More than 2,900 people attended this year’s Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, according to the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA). The total attendance figure, which represents trade show attendees, exhibitors, speakers, staff and guests, is up more than 3.5 percent from last year’s 2,790 mark and up more than 11.5 percent... read more
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) approved the following funding requests during its April meeting in Atlanta, ahead of the Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo, with the principal contractor in parenthesis. ■ $461,252 for a 2014 workforce training initiative, which supports and maintains programs for the propane industry, anticipates training needs and creates new programs (Dashe & Thomson).... read more
Grammer Industries, an Indiana-based carrier of propane and other materials, unveiled a Wounded Warrior Project-themed transport trailer. Grammer’s goal is to raise funds for U.S. service personnel who have been injured in Afghanistan and Iraq. The company unveiled the truck at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., kicking off a yearlong initiative in which Grammer hopes to raise $250,000... read more
The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is holding a hearing May 1 to examine the causes of last winter’s propane shortage. According to the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), its chairman, France Propane’s Gary France, will testify on the panel. NPGA expects representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy and others from the... read more
Green County Alternative Fuels in Claremore, Okla., and Tornabene Auto Sales and Service in Pownal, Vt., joined the Alliance Autogas conversion center network. read more
Watt Robert (Bobby) Foster, former owner of Foster Fuels in Brookneal, Va., died on April 26 at age 77. Foster and his brother, L.H. Foster Jr., helped launch the company’s propane division in 1960 under the leadership of their father, L.H. Foster. Bobby Foster became part owner of the business and eventually sole owner. The company currently enjoys its 94th... read more
Williams Partners LP reported an explosion and fire April 23 at its natural gas-processing facility near Opal, Wyo. No injuries were reported, and the company says the outside of the facility sustained no damage. The incident did, however, damage one of five cryogenic processing trains that comprise the Opal facility. Williams is assessing the damage and determining a return-to-service time for... read more
James Hackett was elected to the board of directors at Enterprise Products Partners L.P. According to a press release, Hackett recently served as executive chairman of the board of directors at Anadarko Petroleum Corp., an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company, He also served as Anadarko’s president from 2003 to 2010. read more
Valley Propane is a small retailer made up of five employees. Two of the company’s employees are full-time bobtail drivers, and combined the two deliver about 1.1 million gallons of propane each year. On a retail gallons-delivered-per-bobtail basis, Valley Propane’s Vince Guthrie suggests his company outpaces many of the largest retailers in the United States. And if you compare Valley... read more
Christina Armentano joined Paraco Gas as director of employee relations. According to Paraco, Armentano has more than nine years of experience in human capital management. She most recently served as a director at Cook Associates, where she managed client relationships and supervised the execution of recruitment programs for Fortune 500 companies. read more
