July 11, 2016 | Vol. 66, No. 12

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Dear PEI Member:

PEI has developed a mentor-match program for employees of member companies. We call it PEI Connect. This is an exciting new program established to help individuals develop and advance their careers in the industry.

Mentoring is a collaborative, mutually beneficial partnership between two people: a mentor who possesses skills, knowledge and experience, and a mentee who is looking to increase his or her skills, knowledge and experience in the same areas. Studies have shown that having a mentor is a top factor affecting an employee’s success, career satisfaction and whether they stay with an organization.

I am a big advocate for mentoring because it worked so well for me.

I had two fantastic mentors during the first eight years of my tenure in the petroleum equipment industry: Dick Trask and Howard Upton.

Dick Trask was president of Petroleum Equipment Company in West Roxbury (Boston), Massachusetts. As the newly elected PEI vice president, he visited our headquarters office in Tulsa during my second week on the job in January of 1979. As I was driving Dick back to his hotel after dinner, he saw a tank truck dropping product at a Phillips 66 station. “Quick, pull in behind him,” he shouted. I did, and for the next 30 minutes—on that dark and cold January evening—he told me what he knew about vapor recovery, API bottom loading adaptors, drop hose, fuel delivery elbows, overfill protection, manholes, placards, sight glasses, gauge sticks and paste. My industry education had begun.

PEI Launches Mentoring Program

Jones & Frank Acquires ANS

SPATCO Acquires Mid-South Pump

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Dick realized that I was new to the industry and had a lot to learn if I was going to make it my career. He graciously offered his time to teach me what he could if I was willing to devote five hours a week studying the industry. Every Monday, he would assign me specific parts of the equipment catalogs from Southern Pump & Tank Company (hardbound, gray and black), Ace Tank & Equipment (yellow, 660-page behemoth) and Huddleston Equipment Co. (chock full of vapor recovery equipment) to read. Then on Fridays, schedules permitting, we would discuss what I read in further detail and he would answer my questions. We did this for 14 months. I have always been grateful for Dick’s willingness to help a 27-year-old lawyer with no technical background understand how things worked in this industry.

As i was learning about petroleum equipment from Dick Trask, Howard Upton—PEI’s executive vice president and my boss at the time—taught me about association management and the people and companies that made up PEI. Howard had been with PEI for 28 years when I was hired. He knew everybody and everything about the people and companies we served. For the eight years we worked together, I was fortunate to spend time with Howard—again, whenever our schedules permitted—to talk about the industry. He held nothing back, and I did my best to take it all in. And we did this with our feet up on his desk. What a great way to learn.

No two mentor/mentee relationships are alike. I am not suggesting that the relationships and the time commitment involved with the PEI Connect program would (or should) be like those I had with Dick and Howard. (In fact, our program asks for mentors and mentees to connect as little as one hour a month.) But the mentors I had made me a better professional, and I expect a similar result from those who choose to become involved in PEI Connect.

Full details about how PEI Connect works and how mentors and mentees can get involved in the program are available on the PEI website. If becoming a mentor or mentee (or both) appeals to you, I encourage you to fill out the form(s) and give it a try. Since this is a member benefit, all mentee applications will require you to provide your PEI member login. Questions about any aspect of PEI Connect should be directed to Bob Young byoung@pei.org at PEI.

JONES & FRANK ACQUIRES ANS DISTRIBUTING
Jones & Frank, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, acquired ANS Distributing July 1. John Sauers, president of ANS Distributing, will serve as president of ANS Operations and executive vice president for Jones & Frank. Jones & Frank currently operates a network of 18 branch offices and four national distribution centers, and employs over 350 people. Jones & Frank is a privately held company majority-owned by MidOcean Partners.

SPATCO ACQUIRES MID-SOUTH PUMP SALES AND SERVICE
SPATCO Petroleum Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of SPATCO Energy Solutions, a Blue Ridge Industries company, announced July 1 the acquisition of Mid-South Pump Sales and Service, Inc. Mid-South provides equipment sales, service and installation in a four state area from its offices in Nashville and Jackson, Tennessee. One of the two Mid-South owners, Garland Bissinger, will join SPATCO.

PEI SEEKING FIND RED VOLUNTEERS FOR ATLANTA CONVENTION
PEI Find Red Volunteers greet and assist attendees in finding their way around the Georgia World Congress Center and help with the PEI education sessions. It’s great way for you and your company to be seen. All Find Red volunteers will be recognized in the PEI convention program, on convention signage and on the Find Red page on the PEI website. Sign up by Monday, July 25, to be listed on the official PEI Convention program. To learn more and sign up, click here.

LIFT STANDARD APPROVED BY ANSI
Standard for Automotive Lifts - Safety Requirements for Installation and Service ANSI/ALI ALIS: 2009 (R2015) has been adopted as an American National Standard. It became effective June 15, 2016. Copies are available from the Automotive Lift Institute, Inc., for $10 at www.autolift.org.

SENATORS URGE EPA TO INCREASE RFS REQUIREMENT
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should increase the amount of ethanol and other biofuels in the nation’s motor fuel supply when it finalizes the 2017 renewable fuel standard later this year, 39 senators wrote in a letter sent June 24. The EPA’s proposed renewable fuel standard, made public May 18, represents an increase of 700 million gallons from the 2016 standard, but it is still below the 24-billion gallon biofuel target required in 2007 energy legislation.

VEHICULAR GASEOUS FUEL SYSTEMS CODE UPDATED BY NFPA
Vehicular Natural Gas Fuel Systems Code (NFPA 52) provides easy, one-stop access to fire code requirements related to the safety and integrity of CNG and LNG fuel systems. Renamed and completely reorganized, the 2016 edition presents a user-friendly format and greater consistency with the new CSA Group NGV 5.1 standard for residential fueling appliances and the International Fuel Gas Code. Go here to purchase NFPA codes and standards.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Ethiopia supply company. EY Engineering Plc., P. O. Box 23565, Addis Ababa, 23565 Ethiopia, Code 1000, has applied for affiliate division membership. Yayehyirad Eshetu is general manager for the firm, which was established in 2014. The company supplies service station and depot-related equipment to oil companies and construction firms. Sponsored for PEI membership by Bill Reichhold, Wayne, Austin, TX.
Idaho tire sealant and air dispensing machine manufacturer. CPI dba Quick Seal Tire Repair, P. O. Box 8, Wilder, Idaho 83676, has applied for affiliate division membership. Ray Gross is a founder of the company, which was established in 2013. The company manufactures a machine that can be used as a tire sealant or for air dispensing at convenience stores and other locations. Sponsored for PEI membership by Brad Holton, Greenleaf, Greenleaf, ID.
Barbados installation and service company. MAES Inc., 2nd Avenue, Deighton Road, St. Michael, BB14017, Barbados, has applied for service and construction division membership. Alison Graham is a director for the firm, which was established in 1989. The company provides tank, fuel line and fuel management installation services in the Caribbean. Sponsored for PEI membership by Roger A. Martin, PtrEqpLtd, St. Michael, Barbados.
California general contractor. Interstate Construction, 9245 Sierra College Boulevard, Suite 150, Roseville, California 95661, has applied for service and construction division membership. Loren Barnes is project manager for the firm, which was established in 1977. The company is a general contractor with expertise in electrical, mechanical, civil, plumbing and building construction. Sponsored for PEI membership by Don Petroni, PtrMktgEqp, Placentia, CA. www.interstatecon.com

ADMITTED TO PEI

HACSYS, Monterrey, NL, Mexico (aff)
Orchard Earth and Pipe Corp., Solvay, NY (S&C)
Bassco Services, Dallas, TX (S&C)

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The TulsaLetter (ISSN 0193-9467) is published two or three times each month by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. Robert N. Renkes, Executive Vice President, Editor. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the Editor. Basic circulation confined to PEI members.