GOA Magazine

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 1

Too Busy To Protect Your Business?

Even the best businesses can have claims.

Contact your local Federated representative to learn more about risk management resources, like a distracted driving program, designed to help keep your business on the right road.

Visit www.federatedinsurance.com to find a representative near you.

Federated Mutual Insurance Company • Federated Service Insurance Company* • Federated Life Insurance Company Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 • Phone: (507) 455-5200 • www.federatedinsurance.com *Not licensed in the states of NH, NJ, RI, and VT.

2 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

© 2013 Federated Mutual Insurance Company

Contents features

4 9

10 12 14

Thought For The Workday Decision-Making

- OS Hillman

Citizen of the Year: Kim Gresh

- Geoff Folsom

Meet GOA’s Good Friends Senator Tyler Harper Senate District 7 Representative Ellis Black House District 174

FEBRUARY 2013

18 20

22

New Law Opens New Opportunities For Successful Family Business Owners - Irv Blackman

The Three Travelers

Win Bigger by Shredding These Top 6 Losers - Betsi Bixby Inflation - What Inflation?

-Elliot Eisenberg

departments 4 Dates to Remember

- Roger T. Lane

6 GOA News

8 Industry News

16 Associate Members Georgia Oilmen’s Services, Inc.

Stage II Vapor Recovery Sunset and Continued Testing Requirements -Kurt Hausner

19 Advertisers 19 Barter Box

19 GOA Member Benefits

GOA MANAGEMENT 2013 Officers Past Chairman..................................................................... R. Wendell Davis, Sr., R. W. Davis Oil Company, Inc. Chairman....................................................................... Robert H. “Hugh” Burkett, Jr., Burkett Oil Company, Inc. Senior Vice Chairman........................................................................... John L. Carter, May & Carter Oil Co., Inc. 1st Vice Chairman..............................................................................................James D. Johnson, Johnson Oil Co. 2nd Vice Chairman................................................................................................R. Colton Sexton, Davis Oil Co. PMAA Director..................................................................... W. L. “Tommy” Thompson, Thompson Energy, LLC President...................................................................................................................................Roger T. Lane, GOA Directors - Senior (term expires 2013) Joe S. Crain, Jr...............................Crain Oil Company, Inc. W. Horace Chambers, Jr..............Chambers Oil Company Wm. Brad David, Jr..................... McDougald Oil Co., Inc. Kimberly Gresh............................S.A. White Oil Co., Inc. Trevor Carter......................................... Carter Oil Co., Inc. W. S. “Steve” Perry, Jr......................Perry Bros. Oil Co., Inc. Steven S. Whatley..............Whatley Oil & Auto Parts Co. Directors - Intermediate (term expires 2014) Janice V. Ferguson.....................................Pacer Fuels, LLC Richard D. "Dee" Grist........................Grist Oil Company David W. Pitts.........................Williams-Pitts Oil Co., Inc. Mark W. Sisk...................................Brown Oil Dist., LLC Donald J. Smallwood.........................D-Jay Petroleum, Inc. Marvin J. Strickland........................Strickland Oil Co., Inc. John C. "Chris" Sylvester........A&W Oil & Tire Co., Inc.

NO. 2

PUBLISHER – Georgia Oilmen’s Association 1775 Spectrum Drive Lawrenceville, GA 30043 (770) 995-7570 • FAX: (770) 995-9757 Website: www.georgiaoilmensassoc.com ROGER T. LANE – Editor KAREN CARTER – Associate Editor

3 GOA Management 2013

Pipeline:

VOL. 69

Directors - Juniors (term expires 2015) John E. Hughes...........................................Hughes Oil Co. Anderson B. “Andy” Jones.............M.B. Jones Oil Co., Inc. Bryan Jones...................................Jones Petroleum Co., Inc. Stephanie Hinton.............Jim Hinton Oil Co. of Ga., Inc. Royce Brooks..................................................Lance Oil Co. Phillip E. Drew...................................... Drew Oil Co., Inc. Michael Hyde.....................................Omni Fuels Co., Inc.

STAFF Roger T. Lane President Karen Carter Executive Assistant GOS – Environmental Kurt Hausner, P.G. Chief Operating Officer Steve Smith Environmental Specialist Roger White, P.G. Sr. Geologist Kathryn Smith Office Manager Karen Carter SIR Program GAS – Workers’ Comp.

Carla Edwards Chief Operating Officer Amy Schieffelin Vice President Tim Schieffelin Safety & Marketing Becky Jackson Claims Supervisor Tracy Landrum Claims Jennifer Sousa Underwriting Colleen Olmstead Accounting CONSULTANTS C. Lawrence Phillips Insurance (GOA) Phillip Embry Tax Consultant Steven M. Mills General Counsel Charles “Chuck” Ramsey Federal DOT Consultant

“A Primary Source for Business Information and Decisions.”

Tash J. Van Dora Workers Comp. Attorney

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 3

THought for the WORKDAY

Decision-Making

T

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

— proverbs 3:5

his is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible related to gaining wisdom and direction from God. Yet I have never heard one teaching on this passage that teaches what I believe the psalmist is really saying. The first part is pretty easy; we are to trust with all our heart. But the next part is not so clear. We are not to lean on our own understanding. If we are not to lean on our own understanding, on whose understanding are we to lean? God’s!

Throughout the Old Testament we find that God set up structures by which those in authority made decisions. God has always set a principle whereby we are to seek Him in all our decisions, that He might truly make our decisions. In the Old Testament, the priest made decisions based on which way the Urim and Thummim fell inside his breastplate. The casting of lots was another means of allowing a decision to be left with God. Proverbs says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the lord” (Prov. 16:33). Another means of making a decision was through the agreement of two or three. No one could be guilty of any crime without the witness of two or three. This was a biblical way of confirming a matter. Still another means of making a deci-

sion is through a multitude of counselors.

Given all these scenarios, what are we to gain from these examples? We are told in Jeremiah 17:9a, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” So what really protects each of us from the deceit of our own heart? I believe it is the combination of all the above.

When we get to a place with God that our decisions are accountable to others, whether that be a wife, a board, or a few close friends who are committed to the same godly ideals, this is when we are protected from the deceit of our own heart. This is one of the hardest things to yield to God - the right to make our own decisions. Yet, it is the most elementary principle God requires of us to receive His blessing in our lives.

This principle took a long time for me to appropriate.

However, today I can tell you I would never make a major decision without the counsel of others who are close to me. Relational accountability has become lost in our culture due to our hunger for independence. I have experienced too often the hardship that results from making decisions that God isn’t behind. Walking in obedience is the only real freedom in Christ.

TGIF, Today God Is First ~ OS Hillman

MEMBER UPDATES NEW MEMBERS:

Blue Flame LP Gas Company David Harwell 14141 US Hwy. 19 Griffin, GA 30224 770-227-0098 griffin@blueflamgascompany.com

Associate: McKinney’s Propane Gas, LLC Donald R. McKinney 14 E. Main Street Forsyth, GA 31029 478-992-8326 Active: dmckinney@dmkpg.com Perry Bros. Aviation Fuels LLC

David Perry Lassetter Propane, LLC 125 US Hwy 280 West Lori Lassetter Americus, GA 31719 PO Box 186 229-924-6110 Cedartown, GA 30125 dave@pbaviationfuels.com 770-759-1595 MEMBERS CANCELLED: Milford Oil, Newsome Oil Co., Pryor Industries, Rhodes Oil Co., Sharber Gulf Oil Co., T&W Oil Company 4 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

DATES TO REMEMBER JUNE 13-16, 2013 63rd Annual GOA Convention The Ritz-Carlton | Amelia Island, FL DECEMBER 5-8, 2013 GOA WINTER BOARD MEETING Westin Buckhead | Atlanta, GA

Happy Birthday to Those Celebrating in March Mac Wollard.............................................................................. 1st Bob Boswell.............................................................................. 8th Colton Sexton........................................................................ 10th Steve Perry.............................................................................. 19th Ed Blalock, Jr.......................................................................... 23rd James Johnson........................................................................ 25th Hans Pomeroy........................................................................ 29th

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 5

G A NEWS

January revenues up 10.4 percent

G

ov. Nathan Deal announced that Georgia’s net tax collections for January totaled $1.73 billion for an increase of nearly $164 million, or 10.4 percent, compared to The following sections summarize the net revenue changes within major tax categories during the month: Individual Income Tax: Individual Income Tax collections in January 2013 totaled $1.025 billion — up from $881.75 million in January 2012 — for an increase of $143.25 million, or 16.3 percent.

The following notable components within Individual Income Tax account for the increase: • Individual Estimated payments were up $90.75 million, or 85.8 percent • Individual Withholding payments were up $53 million, or 6.9 percent • Individual Income Tax refunds (net of voided checks) were down $26 million, or -47.2 percent • All other Income Tax categories, including Return payments, combined for a decrease of $26.5 million Sales and Use Tax: Net Sales and Use Tax collections for January 2013 totaled nearly $519 million, up slightly from January 2012 when net sales tax totaled $518.5 million. Gross sales tax collections dipped slightly by $660,000, or -0.07 percent, compared to last year, while the distribution to local governments fell $11.75 million to a total of $444.25 million. However, sales tax refunds increased $10.75 million, effectively offsetting the impact of the distribution and helping to create an essentially flat month of net collections relative to 2012.

Corporate Income Tax: Corporate Income Tax collections for January 2013 increased $18.25 million, or 710 percent, compared to last year’s net collections total of $2.5 million. Net corporate refunds dropped considerably compared to last fiscal year, while gross corporate revenue dropped only slightly by $1.5 million.

The following notable components within Corporate Income Tax make up the increase: • Corporate Tax refunds (net of voided checks) were down $19.75 million, or -54.8 percent • Corporate Estimated payments were up $11 million, or 70.2 percent • Corporate Tax Return payments were down $16 million, or -79.6 percent • All other Corporate Tax categories (including S-Corp) combined for an increase of $3.5 million

January 2012. At the end of seven months, net tax revenue collections are up almost $564 million, or 5.7 percent, compared to the same point last year.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Comparative Summary of Net Revenue Collections (unaudited - 000's)

For the Month Ended January 2013 January 2012 (FY 2013) (FY 2012)

$ Change

% Change

Tax Revenues: Income Tax - Individual:

$

1,024,942

$

881,624

$

143,318

Sales and Use Tax - General: Sales and Use Tax - Gross Local Sales Tax Distribution (Footnote 1) Sales Tax Adjustments/Refunds Net Sales and Use Tax - General

$ $ $ $

977,900 (444,245) (14,834) 518,821

$ $ $ $

978,560 (456,015) (4,196) 518,349

$ $ $ $

(660) 11,770 (10,638) 472

-0.07% 2.6% -253.5% 0.09%

Motor Fuel Taxes: Prepaid Motor Fuel Tax Motor Fuel Excise Tax Total Motor Fuel Taxes

$ $ $

44,049 36,182 80,231

$ $ $

45,719 34,346 80,064

$ $ $

(1,670) 1,837 167

-3.7% 5.3% 0.2%

18,225

Income Tax - Corporate Tobacco & Cigar Taxes Alcoholic Beverage Taxes (Footnote 4) Estate Tax Property Tax Motor Vehicle - Tag, Title & Fees (Footnote 2)

Total Tax Revenues

16.3%

$ $

20,804 15,955

$

2,578

$

$

17,094

$ $

18,222 17,186

$ $

(2,267) (92)

706.8% -12.4% -0.54% -100.0% -25.1% 6.1% 10.2%

$ $ $ $

8,238 28,460 1,714,544

$ $ $ $

159 10,995 26,811 1,555,989

$ $ $ $

(159) (2,757) 1,649 158,555

$

15,948

$

10,813

$

5,134

47.5%

$

1,730,492

$

1,566,802

$

163,690

10.4%

Other Revenues: Other Fees & Taxes (Footnote 3)

Total Taxes and Other Revenues

Year-to-Date GENERAL FUND

FY 2013

FY 2012

$ Change

% Change

Tax Revenues: Income Tax - Individual

$

5,662,686

$

5,282,037

$

Sales and Use Tax - General: Sales and Use Tax - Gross Local Sales Tax Distribution (Footnote 1) Sales Tax Adjustments/Refunds Net Sales and Use Tax - General

$ $ $ $

6,000,721 (2,746,201) (53,949) 3,200,572

$ $ $ $

5,942,794 (2,737,594) (75,426) 3,129,775

$ $ $ $

57,927 (8,607) 21,477 70,797

1.0% -0.3% 28.5% 2.3%

Motor Fuel Taxes: Prepaid Motor Fuel Tax Motor Fuel Excise Tax Total Motor Fuel Taxes

$ $ $

318,219 248,160 566,378

$ $ $

332,927 246,002 578,929

$ $ $

(14,708) 2,158 (12,550)

-4.4% 0.9% -2.2%

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

322,971 119,940 104,733 44,634 172,774 10,194,689

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

225,862 124,988 104,092 159 57,683 169,384 9,672,910

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

97,109 (5,049) 641 (159) (13,049) 3,390 521,779

43.0% -4.0% 0.6% -100.0% -22.6% 2.0% 5.4%

$

184,112

$

142,156

$

41,957

29.5%

$

10,378,801

$

9,815,065

$

563,736

5.7%

Income Tax - Corporate Tobacco & Cigar Taxes Alcoholic Beverage Taxes (Footnote 4) Estate Tax Property Tax Motor Vehicle - Tag, Title & Fees (Footnote 2)

Total Tax Revenues

380,650

7.2%

Other Revenues: Other Fees & Taxes (Footnote 3)

Total Taxes and Other Revenues Footnotes: 1.

2.

3.

4.

The Local Distribution has been adjusted with an end-of-month accrual to reflect Sales Tax payment activity after the actual distribution 3 days before month-end.

The Motor Vehicle Division began collecting Automobile Sales Tax in January of 2006. An adjustment is made each month to re-classify Auto Sales Tax collected from Motor Vehicle Fees into "Other Fees and Taxes" until the Sales Tax is subsequently deposited and reclassified as General Sales & Use Tax in the next month.

"Other Fees & Taxes" includes taxes and fees that have been deposited in the bank, but for which the returns have not been processed. The undistributed amounts are then re-classified (as returns are processed) to the proper respective revenue account. "Other Fees" also includes Unclaimed Property collections.

The FY 2012 amounts for both Alcoholic Beverage Taxes and Tobacco Taxes have been re-stated here for presentation purposes to reflect a tax recording error in which Malt Beverage Tax revenues were booked incorrectly as Tobacco Tax. Although a correcting entry was booked in February of 2012, the previous year's tax collection amounts for each tax category have been adjusted to reflect what tax collections would have been in September 2011 and YTD had the error not occurred.

Birthday Tax to Disappear on Vehicles Purchased after March 1 A new law that changes the way motor vehicles are taxed in Georgia will go into effect on March 1, 2013. Motor vehicles purchased on or after March 1, 2013 and titled in this state will be exempt from sales and use tax and the annual ad valorem tax, also known as the “birthday tax”.

These taxes will be replaced by a one-time tax that is imposed at the time the vehicle is titled on the fair market value of the vehicle called the title ad valorem tax (“TAVT”). For the first year of the TAVT, the rate will be 6.5% of the fair market value as identified by the Georgia

Motor Vehicle Assessment Manual. The TAVT is applicable to dealer and casual sales but excludes non-titled vehicles such as trailers and other nonmotorized vehicles which will remain subject to ad valorem tax.

Vehicles owned prior to January 1, 2012 will stay in the old system and owners can expect to owe the annual ad valorem tax on their birthday.

The period between January 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013 is considered an opt-in period. Vehicles purchased during this period may opt-in to the new TAVT system or they can stay in the annual

6 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

ad valorem system. The Georgia Department of Revenue’s website www.newtitletax.com provides a TAVT calculator that will help owners decide which option is best for them.

Owners who choose to opt-in to the TAVT system will need to go to their local county tag office at any time between March 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 to do so.

To view frequently asked questions concerning the new TAVT system or to use the calculator, visit the Georgia Department of Revenue website www.newtitletax.com.

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 7

IND STRY NEWS DEF Not Subject To SPCC Rules The population of diesel trucks needing Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is growing each year and some petroleum marketers serving those customers are now expanding aboveground storage of DEF. A question arising more frequently relates to DEF and EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations. Because DEF is not an “oil,” storage of DEF is not subject to SPCC rules.

EPA Final Rule Requires Use of 15-PPM Diesel In Large Stationary Generators

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule that requires large stationary emergency generators used to generate electricity during power outages to use 15-ppm ULSD after January 1, 2015. The rule applies to stationary combustion ignition, reciprocating internal combustion engines (CI RICE) with a site rating of more than 100 brake HP and a displacement of less than 30 liters per cylinder that operate or are contractually obligated to be available for more than 15 hours per year (up to a maximum of 100 hours per year) for emergency demand response or that operate for local system reliability. The rule will affect commercial emergency generators which are used in industrial, medical, agricultural, oil and gas production, and power generation facilities, etc.

Currently, CI RICE generators are typically supplied with reserve fuel oil or other high sulfur distillates. The use of stationary emergency generators as part of emergency demand response programs help prevent grid failure or blackouts by allowing these engines to be used for limited hours in specific circumstances of grid instability prior to the occurrence of blackouts, according to the EPA. The agency said requiring the use of ULSD will reduce emissions of air toxics, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide.

The requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2015, although any fuel purchased before that date can be used until it is depleted.

EIA Forecasts Unprecedented U.S. Crude Production for 2013

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) report predicts a groundbreaking 7.25 million barrels of U.S. crude per day this year. In 2014 the forecast is for 8 million barrels a day. EIA also expects that the price gap between U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate and the Brent will shrink from $20 today to $9 in 2014.

The unprecedented growth and volume of U.S crude production is largely due to Bakken and Eagle Ford onshore oil formations in North Dakota and Texas that have had surges because of hydraulic fracturing techniques. The Gulf of Mexico will also see increases this year due to peak performances in deep water projects in the region. Adequate transportation infrastructure has not kept up with the pace of the growth of U.S. crude production, with many using railroads as a mode to move the fuel. 1.15 million barrel’s per day of added pipeline capacity from Cushing to the Gulf Coast are planned over the next two years to help alleviate some of the backlog. The costs of moving U.S. crude long distances will prevent much of a drop in gasoline prices. Policy makers need to examine laws that add to the expense of moving fuel with high domestic transportation costs, such as the 1920 Jones Act, which requires merchant shipping between U.S. destinations be conducted by U.S. owned-and-operated vessels which are not always price competitive with foreign markets and may drive refiners to those markets for their crude.

8 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

Obama Energy Goals Remain Unchanged In his recent State Of The Union speech President Obama called on Congress to pass a controversial climate cap-and-trade bill which died in 2010. It’s very unlikely Congress will follow through with the President’s request, however, it is likely that federal agencies will pursue CO2 emissions’ reduction policies over the next several years. Unfortunately, the President made no mention of the Keystone XL pipeline which has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and is crucial for U.S. energy independence. It’s unclear when the President will decide on Keystone, but many political pundits expect a decision before this summer. The President also mentioned the idea of creating an “Energy Security Trust,” which would be funded by oil and gas production revenues on existing federal lands that would pay for energy research and development.

Senate Bill Introduced to Prohibit E15 Sales

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and David Vitter (R-LA) introduced legislation which would nullify EPA’s decision under the Clean Air Act to allow E15 to be sold in 2001 and newer cars and light trucks. The bill is the first Senate bill introduced which attempts to ban E15 from the marketplace. Last year, EPA gave the final green light for retailers to sell E15, however, E15 market penetration has been very weak due to a plethora of regulatory, legal and retail marketplace issues.

PMAA believes E15 sales will remain weak until more legal and regulatory certainty is achieved. Last year, Senators John Hoeven (RND), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the “Domestic Fuels Act of 2012,” which would provide a legal and regulatory pathway for retailers to sell EPA-approved fuels including E15. Representatives John Shimkus (R-IL) and Collin Peterson (DMN) introduced companion legislation in the House. The legislation would give the EPA Administrator the authority to issue guidelines to determine whether new and existing underground storage tanks and dispensing equipment are compatible with EPA-approved fuels as well as misfueling protection.

PMAA supports this legislation.

Tier 3 Gasoline Rule Now At OMB EPA has sent its proposed “Tier 3” gasoline rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Opponents of the regulation, including PMAA, believe the new gasoline standard would not withstand the scrutiny of a cost benefit analysis. “It is very hard to predict the street price impacts of the new regulation but it will likely be substantial,” said PMAA President Dan Gilligan. Some groups are estimating the rule will add five cents per gallon while others predict 25 cent increases.” It is a mistake to look only at the manufacturing cost increases, when supply bottlenecks and distribution related challenges can have a bigger impact on the street price,” Gilligan said.

PMAA is also concerned that the new gasoline specification could result in some refineries closing which again will have far reaching consequences for petroleum marketers and consumers.

G A NEWS GOA Board Member Kim Gresh Receives Citizen of the Year Award

by GEOFF FOLSOM, THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL

The Marietta Daily Journal honored S.A. White Oil Company President Kim Gresh as its 50th Citizen of the Year during the 71st Cobb Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.

Gresh, 57, was moved after receiving the surprise award from Journal publisher Otis A. Brumby III. “I love my community,” Gresh said in her brief acceptance speech. “I love my city, and anything I can do I always try to be there.”

Brumby read off a list of Gresh’s deeds in business and philanthropy. When he read the name of the company, the audience of nearly 1,000 at the Cobb Galleria Centre applauded, sensing who the winner was. The cheering grew to a standing ovation when Gresh walked toward the stage.

She is the third generation in her family to run the petroleum business started by her mothers’ parents in 1926. S.A. White now has 50 employees and contracts with around 100 convenience stores selling branded fuel to Texaco, Citgo, Marathon and ConocoPhillips stations. It also delivers to large customers who use generators, such as WellStar Health System, Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics, C.W. Mat-

thews Contracting, the Marietta Daily Journal publisher Otis A. City of Atlanta’s public Brumby III presents the Marietta Daily Journal citizen of the year award to Kim Gresh of works department and S.A. White Oil Company.

Cobb County Fire.

A separate business Gresh started, Mobilized Fuels, grew from two to nine trucks in just two years.

Gresh’s companies distribute 100 million gallons of fuel per year, with combined annual revenue of $350 million last year.

She was the first woman to serve on the ConocoPhillips National Marketer Council and the Georgia Oilmen’s Association board. Brumby noted how Gresh starts each meeting of the Oilmen’s Association with a motion to change the name to represent both genders, but it goes nowhere.

Among the causes Gresh supports are the boards of the WellStar Foundation, the YWCA of Northwest Georgia, Friends of the Strand and the Cobb Community Foundation. Previous awards include the Marietta Citizen see CITIZEN page 13

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 9

Meet GOA’s Good Friends

Senator Tyler Harper SENATE DISTRICT 7 Senator Tyler Harper, a Republican, was sworn in to serve the 7th Senate District on January 14, 2013. Senate District 7 includes Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Coffee, Irwin, Pierce and Ware counties along with portions of Charlton and Tift counties.

Senator Harper is a lifelong resident of Irwin County. He is a product of Irwin County Schools, a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Engineering (BSAE), and also holds an Associate of Science Degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Senator Harper is a small businessman and farmer. As an active community leader, Senator Harper is the President of the Ocilla Rotary Club and the treasurer of the Georgia Young Farmer’s Association. He served as a member of the University of Georgia College

of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Strategic Planning Committee and volunteer for the CAES Alumni Association.

He is also a member of the Ben Hill-Irwin Joint Development Authority.

Senator Harper serves as the ViceChairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. He also serves as a member of the Senate Natural Resources and Environment, Public Safety, and Retirement Committees. His past political experience involves working for US Senator Saxby Chambliss through a Congressional Fellowship, as well as serving as the County Campaign Chair for the election of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black.

Senator Harper is a member of Satilla Baptist Church and serves the church as a musician with his talents on the piano and guitar.

Representative Ellis Black HOUSE DISTRICT 174 Representative Ellis Black has served in the House of Representatives since January 8, 2001 and is now serving his fifth term as a member of the Georgia General Assembly. Representative Black is currently a member of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Appropriations, Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment and Ways and Means Committees. He also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee. Prior to his legislative service, he served as the Chairman for the Lowndes County Board of Education.

Representative Black’s community involvement is extensive and includes active membership with many organizations. He has served on the Board of Directors for 10 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

the Lowndes County Farm Bureau. He is a member of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, the Brook’s County, Echols County, Lake Park and Lowndes County Historical Societies and a member of the Southeast Ag Coalition. Representative Black is also involved with the Brooks County Airport Authority and the Regional Development Authority.

Upon graduating from Lowndes County High School, Representative Black attended the University of Georgia, where he earned his B.S.A. Representative Black is a long time farmer and is married to Aletha M. Black.

The couple attends the Clyattville United Methodist Church.

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 11

the

p pe ine

The Three Travelers

A woman noticed three men with long white beards standing outside her front gate.

“May I help you gentlemen?” she asked.

“We have traveled many miles and are hungry,” one of the men said. “Could we trouble you for something to eat?”

“It would be no bother,” the woman replied. “Please come in.”

“Wait,” one of the other travelers said, “Is your husband home?”

“Not yet, but he will be home soon” the woman said.

“Then we will wait for him before we come into your home.”

“Very well,” the woman said and returned to her chores. A short time later her husband arrived home. She told him about the three travelers, and they decided to go into the front yard together to invite them in for supper. “ You can ask only one of us in,” said one of the men. “I am Wealth, that is Success, and the other fellow with us is Love. You must decide which one of us can enter your home.”

The husband pulled his wife aside and said, “Let’s ask Wealth to come into our home. Maybe he will bestow many fine gifts upon us.”

The wife disagreed, “We should invite Success. Success makes wealth possible, and successful people always have lives filled with love and good fortune.”

Just then the couple’s daughter joined in the conversation. “ You should always choose Love. Without love there is nothing.”

The couple thought about it for a moment and then walked to the gate. The wife said, “Love, we would like to invite you to have supper with us.”

The husband opened the gate, and all three men walked into the yard.

“But I thought you said we could only invite one of you in?” the husband questioned.

“That is correct,” one of the bearded men answered. “But you chose Love. And wherever Love goes everything else will follow.”

Yesterday, February 17th around three o’clock, I received a phone call from my good friend Pinky Black. I knew that Betty was very ill but had not anticipated the call coming so soon. Betty had passed away at about 1:30 pm.

For the rest of the day and again this morning, all I could think of was what a wonderful, loving and unselfish person Betty had always been. This morning as I sat on my deacon’s bench to put my boots on I could not help but to remember that I had mentioned to Betty that I would like to have one.

Within two weeks Betty had traveled around North Georgia until she found me one. I never spent the night with Pinky

12 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

and Betty that I did not leave with more than I showed up with. Now it wasn’t necessarily the rain coat, shirts or the deacon’s bench but with a renewed spirit and a good feeling just knowing that I had their LOVE. You see Pinky and Betty first invited LOVE into their home. As life goes on I will never sit on my bench that I don’t think of the love, friendship and support that I received from Betty. I am surely blessed to have had Miss Betty for my friend!

P.S. Hey Kenny!

citizen continued from page 9 of the Year, Rotarian of the Year, YWCA Woman of the Year, Siegel Institute’s Woman of the Year and Marietta Schools Alumnus of the Year.

While she’s received other honors, Gresh said this one was special.

“As Little O said, I was born bred, my mom was born here, it means the world to me,” she said after the awards ceremony that highlighted the night’s program. “I’m all about community, my business is all about community and this is just like that cherry on top of that ice cream sundae.”

Gresh said her work isn’t finished. She’s still trying to raise $1.5 million each for the YWCA and the Strand, while she still has a-year-and-a-half to go on her WellStar term.

YWCA CEO and executive director Holly Tuchman said that no one has a better heart than Gresh.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about her friendship and her loyalty and who she is as a person,” Tuchman said. “Kim Gresh is good people.”

S.A. White was founded by Gresh’s grandparents. Her mother, Suse Ann White Gresh, took over the business after S.A. White was killed in the 1963 natural gas explosion at Atherton’s Pharmacy on the Marietta Square.

Kim Gresh was enticed to the company after college. She became president in 1999.

Among the previous winners are Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-East Cobb), former Gov. Roy Barnes, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Cobb Chairman and current state Attorney General Sam Olens.

The first winner was former Lockheed CEO Dick Pulver in 1963.

Brumby said that of the 49 previous Citizen of the Year winners, 28 are still living.

“And many of them are still actively engaged in the community,” he said.

Currency Wars Recently there’s been talk of currency wars. If a nation prints money to lower interest rates to promote growth and happens to weaken its currency, it’s OK. But if a country prints money to lower interest rates to weaken its currency and happens to promote growth, that’s bad. In today’s slow growth environment, printing money both weakens a currency and promotes exports simutaneously! It’s a distinction without an economic difference.

—Elliott F. Eisenberg, Ph.D. GraphsandLaughs, LLC elliot@graphsandlaughs.net www.econ70.com

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 13

GE RGIA OILMEN’S SERVICES, INC. Stage II Vapor Recovery Sunset and Continued Testing Requirements

by KURT HAUSNER

S

tage II Vapor Recovery has, for many years, been required for most fueling facilities in the 13 county metropolitan Atlanta area. These counties are Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale. The only gasoline fuel dispensing facilities in these counties which are exempt from Stage II requirements include: 1) gasoline dispensing facilities that dispense no more than 10,000 gallons per month on average; and 2) gasoline dispensing facilities constructed or reconstructed prior to November 15, 1995 that dispense no more than 50,000 gallons per month and are owned by an independent small business marketer of gasoline.

All other gasoline dispensing facilities in the above listed counties are subject to Stage II vapor recovery requirements and accompanying annual system testing requirements.

As most of you know, Stage II vapor recovery at gasoline dispensing facilities will cease being required in the near future. Many owners of gasoline dispensing facilities, which have been subject to Stage II requirements, have mistakenly assumed that they are not required to complete annual Stage II testing during calendar year 2013.

Please be aware that, if your site has been subject to Stage II regulations, it remains subject to all testing and maintenance requirements, until the date that Stage II vapor recovery becomes no longer required.

Mr. William Cook, Engine and Fuels Manager for the Mobile and Area Sources Program in the Air Protection Branch of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has indicated that no firm date has, as yet, been established for sunsetting of Stage II vapor recovery requirements. The reason for the uncertainty of the effective date is due to unspecified time requirements for the EPD to complete a series of required steps, prior to determination of the date. These steps include: • drafting changes to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) that include removal of the Stage II Vapor Recovery Program; 14 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

• submittal of SIP revision to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for review and approval; • approval of SIP revisions from EPA; • communication with stakeholders (including Georgia Oilmen’s Association representation) to determine the requirements for Stage II system decommissioning; • development of Stage II rule revisions; • brief Rule revisions to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Board; • completion of the required comment period; • completion of any additional DNR board meetings, rule revisions, and comment periods; • approval of the Stage II Rule revisions (repealing of the rule); and • rule revisions become effective 21 days after approval.

Until the actual date of sunset, Mr. Cook reiterated that all Stage II vapor monitoring maintenance and testing for regulated facilities within the above-mentioned 13 counties must be completed. He also indicated that gasoline dispensing facilities currently under construction and facilities whose fueling operations are undergoing major modifications may request an exemption from the requirement to install a Stage II vapor monitoring system, under the grounds that the substantial cost of the system for only a few months of operation would not produce enough vapor reduction benefit to justify the cost.

Georgia Oilmen’s Services, Inc. (GOS) will keep you updated on the progress of determination of the sunset date for Stage II Vapor Recovery and all requirements for disabling/removal of existing Stage II systems, once those systems are no longer required. Until that date arrives, please remember to keep all testing and maintenance for your Stage II systems current.

Should you have any questions regarding Stage II requirements and sunsetting, or should you require Stage II testing, please call Kurt Hausner of GOS, at 678 225-4558.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Roger: Please express my appreciation to all your staff and I wish for I will be retiring from Acree Oil Company effective December 31, you and the GOA the most success during the coming year.

2012, after 56 years in the petroleum industry.

Please stay in touch and if you are in North Georgia please come Thank you for your friendship and support during the time by and see us. that I have been employed by Acree Oil. It was always a pleasure to know that you were always there to handle our problems and Best Regards, Jackencouragement.

Olsta Co HP print ready 03-08-2010:Layout 1 3/8/2010 10:09 AM Page 1 offer Jack Sales

Your New & Used Headquarters for Petroleum and Jet Fuel Tanks

NEW SERVICES TO THE GOA New & Used Tank Trailers Trades Accepted Lease Trailers Available Parts, Service & Repair Financing Available

1-888-907-7940 www.olstaco.com Nick Jessen - Njessen@olstaco.com

Going Hunting?

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 15

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS The firms listed below are our Associate Members. Names shown in small type are their representatives. When in the market for anything in their line, they are deserving of your preferred consideration.

A&AGAS COMPANY Dennis Steed 770-854-4077 A.C. GAS SERVICE, INC. Eddie Campbell (478) 967-2246 A G PROPANE, INC. Alvin W. Ginn (706) 675-8258 ADEN’S MINIT MARKET Aden Griffis (912) 383-6250 ADVANCED PETROLEUM SERVICES Kurt Kraus (888) 747-8423 AKINS LLC Brooks Akins (229) 247-1839 ALL PHASE ENVIRONMENTAL LLC Thomas O. Tweedell (706) 543-4522 ALLEN INSURANCE GROUP Wendell Bagwell (770) 534-1574 / (800) 284-1574 ALLIED ENERGY CORPORATION Barbara Lyons (205) 278-6172 ALPINE GAS CO. INC. Danny Harwell (770) 834-7159 ALTAMAHA PROPANE Frank Murphy (912) 654-4800 AMERICAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Wm. H. Cheney (404) 768-1900 AMICALOLA PROPANE, INC. Matthew C. Richardson (706) 344-1427 AMYRIS FUELS, LLC Brian Klenner (630) 388-8551 ANS DISTRIBUTING Curtis Mitchell (770) 232-0807 ANALYTICAL ENVIRONMENTAL SVCS. INC Matt Yildirim (770) 457-8177 AQUA TERRA Jerry Neal (770) 823-2382 ATLANTA PETROLEUM EQUIP. CO., INC. Bobby Dutcher (770) 491-6644 / (800) 562-4060 BB & T – PRUDEN INSURANCE SERVICES Clay H. Chambless (706) 278-1149 BP PRODUCTS OF NORTH AMERICA Kevin Russell (770) 227-2955 Mike Keith (770) 425-8214 BTI, LLC Michael Atkinson (478) 552-8049 BAINBRIDGE TRUCK STOP, INC. Gay Spooner (912) 246-2117 BAKER, DONELSON, BEARMAN, CALDWELL Charles Ruffin (478) 750-0777 BAKER IMAGING, LLC Gary Jackson (770) 527-0206 BARBER PETROLEUM EQUIPMENT CO., INC. Ken McCrary (912) 883-8622 / (800) 673-6450 BARFIELD GAS COMPANY Billy Barfield (912) 896-4828 BATES GAS COMPANY Garry Bates (229) 436-5338 BENEFIT SUPPORT INC. Ron Christopher (770) 532-2690 BENNETT GAS COMPANY Edwin L. Douglass III (706) 738-7782 BIGWAD PROPERTIES, LLC Mike Awad ((912) 656-7892 BLUE FLAME GAS, INC. Michael Holbrook (770) 943-6571

BRADSHAW, POPE & CO., LLP Robert A. Bradshaw / Jan Pope (770) 939-9445 BREADBASKET FOODSTORES, INC. (TRM) Randy Michael (706) 543-7544 BUDGET PROPANE LLC Tommy H.White (706) 747-5337 C &S CANOPY, INC. Keith Chambers (205) 755-1581 / (800) 932-4549 CAPITOL BUSINESS EQUIPMENT, INC. J. Loring White (334)265-8903 / (800) 447-7038 CARY OIL COMPANY Craig Stephenson (919) 460-3197 CEDAR GROVE MARKET, INC. Martha J. Harrington (478) 463-3096 CENTERS FOR TESTING & ENGINEERING Asad Altabchi (678) 637-6333 CENTRAL PIT STOP, LLC Ricky Searels / Diana Searels (706) 695-2474 CHAPMAN CANOPY INC. Charles Chapman (205) 491-4845 CHARTER SOUTH, INC. Jeff McLeod / Ray McLeod (770) 918-8123 / (205) 941-1173 CHEVRON U.S.A. Jessica Carlin (678) 399-3081 CIRCLE ENVIRONMENTAL/PLANET SOLUTIONS George J. Lamar (706) 650-2939 CITGO PETROLEUM CORP. Tim Peabody (404) 855-9877 CITIZEN PROPANE Jerry Roland (229) 755-6310 CLAYTON OIL COMPANY Judy Whitaker (706) 782-3714 COASTAL AREA STORES, INC. Greg Woolard (912) 654-3052 COASTAL REFINING CORP. Rick Glendye (912) 233-9999 COLONIAL OIL PIPELINE Sam Whitehead 678-762-2333 CONGER LP GAS, INC. Dan Richardson (229) 386-5574 CORRPRO, INC. Vince Reda/Tish Edmondson (770) 761-5400 COUNTRY BOY’S GAS, INC. Billy Leachman (706) 335-3499 CUMBERLAND GAS Keith Dixon (912) 729-5882 DADE LP GAS, INC. Frank &Peggy Wallin (706) 657-5949 DANIELL TRANSPORT John Daniell (800) 546-8130 DAVIS PROPANE, INC. Douglas Michael Davis (478) 934-4003 DELONG DEVELOPMENT CORP. Shannon DeLong (478) 960-7510 DENSON TRANSPORTATION Jermaine Denson (770) 900-4619 DIAMOND PROPANE SERVICES, INC. Clara Young (478) 237-8702 DIXIE FOOD STORES, INC. John Alan Lindsey (229) 556-9070 DIXIE LP GAS, INC./GAS HEAT Virginia Lippert (706) 863-1811

16 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

DOBE ENTERPRISES Philip Beamer (706) 629-2530 DOWDLE GAS OF GA. LLC Lee Connell (706) 546-8181 DRAKE GAS CO., INC. Kenneth M. Drake / Kenneth T. Drake (706) 245-6111 DRIVER PROPANE SALES Billy E. Driver / James A. Driver (912) 924-2602 EMC INSURANCE COMPANIES Tommy O’Connell, CPCU, ARM (800) 239-1407 EAGLE TRANSPORT CORPORATION Teeny Jones (252) 937-2464 ENERGY.NET John Mandich (248) 284-4041 ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLORATION, INC. Gary E. Bray (770) 389-0475 ENVIROPRO SERVICES, LLC Deepak Mandavia (770) 582-0615 ESTATE & FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. Lem Bargeron (800) 879-1641 ESTES EQUIPMENT CO., INC. Gary Estes (423) 756-0090 EULER HERMES Michael Kodinsky (770) 820-7409 EVER-GLO PROPANE GAS SERVICE Harvey Greene (229) 439-4540 EXCURSIONS, INC. Phillip &Jenny Drew (229) 377-9866 EXPLORERS TRANSPORT, INC. Tom L. Bower, III / Thad Wallace (770) 534-4916 EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION Joe Korabek (508) 880-2939 15 SPEEDWAY Lamar Tanner (912) 552-6819 FARMERS OIL, INC. Mike Farmer (770) 385-8075 FAUSETT’S, INC. Butch Fausett (912) 896-7481 FEDERATED INSURANCE CO. Donald Jones (404) 497-8840 / (800) 241-4945 FIRST CHOICE SERVICES, INC. Michael S. Webb(423) 893-9035 FLA. ROCK & TANK LINES, INC. Henry Mabbett (770) 457-4457 / (800) 622-2388 FLINT HILLS RESOURCES Jody Hall / Rachael Collins (770) 625-3428 / (800) 671-9626 FOLGER GAS/BLUE RIDGE LLC Pete Folger (706) 632-7606 FOUR POINT L.P. GAS CO., INC. Harold Gill (706) 553-3381 FRANKLIN PROPANE GAS, INC. Mike Franklin (912) 552-6667 FREEMAN BROS. TANK MFG. INC. Gary T. Freeman (912) 759-6210 FRIENDLY EXPRESS Bill Raulerson (912) 285-2259

FRONTIER TRAILER ASSOC., INC. Marion Barnes (252) 985-1500 / (800) 736-0300 G&S GAS SERVICE, INC. Larry Garrett (478) 452-3625 GARRETT GAS Joel Garrett (478) 892-3621 GEORGIA ADMIN. SERVICES, INC. (GAS) Carla E. Edwards GEORGIA ENERGY & ENGINEERING, INC Robert E. Long (770) 412-0705 GEORGIA FUEL, INC./OIL RECOVERY Chad Johnson (229) 336-1111 GEORGIA GAS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. / GLOGAS, INC. Gerry Misel, Jr. (404) 364-4427 / (404) 497-1600 GEORGIA LP GAS COMPANY Bruce Bozeman, Jr. (706) 846-2135 GEORGIA LOGOS, INC. Floyd Williams (770) 447-6399 / (800) 783-2361 GEORGIA LOTTERY Ed Bradley (404) 215-5000 GEORGIA MTN. GAS CO., INC. Dwayne Shelnut (706) 348-2020 GEORGIA OILMEN’S SERVICES Kurt Hausner (678) 225-4558 GEORGIA PETROLEUM, INC. Bill Holland (912) 244-9110 GEORGIA TANK LINES, LLC Deborah Lathem / John Hill (770) 455-4282 GULF OIL L.P. Michael A. Smith (770) 649-1480 HP PROPANE TRANSPORT, LLC Harold T. Gowder (706) 367-8782 H.T. HACKNEY COMPANY Stuart Marcus (803) 534-4579 HARRIS SERVICE & EQUIP. CO., INC. Janis Harris (912) 956-2597 HATCHER PETROLEUM TRANSPORT, INC. Randy Hatcher / Jennifer Hatcher (229) 435-0904 RICH HAUG INC./HUDDLE HOUSE Connie Haugabook (478) 956-6736 MARK HEARD FUEL CO. Sam Heard (770) 887-2333 HILL &FOSS, INC. Thomas W. Foss (770) 449-3630 / (800) 444-4475 HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATE, INC. Dale Brannon (864) 287-4104 IMEDIA GROUP David Canady (478) 314-2285 / (800) 541-8348 INFOTRAC Randy Lee (352) 323-3500 / (800) 535-5053 J.E. Jackson Fuel Co., LLC John Jackson (229) 347-2388 JP CAPITAL & INSURANCE, INC. Burt Jones (770) 775-4880 JET FOOD STORES OF GA., INC. Charles Turner (912) 552-2588 JOHNSON & BRYAN INSURANCE Judy Cohea (404) 351-8434

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS JONES & FRANK CORP. Mike Seymour (770) 322-0552 JUST JESSUP, INC. Steve Jessup (912) 437-6906 JUSTIN DAVIS ENTERPRISES, INC. JustinDavis (850) 973-6648 KENAN TRANSPORT Jake Griffin (770) 300-0177 KASH GAS Margie Smith (912) 264-3027 KEYSTONE PETROLEUM TRANSPORT Eric Poole (678) 547-9790 L&T, INC. Charles Nobles (912) 526-0626 LP GAS INSURANCE SPECIALISTS Harry S. Lyons (770) 339-1894 J. SMITH LANIER & COMPANY Tom Bishop, CPCU (912) 883-2424 / (800) 666-2475 LASSETTER PROPANE, LLC Lori Lassetter (770) 749-1595 LIBERTY PROPANE Don Klotz (912) 408-3040 LITTLEJOHN TANK & EQUIPMENT CO. Jim Ballew / Tully Brewer (864) 573-9314 / (800) 828-6555 LIVE OAK MANAGEMENT, INC. Stephanie Hinton (912) 247-2594 LOYAL GAS INC. Mark Allen (770) 787-1400 LUNDBERG SURVEY INC. Trilby Lundberg (805) 383-2400 LUNKER LAKE DEVELOPMENT R. C. “Rick” Haugabook, Jr. (478) 472-7531 MHC TRUCK LEASING Brian Hall (404) 682-3710 MAGNET ENTERPRISES Randy Page (770) 483-5270 MANSFIELD SYSTEMS, INC. Brad Puryear (678) 450-2163 MARATHON PETROLEUM CO., LLC Brad Reinig / Eric Fegley (678) 474-1214 / (800) 847-9409 McGEE CORPORATION Kevin McGee (800) 526-5589 McKINNEY’S PROPANE GAS Donald McKinney (478) 992-8326 McLANE / SOUTHEAST Jeff Maulin (706) 549-4520 MECO OF ALBANY, INC. Kenny Fox (912) 446-1515 / (888) 200-6243 MECO OF ATLANTA, INC. Mike Scudder (770) 448-6933 / (800) 282-0393 MECO OF AUGUSTA, INC. Jeff Futrelle (706) 724-7603 / (800) 877-3560 MECO OF MACON J.V. Kirkland (478) 757-9173 / (800) 448-6326 MECO OF SAVANNAH, INC. Bill Campbell (912) 233-4523 / (800) 342-1332 MECO OF NORTH FLORIDA Lamar Scott(904) 354-6789 METAL PRODUCTS, INC. Burcher Gammage (770) 945-8383 MID-ATLANTIC ENVIRONMENTAL EQUIPMENT, INC. Shawn T. Evans (843) 836-1804 MILLS & HOOPES Steven M. Mills (770) 513-8111 MILLS FUEL SERVICE, INC. William H. Mills (770) 887-5235 MINI-FOOD STORES, INC. Robert A. Patterson, Jr. (478) 742-6393 MODERN WELDING CO., INC. Steve Fort (706) 722-3411

MOTIVA ENTERPRISES Mike Wakefield (770) 345-6175 MOUNTAIN VALLEY COMMUNITY BANK Don Allison (706) 865-1905 MURPHY OIL USA, INC. David Ridings (870) 918-1614 / (866) 678-7099 MUSKET CORPORATION JustinSchmidt (713) 332-5749 NAIL’S PROPANE, INC. Charles Nail (912) 375-5206 NETWORK FLEET Adam Haraz (858) 200-3458 NICHOLSON ENTERPRISES Carolyn M. Nicholson (770) 516-3872 NORTH AMERICAN MONEY ORDER CO. David J. Guest / Andy Cole (770) 360-9300 / 800-736-9212 OILMEN’S TRUCK TANKS, INC. John Faris / Larry Cochran (864) 573-7400 PS ENERGY GROUP Livia Whisenhunt (404) 321-5711 PAIGE’S MINIT MARKET, INC. Shaunda Kersey (912) 473-2755 PARAGON TRAILER CENTER Ray Canup (770) 387-3820 PATRIOT CAPITOL CORP. Chris Santy (404) 255-1770 PARTNERS PROPANE OF GA Janet Barrow Whitley (478) 862-4655 PATRIOT GAS COMPANY, INC. William R. Berry, III (912) 537-1943 PENN TANK LINES, INC. Bill Nothdorft (770) 457-1701 / (888) 447-7107 PERFORMANCE PROPANE & OIL, INC. Jim Strauss (770) 227-2343 PERIMETER TERMINAL Vince Kenny (404) 592-2540 PERRY GAS CO., INC. Judy Power (706) 778-2171 PETROFIL TANK LINES Richard Hill (229) 402-2430 PETROFLAME, INC. James White (770) 461-7494 PETROLEUM CARD SERVICES Claude Godfrey (866) 427-7297 ex. 123 PETROLEUM ETHANOL TRANSPORT Von Friesen (706) 342-3900 PETROLEUM SERVICES GROUP Brantley Crosby (912) 283-6606 PETROLEUM TRANSPORT CO., INC. Jay Boaz (336) 368-8974 / (800) 782-8785 W.S. PHARR COMPANY William S. Pharr / Joe Walker (770) 434-8440 PHILLIPS 66 Eric McMurphy / Sam El Chibani (281) 293-5227 / (800) 762-1012 PIERSON PROPANE, INC. George Pierson (478) 794-9025 PLACID REFINING CO., LLC Matt Pfister / Jon Swint (225) 346-7404 / (770) 253-3199 POULTRY GROUP, INC. Debbie Reese (912) 345-2308 PROFLAME LP GAS SERVICE, INC. Ron D. Brown (706) 745-6083 PURE OIL JOBBERS COOP., INC. (SOJC) Frank Dotson / Graham Varn (803) 328-5284 QUALITY LP GAS, INC. Ferrell Duncan, Sr. (912) 377-7442

QUICK BUYS FOOD STORES Sanjay Patel (912) 855-2174 QUIK MART OF TENNILLE Twanda Phillips (478) 552-5080 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO. David B. Riser (336) 741-0727 RED TOP MARKETING, INC. Mary Stein (770) 926-4050 RELIABLE HYDRAULICS, INC. Terry R. Stookey (404) 799-8554 RENEWAL ENERGY GROUP, INC. Larry Breeding/Kaitlin Westphal (888) REG-8686 ROBERTS &SONS PROPANE CO. Joseph Roberts, Sr. 478-452-0514 ROME LP GAS, INC. Ronnie Kilgo (706) 232-1086 S.P. PETROLEUM TRANSPORTERS, INC Steven Paul (404) 361-0556 S&SBUTANE GAS SERVICE Mike Salmon (706) 857-1323 SHADY VENT ALUMINUM PROD., INC. Smitty Dugger (770) 943-5977 CLAYTON SHEPPARD ENTERPRISES Clayton Sheppard (478) 553-102375 STARMART, INC. Sohil Rahman (770) 386-8733 SHEPPARD BROTHERS GAS& APPLIANCE CO., INC. Donald O. Sheppard (912) 564-7409 SIKES PROPANE, INC. John D. Sikes (912) 367-1151 SNELLINGS WALTERS INSURANCE AGENCY Mike Iverson/Clay Snellings/Steve Harmon (770) 396-9600 SOURCE NORTH AMERICA Rob Otersen (800) 556-5902 SOUTHEAST PROPANE, INC. Jess Gillard (912) 632-7830 SOUTHEASTERN CANOPIES, INC. Milton &Jim Smith (205) 669-9955 SOUTHERN LP GAS, INC. Paul Widener (770) 258-7532 SOUTHERN OIL TRANSPORT Steve Foushee (706) 733-8135 SOYMET 101 LLC Lindsey Evans/ Fran Smith (706) 802-1110 STAR GAS OF CORDELE, INC. Marshal Brown (229) 273-6506 STEWART CANDY COMPANY Jimy Stewart (912) 283-1970 STRICKLAND PROPANE, INC. Anthony C. Brazzell (912) 748-4422 SUMMIT SOFTWARE Julia Belvin (800) 433-5724 SUNOCO, INC. Tony Lauro/Bobby Hardee (704) 721-0006/(843) 670-7256 SUN TRUST BANK Mike Lowe (770) 242-1732 SUPERIOR PETROLEUM TRANSPORT, LLC Jeff Stone (770) 364-7276 TALMAN TANK & EQUIPMENT CO. Jack Talman (813) 247-3021 TAYLOR GAS, INC. John Taylor (770) 964-3357 THE CORNER STORE, INC. Donald Flanagan (706) 864-0173 THE FUEL DESK, LLC Shirley A. Gunn (770) 888-8600

THE JACK OLSTA COMPANY Nick Jessen (423) 313-4532 THE PANTRY, INC. Naill Alnatour (919) 774-6700 THE PUMPING STATIONS, INC. David F. Sandbach (706) 738-5961 THE RIGHT STUFF FOOD STORES, INC. Robert W. Eaves, III (404) 257-8822 TOCCOA SERVICE GAS CO., INC. Jack Leverett (706) 886-4050 TOMPKINS PETROLEUM TRANSPORT, INC Howard Tompkins (404) 294-1712 TOTAL IMAGING Bob Licciardi 770-536-7906 TRANSMONTAIGNE, INC. Mike Piermatteo (813) 294-8511 TRANSPORT TANK SERVICE LLC Douglas Flanders (770) 454-9988 TRANSPORTATION SAFETY CONS., LTD Charles E. Ramsey (843) 280-3442 TRI-STARR INVESTIGATIONS Rodger Rehorn (770) 388-9841 / (800) 849-9841 TRU FLAME GAS COMPANY Robert C. Collins (706) 554-9818 TRUCK & TRAILER OF MACON, INC. Larry K. Day (912) 784-0000 TRUE NORTH TRANSPORTATION/PETRO TRANSPORT Mary Farmer (770) 385-8075 TSD CAPITOL GROUP Kip Dominy, Joe Taylor & Bill Schroth (706) 850-0776 USA GAS INC. Stan Watkins (706) 279-2900 US ENERGY AFFILIATES Jim Borland (706) 453-2828 UNITED PUMP & CONTROLS, INC. B. J. Benton (770) 662-0440 UNIVERSAL PETROLEUM SERVICES INC. Eddie West/Robin Sweet (904) 394-1160 USHER TRANSPORT INC. Ryan Usher (770) 457-7747 VALERO MARKETING &SUPPLY Scott Hamlin (251) 607-0400 Kevin Johnson (404) 989-5459 VALLEY PROPANE, INC. Robert W. Sheppard, Jr. (706) 485-6010 TASH J. VAN DORA, ATTORNEY AT LAW (706) 377-4044 VIGAS INC. Kathy Hill (770) 867-6015 WJET, INC. John E. Thompson (404) 355-4555 WERTS WELDING Don Wilcox (800) 893-1511 WESTERN REFINING Kevin Derr (757) 848-8066 WILHOIT GAS CO., INC. Bill Ard (706) 465-2243 WILHOIT PROPANE, INC. Alton Johnson (706) 465-2243 WILLIAMS AND WILLIAMS Dick Williams (404) 325-9360 WOODSTOCK PROPANE Mike Hill/Steve Pearson (888) 588-9822 YONAH PROPANE COMPANY Kellie Partain (706) 865-7324 YOUNGS TANK, INC. Cary Young / Russell Hamilton (800) 345-7952

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 17

IRVING L. BLACKMAN New Law Opens New (Wow!) Opportunities For Successful Family Business Owners Joe and Mary (both in their early sixties) consider themselves blessed. Joe started his one-man-show business in 1975. The first dozen years were a struggle. Then revenue and profits began to blossom.

More customers. More employees. Now, two key employees are his only kids, Sam and Sid. After college Joe insisted they work elsewhere for three years. They did. Got great experience. Now the boys run the business (Success Co.), with (when necessary) some coaching and help from Joe. First, let’s take a look at Joe’s current wealth. This year’s annual personal financial statement prepared for the bank by Joe’s CPA (Cal) shows a net worth of $18.5 million. Included are two homes: the primary residence in Michigan and Mary and Joe’s winter home in Florida… the land and building leased to Success Co… Joe’s 401(k) [$1.1 million]… a stock and bond portfolio [$1.6 million]. The prime asset, of course, is Success Co., which Cal values at $11.7 million.

How did Joe feel about taxes? Income taxes are okay. “The price of doing business in America,” he would declare. But estate taxes, he fumes using a few expletives to describe his feelings toward what he calls, “A double tax on success.”

Now let’s talk about ( Joe’s) taxes… estate taxes. The president signed the new tax law, avoiding the “fiscal cliff,” on January 2, 2013.

The part of the law concerning estate taxes made two significant changes: (1) lowered the top estate tax rate to 40% (55% by old law) starting in 2013; and (2) continuing forever $5 million (tied to inflation) that is free of the gift or estate tax, starting on January 1, 2013. Because of inflation the free amount rose to $5.125 million in 2012 and is now $5.25 million for 2013.

Are you married?... That’s times two or $10.5 million for 2013…

And will grow in future years, boosted by inflation.

As soon as ( January 3) Joe heard the new estate tax news he called a meeting with Cal and his attorney (Lenny, specializing in estate planning).

Joe had questions: First, “What would my estate tax be on my current net worth?” Everyone had a copy of Joe’s latest personal financial statement. “In the $3.2 million range,” answered Lenny.

“But my wealth grows almost every year, particularly the value of Success Co. What happens to the estate tax cost as my wealth rises?” “Well,” responded Lenny, “for every $1 million in increased wealth, your estate tax bill will go up $400,000.”

The Problem Joe kept asking questions. Lenny or Cal would answer. Then Cal said, “Let me try to summarize the problem and once we all agree on the problem, we will try to solve it.” After a bit of give-and-take discussion, all agreed this is Joe’s problem: Joe’s wealth is already in the highest estate tax bracket (40%). The value of Success Co. continues to grow. It should be removed from his estate (by some kind of transfer to Sam and Sid) as soon as possible. Joe must retain control of Success Co. for as long as he lives. Also, Joe and Mary must have a flow of income to maintain their lifestyle when Joe retires in three years.

All agreed the above was the problem to be solved. A long discussion followed concerning the fate of Success Co.: sell the company to Sam and Sid; give it to them; have the company 18 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

redeem Joe’s stock; different variations and combinations.

No cigar. Try as they would, a viable solution could not be found.

The next day Joe called me.

The Solution Joe sent me a file of documents that, together with his input, brought me up to speed on the problem. What Joe did not realize is that his problem is not unique. Many family business owners have been down the same frustrating path.

A sale kicks up current capital gain tax. A gift means no more income to Joe and Mary. Variations suffer one or both disadvantages.

And inflation, for either a sale or gift, remains an unknown fear factor for Joe when he retires.

What to do?

Enter a concept called “Spousal Access Trusts.” (SATs). As you will see SATs, which are irrevocable, solve every issue raised by Joe’s problem.

The first step in creating SATs for Joe and Mary is to divide the Success Co. stock so Joe and Mary each own 50% of the nonvoting stock.

NOTE: If you do not have voting/nonvoting stock, it is a simple tax-free transaction to create them. Typically, Joe will keep (say 100 shares) the voting stock and control of Success Co. The nonvoting stock (say 10,000 shares) are gifted to the SATs: 5,000 shares to Mary’s trust and 5,000 to Joe’s trust.

Now Joe and Mary can each use all or a portion of their $5.25 million gift tax free exemption when gifting the nonvoting stock to the trusts.

An important tax note: nonvoting stock is entitled to various discounts of about 40% making the 10,000 shares that were gifted to the SATs worth only about $7 million (rounded) for tax purposes.

Joe’s trust, in simple terms, gives Mary a right to the trust income for life, and at her death the trust assets go to Sam and Sid. Mary’s trust does the same for Joe. It is critical that the trusts be drafted in such a way as to be different in order to avoid the so-called “reciprocal trust doctrine,” which would pull the gifts made back into the grantor’s estate. So, make sure you work only with an advisor who is experienced in drafting and working with SATs. The second and final step is the operation of the SATs on a yearto-year basis. Joe and Mary are limited to working only with their spouse’s trust to get the income they need from time to time. Any income that they do not take, stays in the trust and will eventually go to their heirs (kids and grandkids) estate tax-free.

A little summary: The results of the SATs for Joe and Mary are (1) Success Co. is out of Joe’s estate, but he keeps control; (2) the income earned by Success Co. in the future will be available to Joe and Mary as needed; (3) when Joe and Mary have gone to the big business in the sky, (a) Success Co. and (b) all of the nonused income accumulated over the years in the SATs will go to Sam and Sid… free of the estate tax.

Joe’s comment – “WOW!” … even Lenny and Cal agreed.

If you have a business succession problem, logic tells you to consider SATs.

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GEORGIA OILMEN’S ASSOCIATION Roger T. Lane, President Robert H. "Hugh" Burkett, Jr., Chairman of the Board (770) 995-7570 • Fax (770) 995-9757 GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 19

BETSI BIXBY

Meridian Associates, Inc.

Win Bigger by Shredding These

TOP

LOSERS

Lurking underneath even the biggest, fattest bottom line is what every marketer hates to face or even think about - the losers. You may even lull yourself into mistakenly thinking they aren’t there. But, they are. Sneaky little cracks in even the best company’s armor.

See how each of these six typical losers could be dragging down your results and then take action to eradicate them.

Revisit this list each year as a discipline.

1

The money-sucking hard asset. This can be as big as a division, or perhaps a single bulk plant or store, or as mundane as a worn-out truck. It’s the one you keep wishing will make money, it’s just about to turn the corner...but...it doesn’t. Someday, you say, I’ll be glad I have it. But how much cash, time and attention will it drain from you and your team while you are waiting? Lease it, sell it, but don’t keep watching it lose money.

Maybe it’s just the truck that keeps breaking down causing frustrated customers, dispatch, drivers and customer service.

Bite the bullet and get a new one. When you add up the personnel hours and drama, new looks far less costly.

2

The underperforming but loyal employee.

You know the one - the person that has been there for years and years; used to be a star; loves your company. But, who are you kidding because they don’t love it enough to learn a new technology or change how they do things. After all, they’ve done it their way forever and it’s worked all these years, so why change? You love them, they love you.

So a little wake up call. It’s time for you to define that love using clear, expected, and agreed upon results. It means the “heart to heart” talk. And, if you find in that talk they are not willing to be defined by results, you must help move them to their next career.

Non-performers are like an anchor on a ship wanting to sail. Sure if the wind is strong enough, you can drag the anchor along. But it weighs down the whole ship, making the rest of the crew’s job more difficult. And it’s highly likely the same crew is secretly losing respect for you because of your inaction.

The solution is to jointly create measurable job goals and expectations. Your non-performer may surprise you by rising 20 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

to the task or they may choose the door. If they don’t hit the mark, you must show them the door, humanely of course.

No one promised that being CEO isn’t a tough job. But you don’t bless them by allowing them to wallow in sameness when the world is changing.

3

The used-to-be-profitable big customer.

How did a high profit, great customer end up where they are now? It happens slowly, usually so gradually you aren’t sure how it happened. That wonderful customer just simply isn’t so wonderful anymore. The margin has disappeared. Maybe they gripe. Or demand. Or shop around and leverage. No matter how great your service, it’s just not good enough. You and your team may be killing yourselves to keep them happy, but somehow they are never fully happy.

As CEO, it’s time for you to step in and have the hard conversation with the customer. You may actually carve out an agreement and make some money again. Or, you may agree that it’s best you go your separate ways and suggest or even help them find a new supplier. (Think of the shock! No one does that!)

But pretending you aren’t losing money, or wishing that they would change won’t solve your problem. You can motivate yourself to action by listing the true cost of continuing to serve this customer as you are now. Don’t forget personnel time, or other customers perturbed when you prioritize delivery schedules. Then, as you look at your costs, think about shifting that red ink to a competitor you don’t like. You might even get a little smile as you dial for the visit appointment.

4

Your biggest personal time waster. I don’t care what wonderful time management system you are using, there is still that one thing you are doing that you shouldn’t. It’s a big waste of your time that could be spent on far greater yielding activities. Whether it’s as mundane as email, internet surfing, or something that seems important like jumping into an employee situation, knowing deep down they should be educated to competently solve their own problems, it’s your personal loser. see top 6 losers page 21

top 6 losers continued from page 20 Think through your typical day. Then, write a list of what you do that you shouldn’t. It’s likely you’ll have a decent size list if you are honest with yourself. From that list, choose the biggest loser you want to rid yourself of through deletion or delegation. One friend of mine calls this his STOP DOING list and committed this year to eliminate one each month. Can you imagine how much more time you’d have for strategy and steering your ship by getting rid of 10 mundane time wasters?

5

One spreadsheet outside your software.

In today’s marketplace, you must be super efficient to survive. Most home offices use only a fraction of their software’s capabilities and worse create spreadsheets to work outside the system. Ask your team for a list of spreadsheets they use regularly in their job as well as how much time they spend on each (monthly, weekly, daily - however they choose to report is fine).

Then, call your software vendor, share the lists, and ask them what they could easily automate without additional charges. You’ll be amazed at how much time you will save, and errors! Once your team is shown they save time, and automation is accurate, they’ll be on board to rid themselves of efficiency-robbing spreadsheets.

6

The Unneeded Report. Once you tackle the spreadsheets, move on to asking your team what reports they run and where they go. Then check in with who gets them to see if they even read or use them.

A very successful private investor shared with me that no matter how complex his companies are, he wants to see only a one page report that has everything he needs for major strategic decisions and guidance. If this guy can do it running multiple companies with billions in sales, you can do it.

Also watch for situations where you or your team must run a report to get a single piece of vital data. In today’s real time, data rich systems, running reports should become non-existent.

Think of the profit improvement you could have just six months from now if you tackled one of these six losers each month. Want to improve faster? Tackle two per month and be rocking it by the end of a single quarter!

If an expert, outside eye to help spot hidden opportunities and be support for your team to execute on great ideas might appeal to you, visit our www.MeridianMpower.com webpage.

Meridian can provide fabulous resources for less than most companies invest in an entry level employee per month.

May eliminating your six losers put you on the path to more profit!

GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 21

ELLIOT EISENBERG, Ph.D.

Inflation - What

Inflation?

O

2.1 to 1.5. These are dramatic declines.

Inflation hawks contend that it’s just a matter of time before inflation inevitably appears. I don’t think so, and here’s why - when bank lending returns to historic levels, Bernanke and the rest of the interest-rate setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will start to shrink the money supply to counteract the increased lending. The first thing the FOMC will do is announce that the current bond buying program will end.

Then it will announce that interest earnings on its huge holdings will not be reinvested, but rather will be stored in the vault as will principal repayments from maturing bonds.

The Fed will then start to raise short-term interest rates and finally it will begin to liquidate its vast holdings of mortgagebacked securities and long-dated Treasuries in an effort to chronically shrink the money supply.

Of course the Fed will not perfectly time each phase in this contractionary fiscal policy program. If they tighten too quickly, it will result in weak quarter or two of economic growth. And if they tighten too slowly, a bit of inflation may result. In either case, no systematic increase in inflation should be expected because the Fed is preoccupied with this issue and because investors expect the Fed to be vigilant about keeping inflation tame.

Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is President of GraphsandLaughs, LLC and can be reached at Elliot@graphsandlaughs.net. His daily 70 word economics and policy blog can be seen at www.econ70.com.

ver the last five years the prices of gold, silver and platinum have all risen dramatically out of fear that rampant inflation will appear. After all, the size of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet has exploded from $800 billion in 2008 to $3 trillion today and will rise to $4 trillion by the end of 2013. Simple logic says that adding over $3 trillion dollars to the money supply in such a short time must create inflation. And, if inflation is not here now, it surely will be sometime in the near future, right? Maybe not.

Think about inflation like a racing car. For the car to go fast you need gas in the tank and a driver willing to put the pedal-to-the-metal. Absent either one, the car goes nowhere; same with inflation. For inflation to take hold, you need both an increase in the money supply and lots of bank lending. However, lending, for a number of reasons, has been chronically weak. Banks are fearful loans won’t be repaid; they are scared they will run afoul of new regulations, and more generally they feel that regulators don’t want them to lend. In addition, in 2009, 2010 and 2011 banks were hard at work fixing their own balance sheets and were really not in a position to extend credit. Returning to our racing car analogy, the driver is pressing the gas pedal very gingerly.

To give you a feeling for how lightly the gas pedal is being pushed, the velocity of money, or the number of times a dollar circulates before it comes to rest, has (along with other similar monetary measures) tanked. Before the Great Recession, the velocity of M1 (cash) was 10.5, it’s now 6.5, while for M2 (cash and checking accounts) it declined from

Manager's CORNER

Tackle Staffers’ Performance Problems Head On As a manager, you’re responsible for the performance of all your employees. That means dealing with poor performance from time to time. It doesn’t have to be unpleasant, but it’s necessary if you want to help all your employees work to their maximum potential.

Try this process: with the employee. Don’t try to deal with performance • Meet issues via email, or in passing. Hold a meeting to discuss the situation in detail. the problem. Without getting excited, or • Explain making any personal comments, tell the employee what you’ve observed and why it’s a problem. Be sure he or she understands the impact on co-workers and on the organization as a whole.

•

•

Listen to the employee. Find out what’s going on. The problem may be caused by something out of the employee’s control — maybe he or she needs more training, or a co-worker isn’t performing up to standards, either. You won’t know what to do unless you listen calmly and without interrupting.

Reinforce the positive. Most employees will respond by trying to do better. Praise them for their efforts so they realize you’ve got a stake in their performance, and so they know you’re on their side.

—Adapted from the Successful Meetings website

Make Your Workplace A Positive Place To Be A positive culture can help you inspire and retain great workers.

Does your department live up to the ideal? Yes ­— if you’ve embraced these essentials: • Respect. In positive cultures, workers feel valued and supported. Collaboration is more important than competition.

• Trust, Information should be shared, not hoarded. Make integrity and honesty the rule.

22 | GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013

• Fairness. Managers don’t play favorites in positive cultures.

Deploy praise and discipline without partiality.

• Community. Workers in positive cultures have a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

• Satisfaction. In positive cultures, people take pride in their work and understand how individual efforts contribute to the whole.

—Adapted from the Ceridian website

CALL TO ENROLL TODAY!!

PO Box 1330 Corbin, KY 40702 Phone: (888) 747-8423 or (865) 925-4520 | (865) 357-0650 Fax: (866) 875-2204 www.advancedpetroleum.net GEORGIA PETROLEUM MARKETER | FEBRUARY 2013 | 23

GEORGIA OILMEN’S ASSOCIATION INC. 1775 SPECTRUM DRIVE, SUITE 100 LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA 30043 TELEPHONE (770) 995-7570 FAX (770) 995-9757

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