The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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J a n u a r y V O L . 7 8 NO . 0 1 Editor���s Note EDITORIAL STAFF Editorial���Office Keith Reid J Commit to your future this New Year amie Lohr, president of Guardian Fuel Energy Systems is featured on the cover of this month���s Fuel Oil News. As I have noted before, we produce and edit our sister publication, NPN Magazine, which is focused on motor fuels and also runs an annual award program focused on individuals that support the industry by supporting the legislative initiatives of the various associations. Lohr was one of the winners this year for her efforts at the state level and I created a corresponding piece for FON since most of her support has been focused on the heating oil side of her business. The associationsserving the industry���national, regional and state���do a tremendous job at the staff level. They have achieved some remarkable successes against formidable foes making sure we have a seat at the table and that our needs and those of our customers get addressed. But to a person they will tell you that that success would not happen without the assistance of key members who travel to the local statehouse or a congressional hearing in D.C. As Tim Columbus, a partner in the D.C.-based law firm Steptoe and Johnson and the general counsel of the National Association of Convenience Stores and the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (which includes more than a few top-tier heating oil marketers) stated: ���Any lawyer lobbyist who tells you that he or she has clout is one or both of two things���dis- honest or delusional. Political people care about their constituents. It���s my job to help people understand what assets they have and how they can bring them to bear. And I can help somebody by explaining this is the policy debate here���s what���s involved, here is why we feel the way we do, and here���s why it���s the right thing to do. But, nobody tells that story as well as a constituent.��� Supporting the industry is not easy. It takes time away from both family and the business that is universally in short supply. It requires becoming familiar with a new environment and putting yourself on the spot to some extent. It can require picking up the tab on occasion. But ultimately it can be as critical to business as any other strategic or operational endeavor. As Columbus noted, ���You can be the world���s greatest manager, but you cannot out manage a bad day in government.��� On that note, I will bring up one of those corny ���New Year���s Resolution��� pitches you see too often in publishing. Hopefully, it is not as shallow as most. Please, if you can spare the time and make the effort, contact your association(s) and see how you can be of service not only to the industry at large, but ultimately to your own business needs. They desperately need more Jamie Lohrs while you desperately need legislative success in Washington and the local state house. If you don���t step up when it���s on the line, there is no guarantee that someone else will be there to represent your needs. 1030 W. Higgins Road Suite 230 Park Ridge, IL 60068 847/720-5600 Editor Keith Reid 847/720-5615 kreid@m2media360.com Managing Editor Debra Reschke Schug 847/720-5618 dschug@m2media360.com Columnists Charles Bursey, Sr. John Griffin George Lanthier E x e c u ti v e S t a ff President/CEO and Group Publisher Marion Minor List Rentals/ Reprints ��� Cheryl Naughton 678/292-6054 Fax: 360/294-6054 cnaughton@m2media360.com P R O D UC T I O N Production Manager ��� Mary���Jo���Tomei Art Director ��� Andrew Stamm Ad v e r tisi n g S a les East ��� Dave Campbell, Associate Publisher 413/528-2364 Fax: 413/528-8835 dcampbell@m2media360.com Central & South ��� Rich Alden 603/899-3010 Fax: 603/899-2343 ralden@m2media360.com West ��� Ken Jordan 972/540-2122 Fax: 972/540-2127 kjordan@m2media360.com M A I N O F F I C E 1030 W. Higgins Road Suite 230 Park Ridge, IL 60068 847/720-5600 ��� Fax: 847-720-5601 C u stome r S e r v i c e 845/856-2229 ��� Fax: 845/856-5822 Fuel Oil News P.O. Box 4290, Port Jervis, NJ 12771 360 M2MEDIA Membership applied for 7/1/2010 B e v - Al Comm u n i c a tio n s I n c . Marion Minor Gerald Winkel Joanne Juda-Prainito Mary Jo Tomei January 2013 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com President/CEO Director of Finance VP Audience Develolpment Production Director