Women In Propane (WIP) Goes 5 for 5 in Nashville!

A great convention can advance your career by doing one of five things brilliantly. It can: #1 Encourage, #2 Educate, #3 Inspire, #4 Connect or #5 Inform. In Nashville, NPGA’s Women in Propane (WIP) business council did all five.

Prior to the opening of the convention, The Knowledge Exchange (WIP Mentor Network) launched its pilot program in a four-hour training led by Dr. Liz Selzer, CEO of Mentor Leadership Team. Mentor/mentee pairs, known as Knowledge Partners, learned best practices in preparation for their six-month course of mentorship. According to Selzer, “It is a bold yet accurate assertion that every organization should be utilizing the power of mentoring to maximize engagement, retention, productivity, strong corporate culture and career path growth. Mentoring utilizes your existing human resources, costs relatively little to implement, and creates measurable results.” (The Knowledge Exchange pilot was sponsored in part by a presidential grant from PERC.)

Day one of the convention presented the inaugural WIP Leadership Forum at the Expo, a full day of leadership training led by expert presenters Margaret Morford, CEO of The HR Edge Inc., and Lisa Gunderson, a Cy Wakeman-certified trainer in Reality-Based programs. More than 60 participants invested in learning skills to develop management courage, to forge effective workplace alliances, to lead successfully through changing times, and to coach personal accountability at all levels. (The WIP Leadership Forum was sponsored by AmeriGas, Ferrellgas, Bergquist, Delta Liquid Energy, and Irish Propane.)

WIP’s fifth annual Roundtable Session featured significant speeches by Angela John, vice president, natural gas liquids and sulphur, BP Energy Co.; and Mike Hopsicker, president and CEO, Ray Murray Inc. Their inspiring presentations on the power of mentorship in their careers created a framework for the audience to participate in discussions at each table where they explored the essential role a mentor may play in one’s professional life. (WIP Roundtable was sponsored by A.R.M. Solutions and Westmor Industries.)

WIP’s Networking Reception brought together industry colleagues for camaraderie, business leads, introductions, and conversation over beverages sponsored by AePex Energy. Connect Part B: A professional photographer was available on the trade show floor to take professional head shots which were sent digitally to those who participated. According to LinkedIn career expert Nicole Williams, you are seven times more likely to have your profile viewed if you have a photo.

On hand to update Women in Propane members was Alison Abbott, director of communications at the World LPG Association, headquartered in Paris. Having launched in Singapore last September, the Women in LPG (WINLPG) global network’s first knowledge sharing workshop took place in Bogota, Columbia. Led by Abbott and WINLPG Chair Nikki Brown of Cavagna Group UK Ltd., the workshop united 16 women from eight Latin American countries. They discussed how the network can reach its goals in their region and how to promote role models and educate and attract women to the industry. The next meeting is scheduled on May 17 in Australia. (

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“The Nashville Expo is barely over and we’re already on to the next adventure. Come see us at the Western Convention if you’re there. We want to thank all of our speakers in Nashville for providing such great content. Attendees at Women in Propane programs in Nashville are letting us know the events provided meaningful and useful takeaways,” commented WIP chair Kelly Bosak of Ferrellgas. —Nancy Coop

For more information, visit www.npga.org/WIP or contact

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