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Propane Days: A firsthand account

June 21, 2018 By    

Before September 2017, I barely knew a thing about the propane industry.

Anything beyond the propane cylinder hooked to my grill in my backyard was a mystery to me. But since joining the LP Gas magazine staff as associate editor last September, my eyes were opened to this impressive and expansive industry.

Through the 10 months I have spent in the industry, I have seen the power of propane and I have met with the people who provide and use the fuel for everything from home heating to cooking to powering a school bus.

NPGA advocacy team leaders speak with propane industry members at the 2018 Propane Days in Washington, D.C. Photo by Brian Richesson.

Typically, when I meet with these people, it is after they have already worked a few hours of the day. They are dressed in old work jeans, boots that have seen the elements and a jacket proudly showing their company’s logo. It does not take an industry veteran to understand these people are the hardworking, blue-collar individuals providing power, heat and other services to millions of families across the country.

Through every interview, every conversation and every story I have written for LP Gas, I have heard the same industry sentiment over and over again: Our customers are the most important to our business.

This is the core of the propane industry.

At the National Propane Gas Association’s legislative event, Propane Days, I met with these same industry professionals. But instead of the jeans, boots and jackets, everyone wore their suits in preparation to fight for the propane industry and its core on Capitol Hill.

Propane Days was a different way to see the propane industry, but the core of the industry was still there.

At Propane Days, every segment of the industry came together to discuss the challenges they face and get to work on finding real solutions.

LP Gas Editor-in-Chief Brian Richesson and I traveled up and down the Hill with over a dozen industry members from Ohio to urge congressional leaders and staffers to take real action to improve the propane industry. It was impressive to see these passionate people of the propane industry make a case for real government action that will help them to better serve the core of the industry.

Through my 10 months in the industry, I have seen propane retailers at their operations and in their congressional offices. I have seen propane power my grill and a local school bus. The versatility of propane and its people are the pride of joy of this industry and why I enjoy being a part of it.

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About the Author:

Joe McCarthy was an associate editor at LP Gas Magazine.

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