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Displacing diesel Powering portable wood chippers

New mentoring program Propane industry network to shape future leaders

THE PROPANE INDUSTRYrsquoS PREMIER INFORMATION SOURCE | wwwLPGASmagazinecom MARCH 2016

VOLUME 76 | NUMBER 3

Reciprocal relationships

Assuring long-term success in any industry re-quires new leaders to step up and replace those who are exiting the workplace Companies need strong managers and people willing to devote extra time to safety sales and marketing and

other initiatives to propel the industry forwardNancy Coop business development executive at Ferrellgas

and founding chair of the National Propane Gas Associationrsquos (NPGA) Women in Propane Council (WIP) says she sees this transition of leadership as an area of concern for an aging pro-pane industry Combating this concern calls for the industry to train its younger workers and mold them into future leaders

Coop says one way to do this is through fostering profes-sional relationships between experienced leaders and workers striving to become leaders WIP believes it has devised such a program

The council plans to launch the Knowledge Exchange net-work and mentoring program during the Southeastern Con-vention amp International Propane Expo this April in Nashville

Tenn Although WIP developed the network Coop says the council is extending the program to all members of NPGA

ldquoI anticipate this could create more diverse leaders in our industryrdquo Coop says ldquoIt might even be a pathway to attract more folks to NPGA and our industry as a wholerdquo

A formal programDeveloping a mentorship team has been on WIPrsquos agenda practically since day one Coop says the group discussed cre-

ating a mentorship team at the councilrsquos first meeting in April 2012

ldquoWe asked people what they wanted from the councilrdquo she says ldquoOut of all input the highest pri-ority was to form a mentoring programrdquo

Coop adds that it couldnrsquot have been a coincidence that nearly everyone in the newly formed group re-quested the launch of a mentoring group Coop agreed with the input as she says this type of network could create the future generation of leaders in the propane industry

Coop knew it would take WIP time to create a program to benefit all of NPGA Since WIPrsquos first meeting she says itrsquos been an ldquounderlying prior-ityrdquo to follow through with developing a mentorship group

ldquoWe were married to this priorityrdquo she says ldquoWe knew [WIP] would follow through with it when we

A new propane industry network

uncovers the value of mentoring

and its role in shaping future

leaders

BY MEGAN SMALLEY | ASSOCIATE EDITORmsmalleynorthcoastmedianet

42 | LPGas March 2016 wwwLPGasmagazinecom

M E N TO R I N GM E N TO R I N G

Lindsey Allison of Ferrellgas left and Tracy Kirkman of Ehrhart Energy at

WIPrsquos 2015 roundtable discussion in Atlanta

Steve Wambold president and CEO of Ferrellgas right says

Ferrellgas Chairman Jim Ferrell has served as a mentor

Continued on page 44

PH

OT

OS

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

NA

NC

Y C

OO

P A

ND

FE

RR

EL

LGA

S

LPG0316_042-51mentoringindd 42 22916 204 PM

and the industry were readyrdquo Coop realized WIP would likely need

to partner with an outside organization if the council wanted to make a mentor-ship program that benefited the whole industry She says the association re-searched several possible organizations to help with the initiative and found

Liz Selzer president and CEO of Men-tor Leadership Team Selzerrsquos organiza-tion promotes the development of lead-ers through mentoring programs Her experience communication skills and passion for mentoring made her and her organization seem like an obvious part-ner for WIP to launch an industry-wide mentoring network

Coop asked Selzer to present at the 2013 Western Propane Trade Show and Convention to introduce WIPrsquos partner-ship with her and the associationrsquos vision for mentoring From there WIP worked with Selzer to make a mentoring pro-gram Typically Selzer says her com-pany develops mentoring initiatives for individual companies but WIP asked if she could help launch something that would benefit the whole industry

ldquoWIP wanted to create a program that allows participants to learn from someone outside of their companyrdquo Sel-zer says ldquoThere were some issues on fig-uring out how to do this so that it [didnrsquot] conflict with companiesrsquo confidential-ity but through forming this I see how cross-company mentoring can develop so many people Small mom-and-pops can learn from the [major] companies and vice versardquo

M E N TO R I N G

Traits of mentors and mentees

Liz Selzerrsquos Mentor Leadership Team offers a list of traits to describe who qualifies as a mentor and a mentee

Mentor A person leading a mentoring relationship

Good listener

Experienced

Patient

Encouraging

Discerning

Curious

Mentee A person willing to be mentored by another expert

Good listener

Learner

Motivated

Humble

Accountable

Energetic

Respectful

Curious



Continued from page 42

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LPG0316_042-51mentoringindd 44 22616 1159 AM

WIP and Selzerrsquos Mentor Leadership Team worked over the past two years to create what they dubbed the Knowledge Exchange network which is available to all NPGA members The program will pair a mentor with a mentee to help the mentee learn how to advance as a leader in the pro-pane industry

Although mentors in this program might have more experience than the men-tees Selzer has seen mentors learn by gain-ing a new perspective

ldquoItrsquos a reciprocal relationshiprdquo she says ldquoItrsquos not supposed to be super hierarchical even though one is a mentor and the other a mentee They work together and learn from each otherrdquo

Sarah Knight vice president of custom-er experience and employee development at Ferrellgas and council project manager for WIP and its Knowledge Exchange net-work says WIP hopes to have 50 mentor and mentee partner-ships during the first year of this program

Beyond comfort zonesWIP is launching the Knowledge Exchange network in April but Coop admits there are already a good number of mentor and mentee relationships naturally occurring within the propane industry that are worth sharing

ldquoI am positive if you sit down with about 250 propane industry leaders and ask them how many of them ever had a mentor either formally or informally they would all raise their handsrdquo she says ldquoItrsquos really hard to be a leader in the propane industry with-out ever receiving positive influences from someone elserdquo

Steve Wambold president and CEO of Ferrellgas says he wouldnrsquot be where he is today if it werenrsquot for several mentors in the propane industry He says Jim Ferrell chairman of Ferrellgasrsquo board of directors mentored him most in his career

Ferrell taught Wambold many lessons that molded him both professionally and personally Treat all


M E N TO R I N G

FACT Mentees are five times more likely to get promoted mentors are six times more likely to get promoted

Liz Selzer

Mentor Leadership

Team research




employees and customers the same way you treat the CEO of a company never have an employee do something you wouldnrsquot do yourself donrsquot let bad news slow you down

ldquoThese lessons made up who I am todayrdquo he saysWambold adds that Ferrell also helped him to go beyond

his comfort zone He recalls one time during the Great Re-cession in 2008 when Ferrell invited him on a trip to Paris to meet with a group of bankers Wambold says the experience felt surreal and that he was more nervous for the meeting than any other hersquod had for Ferrellgas

M E N TO R I N G

85 Industry Street PO Box 435 Williamstown VT 05679

Tel (802) 433-1565 Fax (802) 433-1566 Website

wwwhyperkinetcsorg Email hyperkinetcscorpyahoocom

CAPS FOR PROPANE VALVES


Outside my family business Irsquove had so many mentors especially in NPGA John Blossman Glenn Saunders and Charlie Revere They had a great heart for our industry and they were individuals you listened to Honestly each person I met in NPGA board meetings early on served as my mentor somehow Itrsquos like I had to have respect for these guys and hope that someday I could give back for what they had given to me

Keith McMahan Tri-Gas amp Oil Co

Irsquove never had a formal mentor but Irsquove had plenty of informal mentors I would often witness things that people were doing that I would jot down mental notes on That also worked conversely I would take note of mistakes that I saw I needed to avoid through other peoplersquos work

Nancy Coop Ferrellgas


ldquoI remember we rode up an elevator at the bankersrsquo head-quarters to meet a group of bankersrdquo he says ldquoJim turns to me and says lsquoWhen we get out of this elevator act like yoursquove been here and done this beforersquo With that the elevator opened and Jim tells these men that he wanted me to represent Ferrellgas in the meeting So I sit down for this meeting with some bankers I canrsquot talk for a bit but eventually I remember Jim told me to act like Irsquove done this before and I recovered

ldquoTruth was though only a few years prior I was just deal-ing with propane in the field in the USrdquo Wambold recalls ldquoBut there I was leading banking matters for a major propane company My mentor Jim believed in me and thatrsquos what pushed me past my comfort zonerdquo

Within a year of this experience Wambold says Ferrell passed the role of CEO to him at Ferrellgas He attributes much of his success to Ferrellrsquos investment in him

Keith McMahan president of Tri-Gas amp Oil Co adds that he had multiple mentors in the propane industry He says his father Lee McMahan was his first mentor as he joined his familyrsquos propane company But on a national level McMahan says he benefited from listening to leaders involved in NPGA when he began to attend meetings He looked up to people like John Blossman Glenn Saunders and Charlie Revere

ldquoThese guys always went to meetings representing not just

their company but the industry speaking in terms of lsquowersquo and lsquousrsquordquo McMahan says ldquoThat stood out to me Honestly each

wwwLPGasmagazinecom March 2016 LPGas | 49

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The best mentor I ever had was Jim Ferrell who continues to be my mentor Irsquove been with Ferrellgas for 19 years but Irsquove worked with Jim for 12 years Hersquos mentored so many people in the industry and hersquos sort of like Ferrellgasrsquo version of Superman One thing I learned from him is to treat everybody equally whether it be with a customer service representative a bobtail driver and the CEO It builds credibility

Steve Wambold Ferrellgas

M E N TO R I N G



person I met in NPGA board meetings early on served as my mentor somehow Itrsquos like I had to have respect for these guys and hope that someday I could give back for what they had given to merdquo

ReciprocationGiving back is a huge part of mentorship Knight adds that most people who are mentors were mentees at one point

ldquoTherersquos an importance to paying knowledge forwardrdquo she says ldquoYou learn both by being mentored and mentoring others I would say if you mentor someone you learn almost as much there as you do as a menteerdquo

Jill Hopkins CFO at Sheldon Gas was surprised to find out she served as a mentor to Lesley Garland After Selzerrsquos presentation at the 2013 Western Propane Trade Show and Convention Garland shared this knowledge with Hopkins

ldquoShe and I worked very closely together when she served as the Western Propane Gas Associationrsquos (WPGA) execu-tive directorrdquo Hopkins says ldquoI never perceived that I was mentoring her at that time since I always got wonderful knowledge from her in WPGA meetings But after Selzerrsquos presentation she shared with me that she considered me a mentor in helping her navigate WPGA and state association

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M E N TO R I N G

I came into the propane industry almost 20 years ago switching professions from being a teacher to an employee at Sheldon Gas At the time Gene Cravea headed Sheldon Gas as a sales manager He had a lot of field experience and sales experience That experience was like a gold mine to me with no experience We had an informal relationship but it was necessary for me to survive in the business I swear I had to ask Gene 100 times the difference between a bobtail and a transport but he always kept his patience with me which is something I respected

Jill Hopkins Sheldon Gas



M E N TO R I N G

leadership something that was unfamiliar to her when she started with WPGArdquo

While Hopkins taught Garland the ins and outs of state association principles she says Garland taught her broad knowledge of the propane industry

Hopkins adds that itrsquos probably rare that she and Gar-land had a reciprocal mentorship that naturally developed She says hopefully others in the propane industry can ex-perience this type of relationship through the Knowledge Exchange networkrsquos launch

ldquoIrsquom 100 percent convinced this is something the indus-try needsrdquo Hopkins says ldquoItrsquos a way for people retiring or experienced in the industry to share what they know and pass on the torchrdquo LPG

How to get involved in Nashville WIPrsquos inaugural Knowledge Exchange network launches April 7 at the Music City Center in Nashville Tenn prior to the Southeastern Convention amp International Propane Expo The program costs $200 for NPGA members who wish to be mentored by an industry leader for a six-month period Registration for the event ends April 1 For more information on the Knowledge Exchange network email KnowledgeExchangenpgaorg


There could be the perception out there that mentoring has to be with an individual that works in the same office or that you see on a regular basis However the mentoring relationship can flourish even if the mentor and mentee live miles apart I have been blessed in my professional and personal life with strong mentor and mentee relationships and many of those are with people I donrsquot see on a regular basis Many times I have learned from a mentor by just observing how they react to different situations they are presented with ndash and that doesnrsquot involve me being in the same office with my mentor

Sarah Knight Ferrellgas

(440) 236-6009SuperiorNRGcom

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Reciprocal relationships

Assuring long-term success in any industry re-quires new leaders to step up and replace those who are exiting the workplace Companies need strong managers and people willing to devote extra time to safety sales and marketing and

other initiatives to propel the industry forwardNancy Coop business development executive at Ferrellgas

and founding chair of the National Propane Gas Associationrsquos (NPGA) Women in Propane Council (WIP) says she sees this transition of leadership as an area of concern for an aging pro-pane industry Combating this concern calls for the industry to train its younger workers and mold them into future leaders

Coop says one way to do this is through fostering profes-sional relationships between experienced leaders and workers striving to become leaders WIP believes it has devised such a program

The council plans to launch the Knowledge Exchange net-work and mentoring program during the Southeastern Con-vention amp International Propane Expo this April in Nashville

Tenn Although WIP developed the network Coop says the council is extending the program to all members of NPGA

ldquoI anticipate this could create more diverse leaders in our industryrdquo Coop says ldquoIt might even be a pathway to attract more folks to NPGA and our industry as a wholerdquo

A formal programDeveloping a mentorship team has been on WIPrsquos agenda practically since day one Coop says the group discussed cre-

ating a mentorship team at the councilrsquos first meeting in April 2012

ldquoWe asked people what they wanted from the councilrdquo she says ldquoOut of all input the highest pri-ority was to form a mentoring programrdquo

Coop adds that it couldnrsquot have been a coincidence that nearly everyone in the newly formed group re-quested the launch of a mentoring group Coop agreed with the input as she says this type of network could create the future generation of leaders in the propane industry

Coop knew it would take WIP time to create a program to benefit all of NPGA Since WIPrsquos first meeting she says itrsquos been an ldquounderlying prior-ityrdquo to follow through with developing a mentorship group

ldquoWe were married to this priorityrdquo she says ldquoWe knew [WIP] would follow through with it when we

A new propane industry network

uncovers the value of mentoring

and its role in shaping future

leaders

BY MEGAN SMALLEY | ASSOCIATE EDITORmsmalleynorthcoastmedianet


M E N TO R I N GM E N TO R I N G

Lindsey Allison of Ferrellgas left and Tracy Kirkman of Ehrhart Energy at

WIPrsquos 2015 roundtable discussion in Atlanta

Steve Wambold president and CEO of Ferrellgas right says

Ferrellgas Chairman Jim Ferrell has served as a mentor


PH

OT

OS

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

NA

NC

Y C

OO

P A

ND

FE

RR

EL

LGA

S







M E N TO R I N G




Good listener

Experienced

Patient

Encouraging

Discerning

Curious


Good listener

Learner

Motivated

Humble

Accountable

Energetic

Respectful

Curious




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NEWPRODUCT


Up to

33000 GVWR

uuml

Propane Powered

uuml

68L V10uuml

QUESTIONS TO ORDER





Dennis Fry 903-877-9460

dennisransomemfgcom











M E N TO R I N G


Liz Selzer

Mentor Leadership

Team research







M E N TO R I N G


Tel (802) 433-1565 Fax (802) 433-1566 Website

















Call us today

18005988552

salesjjbodiescom

wwwjjbodiescom

Bobtail Tanks

Transport Trailers

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M E N TO R I N G



























trade


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Trucks trailers

tank storage

cabinets









M E N TO R I N G





M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based








M E N TO R I N G




Good listener

Experienced

Patient

Encouraging

Discerning

Curious


Good listener

Learner

Motivated

Humble

Accountable

Energetic

Respectful

Curious




AVAILABLENOW

NEWPRODUCT


Up to

33000 GVWR

uuml

Propane Powered

uuml

68L V10uuml

QUESTIONS TO ORDER





Dennis Fry 903-877-9460

dennisransomemfgcom











M E N TO R I N G


Liz Selzer

Mentor Leadership

Team research







M E N TO R I N G


Tel (802) 433-1565 Fax (802) 433-1566 Website

















Call us today

18005988552

salesjjbodiescom

wwwjjbodiescom

Bobtail Tanks

Transport Trailers

Remounts

Service amp Repair



M E N TO R I N G



























trade


Custom

Truck Bodies

Smooth-RiderTM

Trailer




Trucks trailers

tank storage

cabinets









M E N TO R I N G





M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based












M E N TO R I N G


Liz Selzer

Mentor Leadership

Team research







M E N TO R I N G


Tel (802) 433-1565 Fax (802) 433-1566 Website

















Call us today

18005988552

salesjjbodiescom

wwwjjbodiescom

Bobtail Tanks

Transport Trailers

Remounts

Service amp Repair



M E N TO R I N G



























trade


Custom

Truck Bodies

Smooth-RiderTM

Trailer




Trucks trailers

tank storage

cabinets









M E N TO R I N G





M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based






M E N TO R I N G


Tel (802) 433-1565 Fax (802) 433-1566 Website

















Call us today

18005988552

salesjjbodiescom

wwwjjbodiescom

Bobtail Tanks

Transport Trailers

Remounts

Service amp Repair



M E N TO R I N G



























trade


Custom

Truck Bodies

Smooth-RiderTM

Trailer




Trucks trailers

tank storage

cabinets









M E N TO R I N G





M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based











Call us today

18005988552

salesjjbodiescom

wwwjjbodiescom

Bobtail Tanks

Transport Trailers

Remounts

Service amp Repair



M E N TO R I N G



























trade


Custom

Truck Bodies

Smooth-RiderTM

Trailer




Trucks trailers

tank storage

cabinets









M E N TO R I N G





M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based



























trade


Custom

Truck Bodies

Smooth-RiderTM

Trailer




Trucks trailers

tank storage

cabinets









M E N TO R I N G





M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based



M E N TO R I N G











All-inclusive

Customizable

Simple

SecureSecure


Web-basedWeb-based



the propane industry’s premier information source … · the propane industry’s premier...

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