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.
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BY KEITHREID LEGISLATIVE LEADER AWARD WINNERS NPN Magazine announces the 2011 winners of its awards honoring those who champion the industry legislatively in Washington and the local Statehouse P ETROLEUM MARKETING AND RETAILING PROVIDES the lifeblood for our transportation sector and a tremendous service for those looking for or needing a convenient retail experience. Unfortunately, the industry all too frequently becomes an unnecessary target for legislators and regulators who may think they are acting in the public good. We are, to some minds, a "sin" industry selling carbon- emitting fossil fuels, tobacco, alcohol, fatty foods. Never mind that these core products range from essential to modern American life to legal product choices desired by free-choosing adults. Never mind the cost to honest business people, their employees and their customers. Never mind if the cure solves a problem that doesn't exit or is overblown. You can add to that the anti-business policies generally facing small business from regulators and legislators in areas such as healthcare policy and labor. Fortunately, the industry has aggressive and highly com- petent trade associations aggressively fighting against such overreach from the statehouse to the nation's capital. And fortunately for those associations there are individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty to represent their peers in the toughest battles the industry faces. NPN Magazine's Legislative Leader Awards was developed to give them the much needed recognition they deserve for their hard work, while at the same time encourage others in the industry to step up and join the effort. This year's winners certainly deserve the accolades. WINNER, FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP Jim Garrett Jim Garrett purchased the Plymouth, Mass.-based Volta Oil Company back in 1976. He grew a small operation with roots back to the 1930s into a solid wholesale distributor of gasoline and diesel (and some heating oil) that also operates 11 convenience stores under the Rapid Refill brand. In addition he is involved in a convenience 20 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 store/petroleum services construction company and part- ners in an engineering and environmental company. Almost immediately upon taking the reins of Volta Oil he realized the challenges the industry faced. "The gasoline industry is a heavily regulated and leg- islated against," said Garrett. "I realized I needed to join other marketers because I wasn't going to win this war all by myself. So I immediately joined a series of associations from my Texaco brand association to the state and then regional and national organizations." Garrett noted that in the early days he could do little more than pay dues as he spent "120 percent" of his time managing and growing the business. But as the company grew, and his sons became involved taking over some of the load, he was determined to payback the associations as best he could with his personal involvement. And that effort has been appreciated. "Jim has been active at the federal level since the 1970s, and he has been on the board of NACS and the Legislative committee," said John Eichberger vice presi- dent of government relations for the National Association of Convenience Stores. "He is always here for every fly in and day on the Hill. He has his particular issues of prior- ity and doggedly pursues them. Stage II (vapor recovery) has been one of those tireless issues for Jim. I think he is well deserved of recognition." The range of issues he has worked on includes helping (along with others) the fight for swipe fee reductions that cul- minated in the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Garrett spent a considerable amount of time with Bruno Freitas, Barney Frank's chief of staff to help ensure that the Durbin amendment (specific to debit fees) would pass and ultimately reduce the likelihood of its repeal. "It's a big fight and it's not over," said Garrett. "The whole credit card fee issue devastates many of us with the amount of money that we spend processing electronic charges." Garret has also been at the forefront of another poten- tially exciting regulatory development for the industry. "For nearly three years, Jim has doggedly fought to end Stage II (vapor recovery) regulations," said Dan Gilligan, NPN Magazine n www.npnweb.com