Propane Personality: Chris Hanson

October 3, 2025 By Chris Markham 0 Comments

Chris Hanson

Director, Learning Center Operations and Educational Projects, Propane Education & Research Council

Education

Troy University

Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration and Management

Class of 2012

Work experience

November 2021-Present

Propane Education & Research Council

⦁ Director, Learning Center Operations and Educational Projects

May 2019-November 2021

⦁ LMS Administrator

May 2013-May 2019

Washington State Department of Corrections

⦁ Training Information System Manager and Learning Management System Administrator

September 2000-September 2006

U.S. Air Force

⦁ Security Forces

From the Air Force to propane

Upon graduating high school, Chris Hanson began his career in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, working as an Mk 19 gunman on nuclear convoys, working flightline security, corrections and control center at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. He also worked NATO security on the beaches of Sardinia and eventually deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After the Air Force, Hanson went to college and ran his own business. Once he graduated, he worked for the Washington State Department of Corrections, overseeing its learning management system.

After a few years, Hanson got his job at PERC, which was a nice surprise.

“Like any other job, you kind of get an idea of what you’re getting into, but you don’t really know. I didn’t really know that there was a propane industry. I was pleasantly surprised. Some of the nicest people I’ve met, some of the most down-to-earth and just genuine people I’ve met are here in the propane industry, which is a breath of fresh air. I made a lot of great connections with folks.”

Hanson stays busy with his family in Ohio. (Photos courtesy of Christopher Hanson)

A smooth transition

When he made the transition from the Washington State Department of Corrections to PERC, despite the two fields being so different, the transition was fairly straightforward.

“I think one of the easiest things that helped me out was the regulations, right? So, Washington State Department of Corrections was heavily regulated, as you might imagine, having people’s lives in their hands. Coming over to the propane industry, they obviously weren’t the same regulations, but understanding the fact that this industry is heavily regulated as well, too, was a comfort zone. It’s like, OK, I understand that there are regulations, I understand there are requirements and codes, and certain things need to be done at certain times, certain intervals, etc. So that was an easy transition, because it was almost apples to apples.”

Safety focus

Since coming to PERC, Hanson has worked on the implementation of PERC’s Learning Center.

“I got brought into PERC in May of 2019, and we launched the Learning Center in January. We soft-launched it that summer and that winter, but just for some sales training or some market and industry training content. But then we launched the actual safety and technical training content Jan. 1 of 2020. From there, it just took off like wildfire. We gave the companies the ability to just create their own environment so it could be their learning center. It gives them a lot of options to customize it in nature of what benefits their companies the most, right? So, a lot of my role over the last five years has been to assist companies in understanding what we offer as far as the Learning Center.”

Of course, with PERC’s implementation of the new PEP training program, Hanson has sharpened his focus.

“Our primary projects all surround the transition from CETP to PEP. That’s where our main focus is. … We’re also focusing on helping the industry build a safety culture. That’s where our focus is now, so what projects, what assets, what widgets can we build? Maybe something’s missing, maybe something needs to be updated, whatever it is. That’s our focus right now. Let’s get this culture of safety humming in people’s brains right now.”

Hobbies

“Obviously, I’m a sports fan – a depressed Cleveland sports fan. We love to travel. My wife just went and dropped my son off for his junior year of college, with my daughter beginning her school year, as well. Just family stuff, just hanging out with the family, travel, camping, hiking, sports.”