Oil Prophets

Winter 2015

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/464194

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 30 of 40

30 Oil Prophets Meet Your New Chris Bumpers Bumpers Oil Company Jackson, AL When Chris Bumpers studied accounting at Auburn University, he may not have imagined that he would own a successful oil company. Chris and his wife, Carol met while pursuing accounting degrees at Auburn University. Today they work together running a business that began with the purchase of a small bulk plant 17 years ago. Prior to starting Bumpers Oil Company, Chris had no experience in the petroleum industry. In 1995, while ZRUNLQJDVD¿QDQFLDOFRQVXOWDQWIRU GE Capital, Chris went to Birmingham to do an analysis of a billboard company that was for sale. He saw the company as a good business venture and purchased it himself. Alabama 2XWGRRU$GYHUWLVLQJZDVDSUR¿WDEOH business for Chris, where he served as the CFO. After a year and a half, KHVROGWKHEXVLQHVVPDGHDSUR¿W and moved to Jackson, AL, where he became involved in the petroleum business. Chris started Bumpers Oil Company with the purchase of a bulk plant. Chris believes his accounting degree KDVEHQH¿WHGKLPJUHDWO\+HKDV experienced successful growth for 17 years and today owns 4 stores and supplies 24 additional stores. "We also service a lot of industry in the area," says Chris. "This is really what Tim Allen Allen Oil Company Sylacauga, AL Allen Oil Company began in 1966 as a family business started by Tim Allen's JUDQGIDWKHU2&DQGKLVIDWKHU +DUPRQ7KLVIDWKHUDQGVRQWHDP had originally started in 1957 with just one service station. They quickly grew to multiple service stations and nearly 10 years later, became a got the business started – what we built the business on." Bumpers Oil services paper mills, power plants, gravel pits, school systems and other local industry. Chris and Carol have been married IRU\HDUV&DUROKDVD&3$¿UP and is also the CFO of Bumpers Oil Company. They have 2 sons; John is a senior and Stephen is a sophomore at Auburn University. The family stays involved with Auburn. They attend all the football games, and Chris serves as President of the Clark-Washington Auburn Club. Although Chris has been a member of P&CMA for many years, he has recently begun attending events and becoming involved. Chris says P&CMA has been such an asset to him. "Without P&CMA, I don't know how anyone can keep up with everything: legislations, rules, and day-to-day business." Chris looks forward to giving back to P&CMA and serving on the P&CMA board in the coming year. wholesaler with commercial, industrial, and retail accounts. Headquartered in Sylacauga, the company owns 25 retail convenience stores and operates 10 liquor stores and fast food restaurants. Tim and his sister, Debbie Allen- Armstrong, grew up in the family business. As a young boy, Tim washed cars and later learned mechanic work, helping his father with "whatever needed to be done." Tim attended Auburn with a plan to study business management and computer science, but soon felt the pull to return to the family business. Tim and Debbie both joined the business in the early 1980s. A native of Sylacauga, Tim is a single father of 3 daughters and a son, and while he enjoys his work at the family business, he cherishes his role as father. His children keep him very busy, keeping up with their sports, dance, tumbling, and voice lessons. The family attends First United Methodist Church of Sylacauga, where Tim teaches 1st and 2nd grade Sunday School and Children's Church. He serves on the board as President of the First United Methodist Kindergarten. Although he enjoys the RFFDVLRQDOKXQWLQJRU¿VKLQJWULS7LP¶V favorite hobbies are those spent with his family. In the summer, they spend a lot of time on the lake. Tim also serves on the board of the Pure Jobbers Cooperative and has VHUYHGDVDQ2I¿FHUDQG3UHVLGHQW for several years. He also served on advisory boards to ConocoPhillips, Exxon, and other petroleum companies. Allen Oil has been a P&CMA member for as long as Tim can remember. Tim feels that "P&CMA is the voice of our industry. It is, and has been, the tool for getting issues resolved and improving the fairness of the business environment. It has also been a way to make new friends and business acquaintances." Tim's resolution for 2015 is "to serve the members to the best of my abilities, for the best interest of the group."

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Oil Prophets - Winter 2015