LP Gas Hall of Fame profile: Doug Auxier

The 2022 LP Gas Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony will take place April 23 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Inductees are Richard Barker (Silgas), Nancy Coop (Cetane Associates), Joe Rose (Propane Gas Association of New England) and Doug Auxier (Auxier Gas). Get more information here.

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Doug Auxier has spent most of his life doing what he loves the most – working. When he was 12 years old, his father purchased a farm. Auxier worked there until his early 20s.

From there, Auxier joined the U.S. Army. After returning home from the service, he once again worked at the family farm while also assisting his father with Auxier Gas, a Batavia, Ohio-based organization that began as an appliance business in 1946, prior to becoming a cylinder company and, ultimately, a commercial and residential propane supplier.

At the age of 24, Auxier created his own trucking company, which he oversaw for a couple of years until he returned to Auxier Gas, where he assisted his father with the service side of the company, rather than the business side.

But that all changed one day in 1978 when his father died in a propane accident – a tragedy that led Auxier to not only begin overseeing the family business practically overnight but also become very involved with various industry associations.

“My father’s passing led me to evaluate safety precautions closer and try to convey safety concerns to others,” he says. “I wanted to show that the mistakes we made could be avoided by others, which led me to become more involved in the industry so that I could convey this information to the associations.”

A commitment to committees

Shortly after his father’s death, Auxier began to attend Ohio Propane Gas Association (OPGA) meetings, where he gained knowledge about the ins and outs of the industry. He also started to serve on the OPGA’s market development committee and, eventually, the association’s safety committee while also chairing the Ohio Convention committee.

From 1988 to 1989, Auxier served as president of the OPGA. In addition, he dedicated his time and talents as Ohio’s state director with the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA). He was even recognized as State Director of the Year in 1992. A couple of years later, he co-founded the Midwest Convention and served as its first chairman, an achievement he considers one of the most gratifying of his career.

During that time, he also chaired various NPGA committees dedicated to market development and safety. He served as the sixth district director to the NPGA’s board of directors, representing Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. Eventually, he was named NPGA’s treasurer. From there, he transitioned through the chairs until, in 2003, he became NPGA’s chairman, a role he held for a year. Auxier also served on the Propane Education & Research Council from 2005 until 2010.

“I think my success in business, along with my passion for the propane industry, has consistently increased because of my involvement with these associations,” he says. “They have all made me a better person. And I’ve gotten a lot more from them than I’ve ever given.”

A life away from propane

Apart from the propane industry, Auxier enjoys a variety of other passions. A husband and father, he has lived in Marco Island, Florida, during the winter, where he has thoroughly enjoyed inshore fishing.

Since 1975, he has also flown airplanes. He bought his own plane in 1994. A few years later, he bought a second plane, which he has flown in several air shows. Always a thrill-seeker, Auxier has drag raced throughout the United States and even owns some drag racing cars.

Lately, he enjoys more relaxing pastimes, particularly shooting skeet and sporting clays.

Several years ago, Auxier survived a lung transplant. As a pulmonary fibrosis patient, he has become a big supporter of organ donations. Of course, as evidenced by his life and career, this health issue has not deterred him – it’s only motivated him to achieve even more.

“My daughter is vice president of Auxier Gas and may become CEO someday. But I intend to be involved in the business for the foreseeable future,” he stresses. “After all, Roger Penske just bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he’s 83. I’m only 71.”

A bright future

As Auxier prepares for the future, he remains as dedicated to hard work as he’s ever been, following in the footsteps of his father, who worked typically seven days a week at Auxier Gas and Auxier Farms. Just like his father, he’s focused on ensuring his propane company continues to be well renowned for its customer service, family atmosphere and reliability, as none of his customers have ever been out of gas due to diminished supply.

He also wants Auxier Gas to continue to be known for having the latest and the greatest; it was actually the second propane company in Ohio to have a computer back in the early 1980s. This commitment – to hard work, customer service, a family atmosphere and the best of the best – has led Auxier to meet and develop relationships with the propane industry’s leading figures, heroes whom he’ll soon join as a fellow member of the LP Gas Hall of Fame.

“It’s a real honor to be included with so many of my heroes,” he adds. “They were not only good friends but also members of my extended family.”