respond | preferences | login | unsubscribe

The 2020 PEI Virtual Convention & Expo ended its live phase Nov. 12 after three days of education, exhibits and networking. The state-of-the-art online event remains available for on-demand access through Dec. 31.

Here’s a summary of the event — including details on how you can tap into the online experience even if you missed it last week.

Big Picture
Some 900 PEI members and friends so far have participated in the PEI Virtual Convention & Expo, logging 67,433 visits to education sessions, Expo exhibits, games, trivia contests, lounges, breakouts and online chats.

2021 PEI Officers
During the Nov. 11 membership meeting, delegates elected Steve Dixon of P.B. Hoidale Co. in Wichita, Kansas, the 71st PEI president. His one-year term begins Jan. 1.

Members elected Ron Sledd of Beneficial Systems in Jetersville, Virginia, the 2021 PEI vice president. The PEI board of directors also appointed John Keller, of JF Petroleum Group in San Antonio, Texas, to a one-year term as treasurer, effective immediately.

Education
At press time, the virtual convention’s 20+ education sessions have attracted 2,847 unique views. That number surpasses educational participation at any recent PEI convention in Las Vegas, Chicago or Atlanta. The two most-attended presentations are:

• Riding the Wave of Disruption in the Fuels & Convenience Retail Industry, Brian Gray, Accenture — an optimistic exploration of how PEI members can pivot successfully to what will be a very different future. (406 attendees)
• The State of the Industry, Rick Long, PEI — a data-driven perspective on how the industry stayed strong in 2020 and the new opportunities that lie ahead. (335 attendees)

PEI Content On Demand

Virtual Convention & Expo Recap

PEI Seeks Committee Volunteers

Latin America Committee Forming

Containment Sump Repair Standard

Judge Orders Release of PPP Loan Data

Respond to this Newsletter

by e-mail to the editor, Rick Long at rlong@pei.org

Rounding out the top 10 most-viewed sessions are:

• Beyond Liquid Fueling: Is EV Right for Your Business, Panel (302 attendees)
• Forecourt Modernization: Taking EMV a Step Further, Panel (247 attendees)
• Economic Foresight in the COVID-19 Era, Alan Beaulieu (241 attendees)
• EPA Regulatory Update, EPA Office of Underground Storage Tanks Panel (195 attendees)
• Safety in the World of COVID-19, Panel (172 attendees)
• Finding and Motivating Your Very Best People, Gene Marks (145 attendees)
• Leadership Through Change, Randy Disharoon (147 attendees)
• Data Standards & Compliance, Panel (141 attendees)

The complete educational program is here.

Expo
Some 61 exhibitors displayed the latest in fuel handling solutions through product announcements, videos, technology demos and other resources. In its first week, the Expo recorded 11,507 booth visits and 4,695 video and document views.

Networking
PEI Young Executives, PEI Women, Latin American members and 10-Groups enjoyed special programs during the Virtual Convention. And the Member Lounge was the place for all attendees to network and watch videos from convention sponsors and PEI Priority Club members.

Now … It’s Your Turn!
Although the live event has concluded, on-demand access to the 2020 PEI Virtual Convention & Expo is just getting started. Registered attendees’ login credentials remain valid through Dec. 31. Revisit the platform as many times as you like. Watch sessions you might have missed. Review others that deserve a second look. Download speaker handouts. Check out exhibitor videos, announcements and other resources. Leave messages for booth personnel and attendees.

And if you missed out last week, it’s not too late to join in the fun. Register today and enjoy all of the education and exhibits on demand, at your convenience until the end of 2020. Click here to experience the event of the year—in this year like no other.

PEI SEEKS COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS
PEI President-elect Steve Dixon will make more than 200 PEI committee appointments in December. If you are interested in serving on a PEI committee, email your name, area of interest and a brief statement of your qualifications to Rick Long at rlong@pei.org by Nov. 30.  A complete list of current PEI committees and committee members is here.

LATIN AMERICA COMMITTEE FORMING
The PEI board of directors voted Nov. 9 to organize an official committee to guide the association’s work in Latin America. Until now, an informal, volunteer steering committee has assisted with PEI’s Latin American initiatives.

PEI President-elect Steve Dixon will appoint nine members to the new Latin America Committee in December. If you are interested in serving, email a brief statement of your qualifications (in Spanish or English) to Liliana Cruz at lcruz@pei.org by Nov. 30. Please include your job title, company, contact information and the countries in which you have operations or offices.

CONTAINMENT SUMP REPAIR STANDARD
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) recognized a new standard from the National Leak Prevention Association/Ken Wilcox Associates Inc. (NLPA/KWA) as an acceptable code of practice for containment sump repairs.

The 2015 federal underground storage tank (UST) regulations require UST system repairs to be conducted in accordance with a code of practice developed by a nationally recognized association or an independent testing laboratory. OUST’s updated technical compendium states that NLPA/KWA 823: Standard for Preventative Maintenance, Repair and In-situ Construction of Petroleum Sumps provides sufficient:

• Minimum criteria for qualifying a containment sump for repair.
• Testing and performance requirements to:
• Seal containment sumps as a preventative maintenance or repair measure;
• Install or replace a sump entry fitting;
• Fabricate a new single-walled or double-walled sump by using the existing sump as a mold.
• Minimum requirements for installer certification and training.

Owners and operators using NLPA/KWA 823 to meet the 2015 federal UST requirements must follow all applicable steps in the standard, including post-repair testing for liquid tightness. EPA cautions that “UST system owners and operators should check with their UST implementing agencies to determine state specific requirements, which may vary from EPA's determination.”

JUDGE ORDERS PPP LOAN DISCLOSURES
A federal judge ordered the Small Business Administration (SBA) to release details on all Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs), including borrowers’ names, addresses and loan amounts.

“The significant public interest in shedding light on SBA’s administration of the PPP and EIDL programs dramatically outweighs any limited private interest in nondisclosure,” said Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Elaborating on the public’s interest, the judge noted that disclosure could uncover fraudulently obtained loans or other irregularities.

The SBA approved 5.2 million PPP loans, of which 4.5 million were for less than $150,000. In a recent PEI survey, some 77% of participating distributors and contractors and 63% of manufacturers said they obtained PPP loans in 2020.

The U.S. Department of Justice is considering whether to appeal the ruling.

BRIEFLY NOTED
“Data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) shows the vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) in September were down by 8.6%, or 23.4 billion vehicle miles, when compared to last year. The 8.6% decline in VMTs was the smallest year-on-year pullback since the COVID-19 pandemic took a massive chunk out of U.S. fuel demand and travel. The DOT data estimates that total travel on all U.S. roads and streets totaled 248.3 billion miles, which represents the lowest September VMT amount since 2014.” — Oil Express Alert, Nov. 13

“British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to announce next week a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, five years earlier than previously planned, the Financial Times reported on Saturday. Britain had originally planned to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel-powered cars from 2040, as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and in February Johnson brought this forward to 2035.” — Reuters, Nov. 14

“The number of fuel gallons purchased at gas stations on a mobile platform has almost tripled since the shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study from P97 Networks Inc., a mobile commerce and digital marketing platform serving the fuel business. The numbers are based on fuel purchases made at 30,000 sites across the United States that have mobile commerce capabilities, as well as Energy Information Administration data.” — Oil Express, Nov. 9

“General Motors announced Friday that an ongoing investigation over fire concern is prompting a broad recall affecting most 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV models. The recall includes 68,667 vehicles globally and 50,925 in the U.S. Since GM is still unsure of the root cause of the fires, it can’t release the customary percentage of vehicles affected. For now, the recall remedy is effectively a band-aid—a software flash that needs to be done at the dealership that helps limit the Bolt EV’s maximum state of charge to 90%.” — Green Car Reports, Nov. 13

DEATHS
Beth Benton, 59, died Nov. 15. She was a co-owner of United Pump and Controls in Suwanee, Georgia, with husband BJ, and sons, Travis and Miles. BJ served on the PEI board of directors from 2017 to 2019, and Beth always brought joy to our board functions during those years.

Jack Connery, 86, died Nov. 5. Connery was the technical writer for the first edition of PEI/RP800: Recommended Practices for Installation of Bulk Storage Plants.

Gregory C. Schrof, 60, died Nov. 4. Schrof worked at Schrof Cos. and then as a sales rep for Peiker-Piatchek Associates Inc.

Craig D. Smith, 66, died Nov. 7. A former PEI board member, Smith for many years led Francis Smith & Sons, the company founded in 1936 by his grandfather. In July 2019, he stepped down as president, but remained CEO and chairman of the company’s board of directors.

PEI MEMBER NEWS
Northwest Pump purchased Petrostuff, an online petroleum sales platform that has sold items such as nozzles, breakaways, swivels and pumps since 2010.

Nwestco LLC acquired the assets of Fresno, California-based Banks & Co. The Fresno location will operate as a Nwestco branch under the direction of former Banks & Co. owners, John and Pat Moore.

Shields, Harper & Co. hired Matt Schuessler as director, enterprise sales. For the past 12 years, Schuessler was with Franklin Fueling Systems, most recently as western region sales manager.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
New York construction company. Metro Environmental Services LLC, 208 Route 109, Suite 106, Farmingdale, NY 11735, applied for service and construction division membership. Paul Tyree is vice president of the firm, which was established in 2002. Metro Environmental Services LLC provides full-service environmental and construction solutions, including pump and tank construction, facility maintenance and repairs, site remediation, environmental management, compliance and engineering. Sponsored for PEI membership by James Taylor, Walter’s West End Supply Inc., Lindenhurst, New York.

California contractor. URSA Engineering Inc., 3963 Eastside Road, #15, Redding, CA 96001, applied for service and construction division membership. Kevin Post is president of the company, which was established in 1996. URSA Engineering Inc. is a petroleum contractor that performs installations, maintains and repairs equipment, and provides consulting and engineering services. Sponsored for PEI membership by Bart Scowley, Shields, Harper & Co. Inc., Martinez, California. www.ursaengineering.com

ADMITTED TO PEI

• Mongoose Power Solutions LLC, Spofford, New Hampshire (affiliate)
• Parliament Petroleum Services LLC, Laurens, South Carolina (service and construction)

MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER

●     Accent Environmental Services Inc., Lufkin, Texas, transferred from PEI’s affiliate division to the manufacturer division.

The TulsaLetter is published two or three times each month by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. Richard C. Long, Editor. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the Editor.