TULSA, Oklahoma, Jan. 16, 2018/Petroleum Equipment Institute/-- The 2019 PEI Young Executives Winter Conference, Feb. 6-8 aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, will offer 10 expert speakers — the most in the two-day conference’s history.  

Two of the panelists hail from Fortune 200 companies. A speaker from Microsoft Corp., No. 30 on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of top companies by revenue, will speak about the company’s partnership with Emirates National Oil Co. (ENOC). Microsoft is designing and developing an AI-powered Service Station of the Future pilot in Dubai. The panelist from Visa Inc., No. 161 on the list, will discuss EMV.

“Landing these 10 experts is strategic,” said Kristen Wright, director of the conference. “We’re elevating the content of the PEI Young Executives Winter Conference. The topics are edgy, and we’re breaking barriers between traditional fueling and the disruptors. When your employees go home, they’ll be able to present a crystal ball view of the future and personal relationships with global influencers and decision-makers. This conference could change the game for PEI companies.”    

The conference will offer two panels, roundtables, meetings with panelists and a Q&A with a Tesla owner. Education sessions are:

• "What Worked ... and What I'd Never Do Again"
• "Disruption Alphabet Soup: EMV, EVs and Other OMG SNAFUs" (AI, mobile fueling and service as a subscription)
• "I'm Your Average American ... and I Just Bought a Tesla"

Speakers are:

• Rob Barrosa, director of utility strategy and operations, Electrify America
• Joey Batchelor, president and CEO, Guardian Fueling Technologies   
• Paola Bravo, president and CEO, S. Bravo Systems
• Chris Burchett, sergeant, Pasadena Police Department
• Jon Kelly, CEO, Canary Compliance  
• Ryan Lipert, director of fuel supply, Filld
• Dennis Rethmeier, CEO, Western Pump Inc.  
• Cyra Richardson, general manager of artificial intelligence and robotics incubation, Microsoft Corp.
• Julie Scharff, vice president of consumer products, Visa Inc.
• Steve Trabilsy, commercial, fleet sales manager, Stenstrom Petroleum Services   

Tony Hurd, vice president of petroleum sales at R.W. Mercer Co., served as chairman of the 2018 Young Executives Committee responsible for the 2019 event. He said his experience in the program has been invaluable.

“Membership in PEI Young Executives has fast tracked me in my role at R.W. Mercer,” Hurd said. “The Young Executives Winter Conference helps me build relationships with tomorrow’s business leaders, take back actionable insights on emerging topics and trends to my team, and expand my leadership value. PEI Young Executives are guiding the future of the fueling industry.”

Employees ages 21-45 of PEI member companies in good standing may join PEI Young Executives for a one-time $100 fee if they are managers or on a leadership track. Registration for the 2019 PEI Young Executives Winter Conference is $595 and is available at https://www.pei.org/2019-pei-young-executives-winter-conference.

Questions may be directed to Kristen Wright, kwright@pei.org.

Founded in 1951, PEI is composed of more than 1,600 companies engaged in manufacturing and distributing equipment used in the fuel and fluid handling industry. Members are located in 50 states and 81 countries. PEI, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the leading authority and source of information for the fuel and fluid handling equipment and services industry. For more information, visit www.pei.org.