LP Gas, May 2017

Roles on the road You have your assignments we have ours to share valuable information W hether its the Southeastern Convention in April the Western Trade Show in May the Mid States Propane Expo in June or any other propane industry event you have specific reasons for attending and you probably ask yourself What am I trying to accomplish here For example as we travel to events were looking for great content to share with our readers content that can help you your business and the propane industry Having left Nashville Tennessee where the National Propane Gas Associations NPGA Southeastern Convention International Propane Expo ended a two year run in the Music City and now returns to the long running host city of Atlanta for two years we offer notable items from our southern travels This includes information to Inspire Like when Blossman Gas President and CEO Stuart Weidie says Comfort is the enemy of success Or We dont have a supply problem in the U S We have a demand problem Or while speaking about building propane demand in emerging markets Sometimes it takes decades to be successful in these endeavors Uncover opportunities Like when Weidie also NPGA chairman says Im for water heaters and notes that 45 million existing propane customers are without a propane water heater Contemplate alternatives Like when ProGas Inc President Ron Schramm tells us the industry must consider establishing EDITOR IN CHIEF BRIAN RICHESSON minimum propane inventory reserves as a safeguard against future supply problems The industry faced supply and distribution challenges during the 2013 14 winter Since then U S propane exports have ramped up to record levels and much of the country has experienced back to back mild winters No one is talking about it Schramm says and we need to Warn of threats Like when Mike Sloan of ICF cites electricity as the big subtracter of propane market share and also warns against growing regional efforts to address carbon emission standards Moreover Blue Star Gas President Jeff Stewart presented to the Propane Education Research Council PERC in Nashville on the topic of zero net energy ZNE and the prospects of developing renewable propane to help preserve core markets and avoid falling behind even further to renewable competitors With ZNE a building must generate as much energy as it consumes over one year Stewart says ZNE has the ability to reduce propane sales in the residential and commercial markets in the coming years unless the industry can define its role in this new regulatory environment The issue started in California but a number of states are rolling out ZNE code requirements he says We must have a complete ZNE product suite says Stewart whose company operates in California Oregon and Washington Meanwhile the propane industry is taking notice of the issue ZNE is an existential threat to the future of this industry says NPGA President and CEO Rick Roldan Our board voted unanimously to establish this as an industry priority Grow relationships On the eve of the Propane Expo LP Gas magazine announced a partnership with propane industry veteran Rita Pecilunas The president of Strategic Marketing Resources and the former marketing director and vice president of marketing and member services at NPGA joined LP Gas as a sales and marketing specialist Pecilunas will work closely with LP Gas Publisher Brian Kanaba and the LP Gas team on key Pecilunas propane industry initiatives including the LP Gas Growth Summit taking place Sept 18 20 in Orlando Florida For more visit lpgasmagazine com search word Pecilunas Honor leaders Roy Willis has been working on the PERC toolbox for nearly 20 years as he puts it as the councils first and only president and CEO but he will retire in July You can read our cover story about him on page 42 We also recognized the 2017 class of the LP Gas Hall of Fame in Nashville page 50 and were now accepting 2018 nominations at lpgashalloffame com Help us lift a deserving industry leader into the spotlight LPG brichesson@ northcoastmedia net 6 LPGas May 2017 www LPGasmagazine com