Award winners named at NPGA mid-year board meeting

Before exiting his post as chair of the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) board of directors, Jeff Stewart of Blue Star Gas honored industry members with chairman citations.

Charmin Heimel, left, of Colorado Propane Marketing Co. in Monument, Colorado, and Rob Upton of Blue Flame Gas in Pueblo West, Colorado, are winners of the 2024 NPGA Safety Award. (Photo by Rodney Choice/Choice Photography)

Here’s a look at the NPGA awards presented during June’s board meeting in Washington, D.C.

Chairman citations: Dan Binning, former executive director of the Colorado and New Mexico propane gas associations; Bruce Swiecicki, NPGA. Binning is retiring after 44 years in the industry. LP Gas inducted Swiecicki into the Hall of Fame this year.

NPGF Outstanding Service Award: Rosie Buschur, McMahan’s Bottle Gas in Dayton, Ohio. LP Gas inducted Buschur and her husband, Joe Buschur, into the Hall of Fame this year.

Safety Award: Charmin Heimel, Colorado Propane Marketing Co. in Monument, Colorado; Rob Upton, Blue Flame Gas in Pueblo West, Colorado. According to NPGA records, Heimel is the first female award recipient, and 2024 marks only the second time two individuals were honored in the same year.

State Director of the Year: Zoe Williams (Hawaii).

Stewart, meanwhile, relinquished his post to Tom Van Buren, COO and executive vice president at Pico Propane and Fuels, part of the Meritum Energy Holdings group. Van Buren became the sixth person in the industry’s history to chair both NPGA and the Propane Education & Research Council during their careers.