New Officers and Funding Approved at PERC Meeting

During a meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) recently chose Chris DeFilippo of Superior Plus as its new chairman. The council also decided on its final slate of officers, which included Stuart Weidie of Blossman Gas as the immediate past chairman, Joe McGinn of Energy Transfer as the vice chairman for producers, Trent Hampton of Lakes Gas as the treasurer, Jeff Kerns of ThompsonGas as the secretary, and Chris Hill of Meritum Energy as vice chairman for marketers.

PERC approved the following funding requests during the meeting:

1. $1,495,000 for a 2023 partnership with industry organizations, supporting the council’s projects like advisory committee participation, code and standard development, research and development, agency outreach, and industry conferences and conventions. The funding will cover various costs, including travel, event fees, consultants, and salaries.

2. $614,000 for running the Learning Center and the grouping of yearly costs associated with PERC’s workforce training initiatives. This project will improve the repository and delivery system for educational resources.

3. $75,200 will be used to create a program for managing gas cylinders and a consumer safety campaign. The New England Propane Foundation spearheads an initiative to enhance safety outreach and communication strategies for 20-pound refillable gas cylinders. It involves citizens, cities and towns, recycling and waste management facilities, and public officials.