PERC honors propane delivery drivers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is recognizing the bobtail and transport drivers who deliver propane to homes, businesses, farms and communities during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 13-19.

“What stands out in these nominations is the trust propane drivers earn every day,” says Bridget Kidd, chief operating officer at PERC. “They put safety first, build lasting relationships with their customers and step up when their communities need them most. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week gives us an opportunity to recognize the skill, dedication and dependability they bring to this industry.”

PERC invited propane companies and customers nationwide to nominate drivers for the recognition. Many of the submissions focused on safety, citing drivers’ attention to detail, adherence to procedures, ability to spot hazards, equipment maintenance and consistency in performing inspections and leak tests.

“He is concerned with safe operations first but then really serves his customers in an extremely professional manner and has become a cornerstone to our team and our community,” says Paul Lilley, who nominated Lewis Whittaker.

Other nominations focused on the relationships drivers build with customers over time, including remembering details about their properties, tanks, families and pets. Emily Pierce, who nominated Teddy Jenkins, says customers often request him by name. “Many customers specifically request Teddy as their delivery driver because they know they can count on him for safe, timely and exceptional service,” says Pierce.

Several nominations described drivers who worked weekends and holidays, took on overtime, responded during winter storms, handled difficult routes or helped coworkers finish deliveries. Kari Bevers, who nominated Ronald Schlenker, says he built trust with customers and coworkers “through thousands of deliveries, countless on-call hours, holidays away from his own family and an unwavering commitment to doing his job safely and well.”

Brandi Burr nominated John Christianson, who she says has spent 41 years serving propane customers in Wisconsin. “Wisconsin weather is unforgiving, yet John has never let it stand between him and the people who depend on him,” says Burr.

PERC says it will feature nominees across its communications channels as part of the recognition effort.

Nominated drivers include:

• Charles Brasell, ThompsonGas, Camden, Alabama
• Jackson Cosby, J.S. West & Companies, Oakhurst, California
• Jesus Higuera, Windmill Propane, Visalia, California
• Paul Silva, Van De Pol, Madera, California
• James “JD” Barber, Afginity Inc., Eaton, Colorado
• Ruslan Plotkin, DCC Energy (DBA Enviro Gas), Commerce City, Colorado
• Scott Carito, Northeast Oil and Propane, Danielson, Connecticut
• Timothy Swift, Northeast Oil and Propane, North Franklin, Connecticut
• Jack Wilson, Delaware Propane, Smyrna, Delaware
• Donald Taylor, Suburban Propane LP, Wildwood, Florida
• Julian Lancaster, Thermotane Propane, Sanford, Florida
• Terry Sharp, Sunrise Propane, Hudson, Florida
• Alvin Fontanez, Superior Plus Propane (DBA Freeman Gas), Ellijay, Georgia
• Clifford Brent Defoor, Superior Plus Propane (DBA Freeman Gas), Ellijay, Georgia
• Dennis Brown, Cumberland Gas, Kingsland, Georgia
• Greg McGuire, Blossman Gas Inc., Cartersville, Georgia
• Jeff Smith, Viking Transport, Alma, Georgia
• Johnnie Hall, Valley Propane Inc., Eatonton, Georgia
• Kevin Latimer, Amicalola Propane Inc., Dawsonville, Georgia
• Lorenzo “Tiger” Watkins, Evergreen Propane, Forsyth, Georgia
• Mike Dudney, Viking Transport, Milner, Georgia
• Brockton Wagner, Valley Wide Cooperative, Cascade, Idaho
• Kevin McCarthy, Holiday Propane, Driggs, Idaho
• Rick Howell, Hicksgas, Decatur, Illinois
• Lewis Whittaker, Purity Cylinder Gases LLC, Elkhart, Indiana
• Randy Bruer, Ceres Solutions, Crawfordsville, Indiana
• Dennis Demmer, Demmer Oil Company, Worthington, Iowa
• Robert Jay Roberts, DCC Propane (DBA Propane Central), Wichita, Kansas
• Daniel Herron, Henderson Propane Inc., Henderson, Kentucky
• Gregg Chavers, H.J. Poist Gas Company, Savage, Maryland
• Anthony Colaianni, Devaney Energy, Bridgewater, Massachusetts
• Kevin Holland, Robys Gas, Wareham, Massachusetts
• Zac Lecronier, Stanford’s Propane Gas, LLC, Midland, Michigan
• Dave Swartz, Superior Fuel Company, Duluth, Minnesota
• David Lewis Dworshak, Farmward Cooperative, Morgan, Minnesota
• Dennis Schubert, Centra Sota Cooperative, Buffalo, Minnesota
• Scott Fladung, Glacial Plains Cooperative, Benson, Minnesota
• Tyler Merz, Olson Oil Co., Fergus Falls, Minnesota
• Anthony “Tony” Gilbert, Blossman Gas Inc., Laurel, Mississippi
• Anthony Stewart, Blossman Gas Inc., Hattiesburg, Mississippi
• Christopher Kelly, Blossman Gas Inc., Newton, Mississippi
• Tony Ezell, Viking Transport, Petal, Mississippi
• Neil Kaup, Frontier Cooperative, Waverly, Nebraska
• Randy Tietz, Farmers Pride, Battle Creek, Nebraska
• Yaovi Ehon, Wells Propane Inc., Wells, Nevada
• Alsn “Toad” Horne, Eastern Propane, Rochester, New Hampshire
• Bob Dean, Stafford Oil & Propane, Laconia, New Hampshire
• Brian Driscoll, Davis Oil and Propane, Keene, New Hampshire
• Joe Fleck, Stafford Oil & Propane, Laconia, New Hampshire
• John Swenson, Proulx Oil & Propane, Epping, New Hampshire
• Keith Opdyke, Stem Brothers Inc., Milford, New Jersey
• Cody Shaw, Pico Propane and Fuels, Carlsbad, New Mexico
• Ervin Conn, Paraco Gas Corp, Saugerties, New York
• Thomas Trotti, Paraco Gas Corp, Saugerties, New York
• Brendan Dalzell, Sharp Energy, Ahoskie, North Carolina
• David Brown, Campbell Oil Company, Elizabethtown, North Carolina
• Jamie Williamson, Viking Transport, Apex, North Carolina
• Joey Kennedy, Pico Propane, Siler City, North Carolina
• Logan Reneau, Southern States Cooperative, Siler City, North Carolina
• Mark Bridgers, Viking Transport, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Randy Hall, Southern States Cooperative, Siler City, North Carolina
• Teddy Jenkins, Sharp Energy, Rich Square, North Carolina
• Andrew King, Superior Energy, Troy, Ohio
• Chris Leimbach, Coles Energy, Milan, Ohio
• Edmond “Donnie” Bourassa, Mount Perry Propane, Mount Perry, Ohio
• Jeffrey Whitney, Miami Erie Propane, St. Marys, Ohio
• Larry Castle, Coles Energy, Milan, Ohio
• Tommy Yoder, Peak Propane, Bellefontaine, Ohio
• James Donald Holcomb, Pitmon Oil and Gas, Lindsay, Oklahoma
• Barry Reno, EDP ProGas, Zelienople, Pennsylvania
• Dwain Snyder, Countryside Fuel, Myerstown, Pennsylvania
• Gardell Burkholder, Countryside Fuel, Myerstown, Pennsylvania
• Kendall Weaver, Elite Fuel Service LLC, Reading, Pennsylvania
• Leon Oberholtzer, Countryside Fuel, Myerstown, Pennsylvania
• Mahlon Stoltzfuz, Shaffer’s Bottled Gas, Hooversville, Pennsylvania
• Michael Towner, Bluhm’s Gas Sales, Wyalusing, Pennsylvania
• Mike Verna, Countryside Fuel, Myerstown, Pennsylvania
• Genisis Vargas, Paraco Gas Corp, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
• Edward Bartoli, Viking Transport, Cheraw, South Carolina
• Freddie Pendergast, Carolina Propane, Orangeburg, South Carolina
• Marion Murdaugh Jr., Carmichael Propane, Walterboro, South Carolina
• Ronald Schlenker, Hamlin County Farmers Coop, Hayti, South Dakota
• Aaron Byrd, Bob Baze Propane, LLC, Grandview, Texas
• Brandon Mitchell, Offen Petroleum, Sherman, Texas
• Bryce Champagne, Targa Resources, Mont Belvieu, Texas
• Jack Thompson, Sumrall Distributing Company Inc., Palestine, Texas
• Jose Chavarria, Pico Propane & Fuels, Eagle Ford, Texas
• Joshua McMeans, Sumrall Distributing Company Inc., Palestine, Texas
• Markus Timothy Garza, Pico Propane & Fuels, Weslaco, Texas
• Theresa Castaneda, Pico Propane and Fuels, Beaumont, Texas
• Todd Haley, Meritus Texas, Terrell, Texas
• Richard Johnson, Bourne’s Energy, Morrisville, Vermont
• Dan Reil, Valley Energy, Purcellville, Virginia
• Donald “Donnie” Lee Ellis, Phillips Energy Inc., Hayes, Virginia
• Edward “Eddie” Samuel Dutton, Jr., JCB Transport Inc., Hayes, Virginia
• Chris Hood, Sunshine Propane, Port Hadlock, Washington
• Mark McClellan, American Distributing, Marysville, Washington
• John Christianson, Country Visions, Larsen, Wisconsin
• Thad Kluge, Landair, Menasha, Wisconsin