Nominations open for the LP Gas Hall of Fame

Lampton-Love’s Rob Love accepts the LP Gas Hall of Fame award for his father. Photo: LP Gas Magazine

April is a busy month for us at LP Gas magazine.

Not only are we planning for the propane industry’s largest trade show, the Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo, but we’re also planning for the annual LP Gas Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

This year marked a milestone for the LP Gas Hall of Fame, as we celebrated the fifth class of inductees. Bill Byrne of Warren Petroleum Co., Robert Y. Love Sr. of Lampton-Love Inc., Daryl McClendon of DFM Enterprises and Thomas Nunan Jr. of Suburban Propane comprise that memorable class, honored at a black-tie dinner and ceremony last month in Nashville, Tenn.

But as we reach that first major mark on any timeline, our message about the honor and the event bears repeating, especially after one of our most successful inductions, which drew about 130 attendees to the Omni Nashville Hotel a day before the Propane Expo.

We welcome your nomination of a propane industry leader – of the past or present, someone who has helped establish, advance and grow the industry in some way. As we like to say, these people have “moved the needle” in a positive direction for the industry.

While our list of nominees has grown to about 80 in recent years, we recognize other deserving individuals remain at large and we want to ensure the industry is familiar with the nominating process. Take some time to think about those leaders you know.

Just like presidential candidates encouraging the public to vote during this primary election season, we’d like to send a similar message: Simply go to lpgashalloffame.com (our new website devoted to the LP Gas Hall of Fame) and click on the “Nominate” tab. Tell us in great detail who deserves induction into the LP Gas Hall of Fame and why. You can also find articles, videos and event information on our new site.

An anonymous selection committee, including the LP Gas staff and other industry members, considers the submitted nominee information when determining the next class of inductees. The LP Gas Hall of Fame is truly a propane industry peer-driven honor.

Nominations for the 2017 class are open through Sept. 30. Will the spotlight shine on one of your nominees next April in Nashville?

LP Gas Growth Summit

We spend time at trade shows talking to propane retailers about their businesses. And lately we’ve spent time talking to them about the LP Gas Growth Summit, a unique networking event that launched last year.

Our promotions really ramp up in April for the October event held at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla.

The propane industry has faced changes, challenges and threats to traditional markets in recent years. The LP Gas Growth Summit introduces open-minded retailer decision makers to vendors in growth markets so they can consider new ways to expand their businesses and create year-round propane demand.

In what we like to describe as a speed-dating-type format, retailers and vendors visit one on one in prescheduled 20-minute meetings before an announcement shakes up the room for a new round of conversation. Growth markets on which we focus include autogas, commercial mowing, generators, irrigation engines, tankless water heaters, technology and more.

This intimate event, in which LP Gas covers retailers’ lodging, meals and golf, is only open to the first 25 eligible attendees. We’ve filled about a quarter of available spaces, so please let us know if you are interested in attending. Email me at my address below. For more details, you can also access videos from last year’s event at youtube.com/lpgtv2.