Tom Blackwood of Simmons Energy Solutions (Decatur), past president; Sherrill Hayes of AmeriGas (Batesville), vice president; and Donnie Rhea of AmeriGas (Plumerville), secretary/treasurer.
District directors include Marcus Felker, Danmar Propane (Crawfordsville), and Wes Wilkerson, Pinnacle Propane (Pocahontas), district 1; Ed Williams, Pinnacle Propane (Mountain Pine), and Tommy Vanaman, AmeriGas (North Little Rock), district 2; William Simons, AmeriGas (Mountain Home), and Gregg Luebbring, Tyson Gas (Springdale), district 3; and Tom Byrd, Ceba Gas Inc. (Murfreesboro), and Ray Still, Southern LP Gas (De Queen), district 4. At large member directors are Jim Burcham, Sungas Propane (Greenbrier); Ken Dewitt, AmeriGas (Wynne); David Perkins, Dealers LP (Marshal); and Mark Porth, CHS Inc. (Lawson, Mo.).
DataOnline (New Providence, N.J.), a global provider of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, is transitioning its current COO, Chet Reshamwala, to CEO, effective Jan. 1. He will succeed founder and current CEO Martin Adams, who will be more involved in a strategic business development role. Martin will focus on building key account relationships and helping customers improve safety, efficiency, and the customer experience.
An experienced global technology executive, Reshamwala began his career at Texas Instruments (now Sensata Technologies) as a design engineer, moving up through a variety of leadership roles in business development, marketing, and engineering management. At Sensata he also successfully led the integration of a $1-billion acquisition comprising six independently-run heavy transportation, aerospace, and industrial businesses across 10 sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Reshamwala also helped execute a successful integration with DataOnline’s recent acquisition of Wikon and Independent Technologies.
Josh Budworth has joined Fisk Tank Carrier (Columbus, Wis.), a subsidiary of GD Roberts & Co. Inc., as director of sales. Most recently, he was at Alliance AutoGas, where he served as the industry specialist for propane marketers. Earlier, he was a regional sales manager for Charter Fuels. Budworth will work with Fisk’s team to further develop its extensive product and service suite.
Tom Van Buren has joined Meritum Energy Holdings LP (San Antonio, Texas) as executive vice president and COO. Prior to joining Meritum, he spent 18 years at Ferrellgas (Liberty, Mo.), where, among other positions, he was executive vice president of Ferrell North America. From 2015-2017, Van Buren also served as chairman of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), and has been active on National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) committees, as well as PERC committees.
R.E. Michel Co. (Baltimore, Md.), and its affiliate Dealers LP Equipment (Memphis), has named Ray Kazakewich manager of the LPG division. In his new role he will focus on sales, operations, and customer outreach strategies and continue to grow both the R.E. Michel and Dealers LP brands nationwide. Kazakewich, a member of the propane industry for more than 25 years, was most recently North American sales manager for RegO Products. He had held a variety of management positions there since joining the company in 1996. Active in the propane industry, Kazakewich serves on the PERC STAC committee, and NPGA’s TS&S and CETP Certification Committees, as well as being involved with state associations.
The Missouri Propane Gas Association installed its officers for 2018-2019 during its annual convention. Serving during this term are Derek Poe of Titan Propane (Branson), president; Brian Brooks, Brooks Gas (Marshfield), vice president; Luke Fitzpatrick, MFA Oil (Wardsville), treasurer; and Tim Foust, Delta Growers (Charleston), membership chair. Quentin Salley of Salley’s Propane (Bates City) is past president chair. Elected as directors were (senior listed first): Region 1, John Baucom, Prairieland FS (Liberty, Ill.); Region 2, Steve Jenkins, Tina Oil (Tina), and Kevin Salley, Salley’s Propane (Bates City); Region 3, Mitch Dane, Titan Propane (Houston), and Bill Jung, MFA (Gravois Mills); Region 4, Jason Bond, MFA Oil (Neosho), and Tim Peach, Titan Propane (Springfield); and Region 5, Roger Hoff, Hoff Brothers (Perryville), and Samantha Reed Persons, Reed Oil (Doniphan). Associate directors include Jared Ballard, Nixon and Lindstrom (Springfield); Mark Porth, CHS (Lawson); Brian Humphrey, InSite Platform Partners (St. Charles); and Ron Keeling, LPG Ventures (Kearney).
Jacob Peterson recently joined the National Propane Gas Association (Washington, D.C.) as its manager of state engagement. He will serve as a propane industry advocate on key state-level legislative and regulatory issues, strengthening the association’s expanded state engagement efforts. Most recently, Peterson worked nearly seven years on Capitol Hill for Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin. As the senior legislative assistant in the office, he oversaw the Congressman’s energy, environment, science, and business portfolios.
The National Propane Gas Association has named a number of new directors to its board. Stephen Kossuth of AmeriGas Propane LP in Houston, Texas is Propane Supply & Logistics chairman, and Bob Wallace of Admiral Propane (Marysville, Tenn.) Member Services chairman. Bob Paul of RegO (Elon, N.C.) has taken on the responsibilities of Manufacturers section director. Newly named state directors include Thomas Tarantin of Tarantin Industries (Freehold, N.J.), New Jersey state director; Andy Wise of ThompsonGas LLC (Columbiana, Ala.), Alabama state director; Ryan Buller of McMinnville Gas Inc. (McMinnville, Ore.), Oregon state director; David Long, Long’s Propane Gas LLC (Marlette, Mich.), Michigan state director; Billy Ray Prince, Pinnacle Propane (North Little Rock, Ark.), Arkansas director; and Kara Tucker of Koppy’s Propane Inc. (Williamstown, Pa.), Pennsylvania director. Stephen Murphy of The Granite Group (Concord, N.H.) is director-at-large.
The Propane Marketers Association of Kansas has installed its executive committee members for 2018-2019. Karl Serrien of Central Valley Ag (Beloit) is heading the team as president; David Stewart, Heartland Propane (Girard), vice president; Hannah Ramriez, Rangeland Coop (Phillipsburg), secretary/treasurer; and Chris Klein, AV Energy (Dodge City), immediate past president.
Brian Waggoner of Consumer Oil & Propane Inc. (Bendena), was elected director for district I. Jerrod Wanklyn of Wanklyn Oil Co. (Frankford) will serve as district I co-director, and Dan Hermansen of Westmor Industries (Shawnee), director-at-large. Jeff Nech, Pro-Ag Marketing (Kensington), was elected director of district V, and Michael Carpenter, Farmers Union Mercantile & Shipping Association (Stockton), co-director. Daris Wyatt of MFA Oil & Propane (Garnett) was appointed chairman of the PMAK promotion and market development committee.
Jay Stephens has been promoted to vice president and general manager of Teeco Products (Irvine, Calif.). Stephens began his career in the propane industry at Cal Gas (now AmeriGas) when he was 17, working his way up from the warehouse to service technician, and eventually serving as district manager for 10 years and another 10 years as area manager. Stephens joined Teeco in March 2007 as manager of fabrication services at its Sacramento, Calif. facility, overseeing the building and servicing of trucks, dispensers, and other fabricated items, and was later promoted to general manager of operations and fabrication. He comes from a family involved in the propane industry since the 1950s, beginning with his grandfather Warney (Bud) Rogers, father Jim Stephens, and uncle Bob Rogers; as well as his wife, Susan (Guinn) Stephens, and her family, Connie and Porter Guinn, and Porter Guinn Jr.
Our deepest condolences to the family of Gene Callahan, a longtime member of the propane industry and the Teeco Products (Irvine, Calif.) team, who passed away on October 4, 2018.
Alison Abbot (left), communications director of the World LPG Association (WLPGA) and manager of its Women in LPG Global Network (WINLPG), presented Jennifer Jackson of ThompsonGas, who represents the NPGA’s Women In Propane (WIP) Council, with a signed agreement to become an official National Chapter of WINLPG at the 31st annual World LPG Forum held last October in Houston.
Send BPN news announcements regarding new personnel or promotions, new products or services, events and other newsworthy information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be featured in BPN magazine and online. Contact us anytime you have a question or suggestion about editorial content. We like hearing from you!
District directors include Marcus Felker, Danmar Propane (Crawfordsville), and Wes Wilkerson, Pinnacle Propane (Pocahontas), district 1; Ed Williams, Pinnacle Propane (Mountain Pine), and Tommy Vanaman, AmeriGas (North Little Rock), district 2; William Simons, AmeriGas (Mountain Home), and Gregg Luebbring, Tyson Gas (Springdale), district 3; and Tom Byrd, Ceba Gas Inc. (Murfreesboro), and Ray Still, Southern LP Gas (De Queen), district 4. At large member directors are Jim Burcham, Sungas Propane (Greenbrier); Ken Dewitt, AmeriGas (Wynne); David Perkins, Dealers LP (Marshal); and Mark Porth, CHS Inc. (Lawson, Mo.).
DataOnline (New Providence, N.J.), a global provider of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, is transitioning its current COO, Chet Reshamwala, to CEO, effective Jan. 1. He will succeed founder and current CEO Martin Adams, who will be more involved in a strategic business development role. Martin will focus on building key account relationships and helping customers improve safety, efficiency, and the customer experience.
An experienced global technology executive, Reshamwala began his career at Texas Instruments (now Sensata Technologies) as a design engineer, moving up through a variety of leadership roles in business development, marketing, and engineering management. At Sensata he also successfully led the integration of a $1-billion acquisition comprising six independently-run heavy transportation, aerospace, and industrial businesses across 10 sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Reshamwala also helped execute a successful integration with DataOnline’s recent acquisition of Wikon and Independent Technologies.
Josh Budworth has joined Fisk Tank Carrier (Columbus, Wis.), a subsidiary of GD Roberts & Co. Inc., as director of sales. Most recently, he was at Alliance AutoGas, where he served as the industry specialist for propane marketers. Earlier, he was a regional sales manager for Charter Fuels. Budworth will work with Fisk’s team to further develop its extensive product and service suite. Tom Van Buren has joined Meritum Energy Holdings LP (San Antonio, Texas) as executive vice president and COO. Prior to joining Meritum, he spent 18 years at Ferrellgas (Liberty, Mo.), where, among other positions, he was executive vice president of Ferrell North America. From 2015-2017, Van Buren also served as chairman of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), and has been active on National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) committees, as well as PERC committees.
R.E. Michel Co. (Baltimore, Md.), and its affiliate Dealers LP Equipment (Memphis), has named Ray Kazakewich manager of the LPG division. In his new role he will focus on sales, operations, and customer outreach strategies and continue to grow both the R.E. Michel and Dealers LP brands nationwide. Kazakewich, a member of the propane industry for more than 25 years, was most recently North American sales manager for RegO Products. He had held a variety of management positions there since joining the company in 1996. Active in the propane industry, Kazakewich serves on the PERC STAC committee, and NPGA’s TS&S and CETP Certification Committees, as well as being involved with state associations.
The Missouri Propane Gas Association installed its officers for 2018-2019 during its annual convention. Serving during this term are Derek Poe of Titan Propane (Branson), president; Brian Brooks, Brooks Gas (Marshfield), vice president; Luke Fitzpatrick, MFA Oil (Wardsville), treasurer; and Tim Foust, Delta Growers (Charleston), membership chair. Quentin Salley of Salley’s Propane (Bates City) is past president chair. Elected as directors were (senior listed first): Region 1, John Baucom, Prairieland FS (Liberty, Ill.); Region 2, Steve Jenkins, Tina Oil (Tina), and Kevin Salley, Salley’s Propane (Bates City); Region 3, Mitch Dane, Titan Propane (Houston), and Bill Jung, MFA (Gravois Mills); Region 4, Jason Bond, MFA Oil (Neosho), and Tim Peach, Titan Propane (Springfield); and Region 5, Roger Hoff, Hoff Brothers (Perryville), and Samantha Reed Persons, Reed Oil (Doniphan). Associate directors include Jared Ballard, Nixon and Lindstrom (Springfield); Mark Porth, CHS (Lawson); Brian Humphrey, InSite Platform Partners (St. Charles); and Ron Keeling, LPG Ventures (Kearney).
Jacob Peterson recently joined the National Propane Gas Association (Washington, D.C.) as its manager of state engagement. He will serve as a propane industry advocate on key state-level legislative and regulatory issues, strengthening the association’s expanded state engagement efforts. Most recently, Peterson worked nearly seven years on Capitol Hill for Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin. As the senior legislative assistant in the office, he oversaw the Congressman’s energy, environment, science, and business portfolios.
The National Propane Gas Association has named a number of new directors to its board. Stephen Kossuth of AmeriGas Propane LP in Houston, Texas is Propane Supply & Logistics chairman, and Bob Wallace of Admiral Propane (Marysville, Tenn.) Member Services chairman. Bob Paul of RegO (Elon, N.C.) has taken on the responsibilities of Manufacturers section director. Newly named state directors include Thomas Tarantin of Tarantin Industries (Freehold, N.J.), New Jersey state director; Andy Wise of ThompsonGas LLC (Columbiana, Ala.), Alabama state director; Ryan Buller of McMinnville Gas Inc. (McMinnville, Ore.), Oregon state director; David Long, Long’s Propane Gas LLC (Marlette, Mich.), Michigan state director; Billy Ray Prince, Pinnacle Propane (North Little Rock, Ark.), Arkansas director; and Kara Tucker of Koppy’s Propane Inc. (Williamstown, Pa.), Pennsylvania director. Stephen Murphy of The Granite Group (Concord, N.H.) is director-at-large.
The Propane Marketers Association of Kansas has installed its executive committee members for 2018-2019. Karl Serrien of Central Valley Ag (Beloit) is heading the team as president; David Stewart, Heartland Propane (Girard), vice president; Hannah Ramriez, Rangeland Coop (Phillipsburg), secretary/treasurer; and Chris Klein, AV Energy (Dodge City), immediate past president.
Brian Waggoner of Consumer Oil & Propane Inc. (Bendena), was elected director for district I. Jerrod Wanklyn of Wanklyn Oil Co. (Frankford) will serve as district I co-director, and Dan Hermansen of Westmor Industries (Shawnee), director-at-large. Jeff Nech, Pro-Ag Marketing (Kensington), was elected director of district V, and Michael Carpenter, Farmers Union Mercantile & Shipping Association (Stockton), co-director. Daris Wyatt of MFA Oil & Propane (Garnett) was appointed chairman of the PMAK promotion and market development committee.
Jay Stephens has been promoted to vice president and general manager of Teeco Products (Irvine, Calif.). Stephens began his career in the propane industry at Cal Gas (now AmeriGas) when he was 17, working his way up from the warehouse to service technician, and eventually serving as district manager for 10 years and another 10 years as area manager. Stephens joined Teeco in March 2007 as manager of fabrication services at its Sacramento, Calif. facility, overseeing the building and servicing of trucks, dispensers, and other fabricated items, and was later promoted to general manager of operations and fabrication. He comes from a family involved in the propane industry since the 1950s, beginning with his grandfather Warney (Bud) Rogers, father Jim Stephens, and uncle Bob Rogers; as well as his wife, Susan (Guinn) Stephens, and her family, Connie and Porter Guinn, and Porter Guinn Jr. Our deepest condolences to the family of Gene Callahan, a longtime member of the propane industry and the Teeco Products (Irvine, Calif.) team, who passed away on October 4, 2018.
Alison Abbot (left), communications director of the World LPG Association (WLPGA) and manager of its Women in LPG Global Network (WINLPG), presented Jennifer Jackson of ThompsonGas, who represents the NPGA’s Women In Propane (WIP) Council, with a signed agreement to become an official National Chapter of WINLPG at the 31st annual World LPG Forum held last October in Houston.Send BPN news announcements regarding new personnel or promotions, new products or services, events and other newsworthy information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be featured in BPN magazine and online. Contact us anytime you have a question or suggestion about editorial content. We like hearing from you!
