New England Terminal Supplier Irving Oil Changes CEO Nov. 1 as Heating Season Builds

The Situation

New England dealers who lift fuel at Irving Oil terminals will have a new man at the top of their supplier just as winter loadings climb. Irving Oil said on Sept. 21, 2026 that Alfred Stern becomes president and CEO on Nov. 1, 2026, according to the company's release. Stern named safety, reliability and security of supply as the areas where he plans to invest. The change is at the top of a privately held refiner that stays independent. The company has announced no change to its terminals, supply programs or wholesale terms.

The Facts

Per the Irving Oil release, Stern joins the company on Oct. 1, 2026 and takes the top job at the handover. He comes from OMV AG, where he chaired the executive board and served as CEO, the release says. Lead director Maureen Kempston Darkes said the board ran a global search to find him.

Outgoing chief Jeff Matthews has led the company since January 2025 and retires after a 32-year career there, according to the release.

The appointment ends a long stretch of uncertainty. CBC reported that Irving opened a strategic review in June 2023 that weighed a sale or a new leadership structure, then said at the start of 2025 that the company would stay unsold. Irving has 4,000 employees, and its Saint John refinery processes 320,000 barrels a day, CBC reported.

Business Impact

A new CEO rarely changes anything at the rack on day one. Account managers, loading schedules and contract terms usually keep running while a new chief learns the business. The open questions come later. Irving has said nothing about whether Stern will reshape its New England terminal network, wholesale programs or rack practices. He has not laid out a strategy beyond his investment priorities. How the change affects any one dealer's supply agreement is also unknown.

What this means for your business: 1. Nothing Irving has announced alters the terms you signed. 2. A stated focus on reliability and supply security is the signal you want from a supplier you depend on in winter. 3. New leadership can bring staff moves, and those can shuffle the people who handle your account.

Key Takeaways

• Treat the leadership handover as a checkpoint for your Irving account. No announcement so far touches terminals or pricing programs.
• Watch for Stern's first strategy moves after he takes over, since his only stated priorities so far are safety, reliability and supply security.
• Keep a documented backup supply source so one scheduling problem in January never leaves your trucks without product.

Action Steps

1. 1.Pull your Irving supply agreement and flag renewal dates, allocation terms and notice clauses before the handover.
2. 2.List who at Irving handles your credit, scheduling and invoicing so you can spot a staffing change quickly.
3. 3.If Irving is one of your terminal or wholesale suppliers, call your rep this week to confirm your account contacts and winter lifting arrangements before the Nov. 1 handover, and keep a second supply option documented with current contacts and credit in place.

Competitive Advantage

Dealers who confirm their supply lines before a supplier's leadership change head into winter with fewer surprises. A confirmed lifting plan and a live backup account let you promise customers on-time fills with confidence. Competitors who wait for problems to show up will be making those calls in the middle of a cold snap.