Porco Energy leader devoted time, talents to NYPGA

Porco (Photo: Brand-News-Team)

Joseph Porco died June 7 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, at the age of 59.

Porco and his brother, Dominick, operated Porco Energy in Marlboro and Wurtsboro, New York.

Porco Energy was founded in 1954 by their parents, Anthony and Lillian Porco, and began as a Petrolane dealership before becoming independent in the early 1970s as Porco Energy.

Brothers Joe and Dominick had always been around the family business as kids and joined the company with greater responsibilities in the early 1980s.

Porco’s son Timmy, his daughter Nicole and nephew Chris Scaturro joined a few decades later, taking on key roles in the company.

After nearly 65 years of business, Joe and Dominick chose to sell the company to Superior Plus in 2018. Joe stayed on as a key business adviser for nearly a year and a half under an initial contract that he later renewed with Superior Plus.

He served on the New York Propane Gas Association’s (NYPGA) executive board as treasurer starting in 2002, which led to his NYPGA presidency from 2010-12.

Porco supported the financial needs of NYPGA member safety programs with the New York Propane Education & Research Council (NYPERC), first as a board member since 2012 and then as chair from 2018-20. He stepped down from his NYPERC responsibilities earlier this year due to selling his business.

In 2018, Porco was also chosen to represent New York in a national capacity as state executive to serve the interests of all New York propane marketers. His involvement grew to the convention committee of the National Propane Gas Association.

In addition, Porco supported many local, regional, national and community causes. He purchased a new bobtail, recolored it pink and billboarded it for heightened community awareness and support of breast cancer research. He developed a second bobtail for awareness and support of the Anderson Center for Autism.

Porco and his wife, Debbie, co-founded Lucy the Rescue Dog, a 501(c)(3) that provides financial assistance to pet families in emergency situations.

Porco Energy helped neighboring propane marketers and other businesses, including working to encourage and support the startup of at least one other new propane company in the Lower Hudson Valley in New York. Porco was also active in the Hudson Valley Oil & Energy Council.

Read the full obituary here.

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