National Petroleum News (NPN) has been the independent voice of the petroleum industry since 1909 as the opposition to Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. So, motor fuels marketing and retail is not just a sideline for us, it’s our core competency.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/230121
By KeithReid This year's Legislative Leader Awards focuses on some truly committed individuals Fighting the good fight 365 days a year W hen NPN launched its legislative leader awards in 2010 the goal was to formally acknowledge the critical role legislative and regulatory activism plays in supporting this industry. It was a natural direction for the magazine, because NPN got its start as the independent voice of the petroleum industry in 1909. NPN was the voice against the unfair market practices of Rockefeller's Standard Oil and against overly burdensome regulation from Washington. An independent industry was absolutely critical as mechanization and with it the dynamic motor fuels market exploded on the scene in the years surrounding World War I. The magazine strongly supported the industry as it grew and the industry strongly supported the country through two world wars. It was also critical in helping the country weather times of economic hardship and provided extraordinary growth and prosperity. Gradually, much of that legislative activism was taken over directly by the various associations that developed as the industry grew. NPN did not sit idly by, supporting both the development and growth of those associations and their efforts. In previous award years, we have highlighted individuals who more often than not played a personal role in specific, critical legislation or regulation. This year, we highlight three individuals who grind out the type of legislative support that often does not receive the spotlight but that ultimately is just as important, or perhaps even more important. The analogy of serving in the trenches would be an easy one to use, but it's not entirely accurate. These award winners, and others like them, "fix bayonets," go "over-the-top" and cross "no man's land" to take the fight to the opposition's trenches. They do it month after month and year after year, winning some battles and losing others, but ultimately countering even the fiercest opposition. In previous years, we have also broken down our award winners between state and federal efforts. This 16 November/December 2013 year, our award winners do not fit cleanly into a specific category. Rather, they go where they're needed, when they're needed whether that's the statehouse or the nation's capital. Our first two award winners will be highlighted individually, but actually require a dual introduction. One was recommended, and when contacted was insistent that the other one deserve the award far more than he did. The other, when contacted, insisted that the first nominee was actually far more deserving. Neither was all that interested in taking a great deal of personal credit for his efforts noting that many others are ultimately involved in fighting any legislative or regulatory battle. While true, it became clear that both of them had gone well beyond the typical efforts of their peers and that both deserved an award. "I'm spoiled because I get the best of both worlds because I work with both Matt (Bjornson) and Vern (Kelly) on everything on the national level," said Mike Rud, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Marketers Association. "They sit in on all our northcentral region calls and talk about all the different issues. Both have been very concerned about such things as the E15 issue, not just to protect their businesses but to protect the industry as a whole. And they've both been that way since I've known them, which has been well over a decade." That sentiment is echoed by Dan Gilligan, president of the Petroleum Marketers Association of America. "They are both very deserving individuals and are great people and hard workers for our industry," said Gilligan. "I've been doing this job for 37 years and the people that show up at trade association meetings are people that believe that working together is far more effective than working alone." I've met a lot of marketers over the years that want nothing to do with associations. They want to do it all themselves and they don't care much for getting involved in united efforts. But both Vern and Matt truly believe they have a much better chance of being successful working together to solve similar problems." NPN Magazine n www.npnweb.com