Fuel Oil News

Fuel Oil News September 2015

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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EDITOR'S NOTE E D I T O R I A L S T A F F Editorial Office EPG Media & Specialty Information 10405 6th Ave. N., Ste 210 Plymouth, MN 55441 Publisher John Prusak 763/383-4402 jprusak@epgmediallc.com Editor Keith Reid 763/ 383-4406 kreid@epgmediallc.com Senior Contributor Stephen Bennett Columnists Charles Bursey, Sr. Shane Sweet George Lanthier List Rentals MeritDirect, Jim Scova jscova@MeritDirect.com 914/368-1012 Reprints Robin Cooper rcooper@epgmediallc.com P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager – Karen Kalinyak Art Director – Brian Snook A D V E R T I S I N G S A L E S East – Dave Campbell, Associate Publisher 413/528-8835 Cell: 413/717-1007 dcampbell@epgmediallc.com Central & South Rich Alden 603/899-3010 Fax: 603/899-2343 ralden@epgmediallc.com West – Ken Jordan 972/540-2122 Fax: 972/540-2127 kjordan@epgmediallc.com M A I N O F F I C E EPG Media & Specialty Information 10405 Sixth Ave N, Suite 210 Plymouth, MN 55441 C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E 845/856-2229 • Fax: 847/763-9569 customerservice@epgmediallc.com Fuel Oil News PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823 A s time moves forward things change. That happens in our personal lives as well as the business environment. Change can be disruptive, and while it creates opportunities in many cases it typically creates challenges as well. Often the easy part is figuring out what needs to be done to address change. The hard part, of course, becomes actually implementing that change. Change can seem alien to the way we have done things for many years. And change takes time, and there is always too little time. I'm busy today, so maybe next week... It's been perhaps too easy for me to write about best practices, opportuni- ties and even essential things that an oil dealer or marketer should be doing in a changing and ever challenging business environment. I have no doubt, frankly, that in most cases I am "preaching to the choir." Pointing out the value of diversi- fication, whether it is in a core competency area like propane or something more exotic like porta-potty service in the summer months is a no brainer, up until the point you have to figure out as a dealer or marketer how to make it actually hap- pen. Then set aside the time, money and effort and actually do it. This lesson was brought home to me as I began serving as the line coach for my son's youth football team. As a former offense of lineman in youth football through high school, most of the fundamentals remain the same today as they were nearly 40 years ago when I first started playing the sport—firing out low, fast and hard. Get there first with force—while being lower and maximizing lever- age—and you win. And that still holds true. But, the game has changed. Today there is a tremendous amount of concern over concussions and injury in general that has led to "heads-up" football. This is notably different from the more heads down and shoulder pad contact of my era. Personally, I'm not all that convinced that the concussion concern is particularly noteworthy outside of professional football, and certainly in comparison to other youth sports. I certainly don't recall that being a significant issue during the seven years I played. I'm also not entirely convinced that heads-up football provides a blocker or tackler with the same degree of effectiveness compared to what it replaced. Regardless, the powers that be have decreed heads-up football is the way to go so I've set my mind to learning the new techniques as competently as possible so that I can coach them effectively. I cannot be successful if I stay in the past—I have to change. At the end of the day, if I want to be involved in the program then it's up to me to adapt, learn and master the new ways and maximize my effec- tiveness as a coach and by extension the fundamentals of the kids I'm coaching. Change isn't necessarily easy, but with the right mindset, and once set in motion, it can be exciting and fun. l F O N Keith Reid 8 SEPTEMBER 2015 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com Change

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