Mower Equipment
As your elected State Director, I wanted to provide you with an update on the activities at the Fall NPGA Board of Directors & Related Committee Meetings in San Antonio, Texas, October 7-9 2024. Business included Committee and Section meetings; policy discussions; a data & analytics panel discussion; a cybersecurity presentation, a PropanePAC event; and much more. I encourage you to read my report.
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you.
Sincerely,
Kara Tucker
Koppy’s Propane
See below to read report or Click HERE to read on NPGA’s Member Dashboard.
Here are some of the key updates from the meetings:
Featured Guest Speaker
Special guest speaker Adrian Calcaneo, VP of Energy and Feedstocks/LPG, NGL, & Naphtha, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, provided attendees an in-depth look from a liquid fuels data scientist’s perspective into how propane drives the energy transition forward worldwide. He described how U.S. propane production is facilitating the move to decreased pollution to 2 billion people worldwide who still cook with wood, charcoal, and dung. He also explained how the cost of LPG overseas is directly tied to regular transitions back-and-forth between usage of propane and wood among households in much of Africa, Asia, and Central America.
Marketers Section
Marketers Section Vice Chair, Ray Galan, Ferrellgas, opened the meeting and introduced the speaker, George Reeves, Supervisory Advisor for Region VI of the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA). Mr. Reeves spoke about the evolution of cyber threats and how malign actors specifically target the oil and natural gas sector. Mr. Reeves discussed what small and medium businesses can do to better protect their data and safeguard their assets. CISA is an agency ready to help you and your business. Marketers can reach out to their local CISA office to take advantage of their free services to protect their employees, their data, and their networks.
Tucker Perkins, President and CEO of PERC, spoke about the opportunities and challenges the propane industry faces, reviewed the marketing PERC did during the Olympics broadcast, and provided a brief update on autogas engines. The Marketers Section held in-person regional district breakout meetings grouped together by geography and similarities in legislative and regulatory challenges. District 8 Director, Tom Manson, provided a highlight summary of the breakout sessions.
Governmental Affairs Committee
The Governmental Affairs Committee convened to receive updates from NPGA staff and discuss pressing advocacy issues impacting the propane industry. As is customary, the Committee broke into three task force sessions – federal legislative, federal regulatory, and state.
In the legislative session, NPGA staff discussed the Presidential race and potential outcomes and implications for key Congressional races. They also discussed relevant tax policies, propane-related provisions included in the Farm Bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, rail safety legislation, and FY24 appropriations bills.
The regulatory session discussed various agency updates, including an update on the Department of Energy’s Consumer Water Heater Final Rule, Guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Process Safety Management Enforcement, Guidance from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on Remote Power Shut Off Regulations, the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Proposed Rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and ongoing work on cylinder markings from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
The state session provided highlights from the 2024 state legislative session, which included the enactment of energy choice in Nebraska and the passage of gas appliance protection laws in multiple new states. The group discussed industry efforts to lower the age at which a CDL holder can obtain an HME, as well as legislative initiatives to eliminate state PERC programs. Members of the task force also talked about state and local efforts to incentivize fuel-switching and penalize the use of conventional thermal fuels.
PropanePAC
The PropanePAC Steering Committee met and discussed current fundraising efforts, PAC events, disbursements, peer-to-peer engagement, and continued efforts to increase corporate engagement and fundraising.
PropanePAC was pleased to welcome as a featured speaker at its Propane, Politics, and Coffee event Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23), who represents much of the greater San Antonio area.
Congressman Gonzales spoke about his life story, from overcoming hardship to serving 20 years in the United States Navy and eventually his election to Congress in 2020. Rep. Gonzales spoke about the importance of propane and conventional fuels as part of the makeup of America’s energy portfolio and provided his thoughts on what he is seeing and hearing from constituents leading up to Election Day in November. After his talk, NPGA members had a chance to meet the Congressman.
PropanePAC exceeded its contribution goals at its well-attended fundraiser held at the historic Buckhorn Saloon. Attendees enjoyed live music and appetizers while exploring the Texas Ranger Museum.
Member Services Committee
The Member Services Committee hosted a panel discussion on the critical importance of data and analytics. Moderated by Danny Silverman of Angus Energy, panel members shared examples of data and analytics that can lead to a more efficient and profitable business. Panelists were Kelly Engel – FuelMor Propane Software; Marty Kirshner – Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP; Tiffany Robertson – A.R.M. Solutions; and Michelle Wilson – P3 Propane Safety.
Attendees learned about the importance of reviewing their general office expenses; how to use KPIs to manage employee retention; filtering and analyzing data from their BOS; monitoring A/R in parallel with marketing and customer retention; and managing and accessing safety documentation and data. The interactive panel format was a first for the Committee and was developed based on feedback from members requesting a more collaborative approach to the meeting. Another thoughtful session is being planned for the February 2025 Winter Board of Directors meeting.
Scholarship Committee
The NPGF Scholarship Committee met to discuss the upcoming application cycle which opens on December 15 and fundraising efforts. James Devens of Superior Plus announced plans for the next Golf Tournament on Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Springfield Golf Club.
Young Professionals Council
The newly established Young Professionals Council (YPC) held its first and very well-attended in-person meeting in San Antonio. To date, the Council has 87 members, comprising 39 individual members, 48 individuals under corporate memberships, and seven corporate members. Since its inception, the YPC has:
- Hosted three educational sessions, with plans for a bi-monthly calendar of educational offerings.
- Conducted a Day of Service, with council members working alongside Operation BBQ Relief to serve and deliver meals to hundreds of first responders in Minnesota and Missouri. The YPC intends to conduct a day of service annually moving forward.
- Hosted a lively “Nightcaps & Networking” social event in San Antonio.
Women in Propane Council
The Women in Propane (WIP) Council attendees heard the treasurer’s report and various committee updates. The following events are upcoming at the NPGA Southeast Expo, April 4-6, 2025 in Charlotte, NC:
- WIP Leadership Forum with Speaker Angela Morrill on Master Leadership and Life
- WIP Educational Session with Speaker Kirsten McAlpin on Propane Success Stories in Marketing & Social Media: Best Practices You can Utilize for your Business
- WIP Roundtable, bringing back the very popular Through the Leadership Lens PODCAST LIVE! with the annual WIP Networking Reception immediately following the Roundtable.
New Directors (as of October 9, 2024)
The following new Directors were announced at last week’s Board meeting:
- Jared Wallace of TRIARC TANK, is a Manufacturer Section Director.
- Freddie Ridler of Rural Computer Consultants, Inc. is a Services Section Director.