Propane Personality: Luke Fitzpatrick

Luke Fitzpatrick

President and CEO, Missouri Propane Gas Association (MPGA) and Missouri Propane Education & Research Council (MOPERC)

Education

Columbia College (Missouri)

Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice

Class of 2007

Work Experience

January 2023-Present

MPGA/MOPERC

• President and CEO

• COO

2008-22

MFA Oil

District manager

Rising Leader

Fitzpatrick was part of LP Gas’ initial group of Rising Leaders in 2017. He was 37 at the time and a district manager for MFA Oil in Wardsville, Missouri. Fitzpatrick gravitated toward the propane side while working with MFA Oil, even though he was selling gasoline, diesel and oil as well. He developed a passion for propane and found an interest in autogas, especially since MFA Oil facilitated demonstration programs with propane lawn mowers. Near the end of his 15 years with the company, he oversaw 17 offices and 110 employees in Missouri and Kansas.

Love for the law

Growing up in Missouri, Fitzpatrick wanted to work in undercover narcotics. The criminal justice major graduated from the sheriff’s training academy in 2001, one day before the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and he later spent about four years working on an undercover drug task force. He met that goal, and it launched his law enforcement career. “I was always the guy that if someone on the other side of the door was known to have a gun and was going to threaten a police officer, I always volunteered to go first,” he says. “That was always my adrenaline rush. I don’t do roller coasters, but I always enjoyed that.”

Leadership qualities

Not only has Fitzpatrick served several roles in law enforcement, but he’s been a two-term mayor of the Missouri town in which he lived, and he now serves on the school board in the district where his family resides. He cites a love of mentoring, developing and working with people. “I enjoy the mentoring, the coaching, the leading. That’s been my skill set for a while,” he says.

Filling a new role

Fitzpatrick’s interest in autogas while with MFA Oil led to his involvement with the MPGA and MOPERC. When MOPERC began to discuss the creation of a new COO position within the association, he surfaced as a viable candidate. “Quite honestly, I never thought that was going to be me,” he says. “I was focused [on] retiring with MFA Oil; that was my mindset for many years.” Former MPGA Executive Director Steve Ahrens also reached out to Fitzpatrick about the position. “I believe in everything happens for a reason. I took it as a sign that maybe I should look at it,” he says.

Atypical

It’s difficult for Fitzpatrick to describe a typical day in his current role because he and his staff of four employees in Missouri have their focus on many areas. That includes overseeing district safety meetings, propane demonstration and rebate programs, and plans for the Mid-States Propane Convention (June 29-July 2). The office also manages the Arkansas Propane Gas Association. “The biggest thing to focus on is ensuring – and we are bringing – value to the members of the association on one side, and the other side is continuing to educate all demographics about the benefits and uses of propane,” Fitzpatrick says.

Hobbies

In addition to spending time with family and friends, coaching and keeping up with his kids’ sports teams, Fitzpatrick likes to hunt and fish. He also likes to golf and hit the gym.