Final Year For Four: Longtime state executives reflect on careers in propane industry

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They each arrived as leaders in the propane industry in different ways.

For Corky Clark, becoming executive director of his state association was a natural next step after an active career in retail propane sales and decades in association leadership. For Tom Osina, it turned out to be the job that ultimately stuck, after sampling from a palette of vastly different choices, ranging from school teacher to radio disc jockey. Personal connections helped Deb Grooms and Jenni McKeen gravitate into propane, and they discovered work – and people – they enjoyed.

But together this year, these executive directors form one of the largest classes to “graduate” into retirement in recent memory. As these four leaders of their state associations prepare to turn in their keys, LP Gas talked with each one to learn how they got here, what they’re most going to miss and what’s next on the horizon for them personally and for the industry.

Final Year For Four: Making a name for themselves

The longtime state executives retiring this year and the state associations they’ve led:

Corky Clark
South Carolina Propane Gas Association

Deb Grooms
Iowa Propane Gas Association

Jenni McKeen
Georgia Propane Gas Association

Tom Osina
West Virginia Propane Gas Association

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