Propane Personality: Christina Grabo

Christina Grabo

Director of Sales, Blue Star Gas

WORK EXPERIENCE

January 2015-Present
Blue Star Gas

⦁ Director of Sales
⦁ Autogas Fleet Specialist

Daily tasks

As the director of sales, Grabo is responsible for hiring, training, developing and supporting the members of Blue Star Gas’ sales team. “I spend a lot of my time traveling throughout our divisions, working with each sales team member and supporting their efforts to grow our business. The market insights I gather during those visits support our leadership team, particularly with regard to establishing sales targets for each division.”

Propane industry areas of focus

Blue Star Gas serves a variety of markets in a wide array of areas, from growing cities in which autogas and industrial are key market contributors to more rural communities that have large agriculture and residential service markets. “Blue Star Gas’ autogas program definitely has a special place in my heart and continues to be an important part of our growth plan.”

Spreading the word about propane

Grabo is a member of the Propane Education & Research Council’s Leadership in Energy Ambassadors program, allowing her to spread the word about propane’s benefits, especially renewable propane. “It has never been more crucial to use our voices to educate our communities and customers. With the electrification of everything being pushed wide and far, we need to get the message out that propane has a role, concerning the path to decarbonization.”

Recent growth

Over the past few years, Blue Star Gas has grown significantly, partially due to its Blue Star Power Division. At the same time, the company’s team has grown too, as it’s created additional support positions to increase its engagement with customers and team members. “Not to mention, Jeff Stewart, president of Blue Star Gas, was sworn in as National Propane Gas Association chair, enabling him to lend his innovative mindset to the propane industry as a whole.”

“You can learn from everyone around you, regardless of their roles.
Treat everyone with respect and listen to their input,
as their unique roles lead to unique perspectives.”

Leadership thoughts

Recently, Grabo was a guest on the Women in Propane Council’s “Through the Leadership Lens” podcast, enabling her to speak with Bridget Kidd and Freddie Ridler, whom she considers “two dynamic leaders in the propane industry.” She believes leaders must be held accountable, while leading by example, to earn their team members’ respect. She also thinks leaders should hold themselves to the same standards they ask of their team members. “To me, leadership means serving my team members and helping them grow and be the most successful and fulfilled they can be. I want to instill confidence in my team members and empower them.”

Future goals

“I personally want to cultivate leaders within our sales team and help each of my team members achieve their highest level of success. In addition to these goals, Blue Star Gas is also focused on increasing autogas adoption, growing the renewable propane industry and providing a high level of service and support to the communities in which it operates.”

Hobbies

To clear her mind and relax, Grabo loves to cook, especially for her friends and family. She also watches sports with her husband, Jeremy, and attends NASCAR races and Seattle Seahawks games with him, as they’re both passionate fans.

Renewable propane’s role

“I am highly engaged in driving our existing and new fleet customers’ adoption of renewable propane, which is a key focus every day.” According to Grabo, renewable propane is always “top of mind,” as it’s critical for maintaining – and growing – the propane industry’s role in fleet vehicles’ decarbonization. “By offering renewable propane, Blue Star Gas has competed with the push for electrification, and it’s converted existing propane fleets to current customers.”

Challenges on the West Coast

“Due to the clean fuel standard/low carbon fuel standard in California, Oregon and Washington, along with the ‘electrify everything’ emphasis on the West Coast, we must be on guard, advocate for energy equity and be engaged in the regulatory process.”