Meet the LP Gas Hall of Fame Class of 2025

The founder of leading propane companies who has helped influence policies ensuring safety and sustainability; a marketing strategist whose insights at state, national and international levels have helped companies adapt and grow; an inventor whose hose-end swivel became the industry standard; and a longtime safety advocate and trainer in emergency preparedness will be celebrated as the 2025 class of the LP Gas Hall of Fame.

Thomas E. Knauff of EDP, Rita Pecilunas of Otodata, Walter Smith of Full-Circle and Ken Taylor, a safety consultant, comprise the 12th class of inductees. LP Gas will honor them on April 3, 2025, during an induction dinner and ceremony that precedes the National Propane Gas Association’s (NPGA) Southeastern & International Propane Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina. Visit lpgashalloffame.com for more information.

An anonymous selection committee composed of past and present industry leaders and LP Gas staff chose the inductees from nominations submitted by industry peers.

▶ Thomas E. Knauff – EDP

Tom Knauff is a visionary with a deep understanding of the propane industry who sees its long-lasting benefits and the far-reaching implications of government initiatives sooner than most.

In a career that’s spanned 40 years, Knauff has leveraged this insight to forge some of the biggest and most dynamic companies. After serving in senior leadership positions at Ferrellgas, he co-founded Propane Continental and the investment banking services provider Jordan Knauff & Co., co-sponsored Liberty Propane and founded EDP, which he leads as executive chairman.

But Knauff is not content to stand alone at the mountaintop. Friends and industry fellows praise his active leadership as part of the NPGA executive committee and board of directors. He is an articulate champion in key issues like electrification, zero net energy, alternative energy and the anti-fossil fuels movement. In 2020, he demonstrated his commitment to the industry’s longevity by adding a vice president of sustainability strategies to EDP’s leadership team.

Knauff’s high integrity makes him a credible voice on state and national platforms like Propane Days. He lends an important presence at industry events, where he can be counted on to contribute not only his ideas and insight, but also financial support when needed.

Despite his high-profile career, Knauff is known for his genuine care for individuals and his focus on lifting others up through direct mentorship, support for the military and first responders, and ensuring the continued growth and sustainability of the propane industry.

▶ Rita Pecilunas – Otodata

For more than 30 years, Rita Pecilunas has sparked successful collaborations and marketing innovations within the propane industry on state, national and international levels. She has served in leadership roles with several state associations, the NPGA, the World Liquid Gas Association (formerly known as the World LPG Association) and Liquid Gas Europe, in each case bringing an indomitable enthusiasm that inspires action at grassroots and corporate levels.

Undaunted in an industry dominated by men, Pecilunas served as NPGA’s vice president of marketing and member services, where she helped shape its marketing strategies, campaigns and financial growth plans. She also helped to launch Pinnacle 2000, the industry’s first national educational conference, which ran from 1995 to 2006, and revitalize the Southeastern Convention. Pecilunas led the industry’s Centennial Celebration that culminated in 2012’s acclaimed “Clean Air Parade” and helped position propane as a relevant, reliable and clean-burning fuel. She serves as a facilitator for the NPGA Benchmarking Council.

Pecilunas combines her passion and strategic expertise to encourage marketers and fellow industry leaders to grow and expand in creative ways. In her capacity with the Propane Education & Research Council, she helped to develop and roll out the “Marketer Technology Training” initiative that educated marketers about ways to promote the safe and efficient use of propane in their communities and traveled the nation teaching customer service and sales training to customer service representatives as part of the program.

Pecilunas has been the sales director for Otodata since 2019.

▶ Walter Smith – Smith Pumps and Full-Circle

You could say that Walter Smith’s head, like his most successful invention, has always been on a swivel.

The designer of the worldwide industry standard hose-end swivel, Smith is the son and grandson of the innovative engineers responsible for many patents and products that forged Smith Pumps. But it was Smith’s interaction with a member of the propane industry regarding a bobtail delivery system connection – and his quick response to the challenge – that changed the industry and earned him a spot in the LP Gas Hall of Fame.

In 1991, when presented with the problem of hoses twisting during propane delivery, Smith quickly sketched an idea to allow a 360-degree rotation of the filler valve. Later that year, he founded Full-Circle, which became the first company to list a swivel with the Underwriters Laboratories for LP gas service.

The swivel allowed drivers to not have to “fight” the hose during a fill, making for a safer and more efficient procedure. Today, the valve has become a standardized piece of equipment used on all bobtail delivery trucks in North America, as well as other worldwide markets.

The SMAC-series hose reel swivels were developed in 1992, and three years later, Smith improved on the original design with the JO-1 hose end swivel. The JO-1 was half the weight and size of the original hose-end swivel, the SMAC-1. The company now manufactures a broad range of liquefied gas swivels worldwide.

Smith retired as president in 2022 but remains active as a consultant for Smith Pumps and Full-Circle.

▶ Ken Taylor – White Mountain Oil & Propane/consultant

A member of New England’s propane industry for more than 45 years, Ken Taylor literally wrote the book on emergency preparedness.

Taylor was vice president of White Mountain Oil & Propane in North Conway, New Hampshire, for over 20 years. He continues to share his knowledge as a technical adviser, teacher and consultant to the industry.

The Propane Gas Association of New England (PGANE) played an active role in Taylor’s career as he held many positions on various committees, including past president. Currently, he serves on the Emergency Response Committee and as director emeritus.

Described by his peers as a “propane legend,” Taylor helped create and develop the Propane Emergency Response Program, and wrote the well-known guidebook “Propane Emergencies.”

Taylor also helped create the Massachusetts Fire Academy propane training program. He continues to participate in fire training programs in New England, serving as a mentor to new instructors and volunteers.

Taylor has served on a number of safety-related committees throughout New England as well as at the national level with NPGA. He was also a member of the original CETP development committee.

Taylor and his wife, Judy, remain involved in the industry. Judy served as the executive director of PGANE and as the New England liaison for the NPGA for over two decades.