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LP Gas unveils 2017 Hall of Fame Class

CLEVELAND — November 29, 2016 — National propane association leaders, codes and standards experts, and equipment developers integral to industry growth are among the individuals selected for the LP Gas Hall of Fame as part of its 2017 class, LP Gas magazine announced recently.

John D. (Jack) Capps (National LP-Gas Association), Theodore Lemoff (TLemoff Engineering), Darrel Reifschneider (Manchester Tank) and William Young (Superior Energy Systems) make up the 2017 class. The magazine will honor them and recognize their contributions to the propane industry during a black-tie induction dinner and ceremony April 20, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, prior to the NPGA Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo.

LP Gas launched its Hall of Fame in propane’s centennial year of 2012 as a way to honor past and present leaders who helped establish, advance and grow the industry. This year’s class brings the total number of inductees to 32. Suburban Propane, AmeriGas, Blossman Gas and Tarantin Industries are sponsors of the LP Gas Hall of Fame.

Meet the 2017 class:

John D. (Jack) Capps – National LP-Gas Association

The late Capps served as a leader and a guide to the propane industry by committing his time and efforts to the National LP-Gas Association (NLPGA) as its executive vice president and general manager in the 1970s and 1980s. He led activities that helped to modernize the industry during his time with NLPGA. Capps encouraged the use of the term “propane” instead of “LP gas.” He helped to form several committees that are still vital to the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) today, including the audit committee, the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) certification committee and the safety committee. Capps always took member suggestions into consideration and often sought opportunities to implement those ideas. He is also a recipient of the NPGA Distinguished Service Award.

Theodore Lemoff – TLemoff Engineering

Lemoff worked as staff liaison at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for about 26 years for a number of codes and standards. Lemoff served as the editor for eight editions of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code Handbook and for six editions of the National Fuel Gas Code Handbook. He coauthored the NFPA Pocket Guide to Fuel Gas Storage and Use, and he contributed to the development of the NFPA 54, NFPA 58 and NFPA 59 codes. He has traveled the world for NFPA as its staff liaison and has extensive knowledge over the content of NFPA codes. He has lectured on NFPA 54 and NFPA 58 in seminars throughout his career. He exercised leadership at NFPA to move business forward, and his often-used comment, “Mr. Chairman, if I might suggest,” was key to guiding his discussion in the direction it needed to go to resolve sticking points. In addition, his gift of putting complex requirements into straightforward language helped to focus many NFPA meetings. Lemoff retired from his role as NFPA’s principal gases engineer in 2010, and he started TLemoff Engineering as a consulting business. Today, he remains a valuable resource on NFPA codes for the propane industry.

Darrel Reifschneider – Manchester Tank

Reifschneider led Manchester Tank as its president and CEO, helping to grow the company from a single site in Los Angeles to multiple plants across the United States, Canada and Australia. He joined his mother, Mollie Reifschneider, to lead the family business in 1955 after graduating from college. Throughout his career, he had a zeal for selling and was loyal to his customers. Reifschneider introduced powder coating to the 20-pound cylinder market, and his company’s efforts helped to further that market overall. The production of large volumes of 20-pound cylinders at low cost to grill manufacturers is a key reason for propane dominating the grill market today. He also helped to introduce the vertical dispenser as a Manchester Tank design. With its former leader as a strong advocate of autogas, the company has shown a willingness to manufacture autogas tanks, even when the market was limited. Throughout the course of the autogas market, the company has developed new tank designs to accommodate new vehicle packaging. Reifschneider is characterized as someone who remained steadfast to the propane industry, even through tough times in the industry’s history.

William Young – Superior Energy Systems

For more than half a century, Young has dedicated himself to the safety and improvement of the propane industry. He began his career as a staff engineer for Industrial Gas, a small propane company in Pittsburgh. Not long after, he started to work on his first water-bath vaporizer and propane-air blender systems. Young sums up his career in the industry by saying that he “builds the products and ideas that no one else wants to build.” Young helped to found Superior Energy Systems in 2002, and with his expertise as vice president of engineering the company has manufactured bulk plants and trans-shipment terminals that are used throughout the United States. In more recent years, Young recognized the industry’s need to focus on propane autogas. He has worked with his engineering group to steer the company to manufacture a range of certified turnkey propane autogas dispensing systems. Having been involved in industry standards for decades, Young puts a priority on compliance and safety. He has shared his knowledge as a member of numerous NPGA and NFPA technical committees. He has testified in front of governmental organizations, and he continues to educate communities about propane. The NFPA Standards Council honored him this year with its Committee Service Award. “[Young’s] commitment to safety in handling and using a hazardous material such as propane is evident by the many decades that he participated [in writing codes and standards] at his own expense,” says Bruce Swiecicki, senior technical adviser at NPGA. “The propane industry is indebted to [Young] for his contributions over the years.”

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LP Gas Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

The LP Gas Hall of Fame launched in propane’s centennial year (2012) as a way to honor the legends, icons and leaders who have helped establish, advance and grow the propane industry. It provides the industry with an annual, peer-recognized achievement that culminates in a black-tie celebration of the people who have contributed to its century-old history.

LP Gas Hall of Fame announces 2016 induction class

CLEVELAND, Ohio — November 19, 2015 — Four propane industry leaders with strong ties to state and national associations and organizations highlight the fifth class of the LP Gas Hall of Fame. Bill Byrne (Warren Petroleum Co.), Robert Y. Love Sr. (Lampton-Love Inc.), Daryl McClendon (DFM Enterprises) and Thomas Nunan Jr. (Suburban Propane) comprise the 2016 class. The magazine will honor them and recognize their contributions to the propane industry during a black-tie induction dinner and ceremony April 7 at the Omni in Nashville, Tenn., prior to the NPGA Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo. Tickets will go on sale in December.

LP Gas launched the hall of fame in propane’s centennial year of 2012 as a way to honor past and present leaders who helped establish, advance and grow the industry. This year’s class brings the total number of inductees to 28.

Meet the 2016 class

Bill Byrne – Warren Petroleum Co.

Byrne’s leadership pertaining to supply and pricing issues and his connections with governmental agencies were crucial to the strength and growth of the propane industry. The former vice president of marketing for Warren Petroleum, a propane supplier, also played a part in seeing that an industry check-off program was revived and reorganized in a way that would help marketers with their promotional efforts. As board president of the National LP-Gas Association, in 1986-87, Byrne promoted cooperative relations between marketers and refiners. Propane companies also relied on his knowledge and expertise. Heritage Propane tabbed Byrne for its board of directors, using his leadership background with the national association and his knowledge of supply and logistics processes to help the new retailer gain traction in a crowded group of competitors. He also sat on the boards of the Energy Transfer companies. Byrne became principal of Byrne & Associates LLC in 1992 after retiring from Tulsa, Okla.-based Warren Petroleum and completing a 40-year career. Byrne was also the Bill Hill Award recipient in 1992. The National Propane Gas Association honor recognizes a propane industry member who has contributed in public affairs at the national, state or local level. Byrne resides in Tulsa.

Robert Y. Love Sr. – Lampton-Love Inc.

The co-founder of Lampton-Love Inc., a propane retailer servicing five southeastern states, often carried a jar of honey with him to sweeten his drinks. Those who know Love say his cautious nature and determination made the industry better. The Mississippi native devoted much of his energy to state and national propane industry associations, ascending to board president at both levels and earning accolades along the way. Love served in every capacity with the Mississippi Propane Gas Association and received special recognition for 25 years of dedicated service to the association. Love’s work in Mississippi was noticed by the National LP-Gas Association, which named him the State Director of the Year in the mid-1980s. The award recognized Love’s achievement in supporting the national association’s market promotion program for member companies. He served on the national association’s board dating back to 1977, had chaired its executive committee and was elected president in 1990. Believing that propane marketers needed an alternative source of liability insurance, Love helped form the LPG Risk Retention Group. It became a successful underwriter of liability insurance for its stockholders. Love was also active in community affairs. He died in 1993 at age 62.

Daryl McClendon – DFM Enterprises

McClendon helped facilitate the establishment of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) – arguably his most significant contribution to the industry. He was one of the charter councilors and served as PERC’s second chairman from 1999 to 2001, helping to set up the organization for success. During McClendon’s chairmanship, the council launched many firsts, according to PERC President and CEO Roy Willis. This included the first market research initiative, the propane branding effort that led to the “Propane Exceptional Energy” theme, the first consumer education advertising program and the Partnership with States program that expanded the reach and frequency of the council’s advertising campaign to bring the propane message to end users. He also played a key role on the council’s consumer education advisory committee. In addition, McClendon was heavily involved in the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), serving as committee chairs and in the officer roles. He was president of the board for the 1995-96 term. He also directed a task force that led to the creation of the Gas Check program. Over the 20 years McClendon worked with NPGA, “not much happened where Daryl was not a key player,” says Dan Myers, former CEO of the association. Those close to him say he also made a difference behind the scenes on behalf of the industry. NPGA honored him this year with its Distinguished Service Award. He resides in Willowbrook, Ill.

Thomas Nunan Jr. – Suburban Propane

How fitting that the late vice president of sales for Suburban Propane was, well, always selling. In fact, he built a 50-year career in the energy industry. But it wasn’t just his sales role with the major propane marketer — and Petrolane before it — that drew attention. It was what he did for the industry as a whole that earned him a place in the LP Gas Hall of Fame. Those who knew Nunan say he exuded leadership and was a respected representative of the propane industry as he traveled to events around the country. Nunan helped take Suburban Propane public in 1996, mentoring its CEO before retiring from the company in 1999. “Tom was a critical part of the camaraderie and success of our industry,” says Mark Alexander, former Suburban Propane CEO. Nunan was also a founding member of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), serving on the council from 1997 to 2005 and helping to develop PERC’s original grant review process. He was PERC’s vice chairman of marketers from 2000 to 2002. “He was one of the greatest propane boosters I’ve run across,” says Roy Willis, PERC president and CEO. “He was a prince of a man.” Nunan was a longtime member of the National Propane Gas Association board and a president of the Young Gassers. He died in 2013 at age 79.

LP Gas launches lpgashalloffame.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — October 20, 2015 — LP Gas magazine launched lpgashalloffame.com as an online representation of its annual Hall of Fame dinner and recognition ceremony.

“We’ve seen the LP Gas Hall of Fame grow in immense popularity since it launched four years ago,” says Brian Richesson, LP Gas editor-in-chief. “A website dedicated to the LP Gas Hall of Fame and our annual induction event gives readers one known location where they can learn about the legends, icons and leaders who have shaped our industry into what it is today.”

The website’s content ranges from archived information about past Hall of Fame inductees to a nomination form where website visitors can submit nominees to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Check out the new website, or the LP Gas website, for more information.