What to Photograph When Your Congressman Visits (And Why Your First Customer Still Matters)

The Situation

When a sitting congressman tours your facility, which three accounts do you invite to stand in the photo? Fortner Gas Co. answered that question last month by placing agricultural and industrial clients next to Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., at its Princeton, Kentucky headquarters. Superior marked its 20th anniversary with a customer-recognition moment. The company's CFO, Joe Stariha, presented Almon and Patty Alton—Superior's very first account holders from 20 years ago—with a check covering a year of free propane. Both moments ran in LP Gas's September 21, 2026 Faces & Places feature.

The Facts

What Happened

Shane Fortner, Rollie Fortner and Chad Pepper hosted Rep. Barr alongside local elected officials and commercial accounts that burn propane at the Princeton headquarters. The LP Gas feature credited the Superior photo to Ella Davis, the company's marketing manager, and tied the presentation to Superior's 20th anniversary customer appreciation initiative. The feature doesn't detail what was discussed during Rep. Barr's visit.

Business Impact

Why It Matters

A commercial account standing next to a sitting congressman becomes part of your company's story with the district office long after the photo runs. Naming Almon and Patty Alton by name, 20 years after their first delivery, tells every customer on the books that loyalty gets remembered. Both items ran in the same trade feature, giving each dealer visibility with an audience beyond their own delivery route. ## What This Means For Your Business

1. 1.A district visit puts your best ag and industrial accounts in front of the people who set energy policy for your area. 2. Naming a milestone customer publicly signals to your whole customer base that long-term accounts get noticed. 3. Both moves cost a photo and a few minutes, not a marketing budget.

Key Takeaways

• A congressional visit photo puts your commercial accounts in front of district staff who set energy policy.
• Naming a milestone customer publicly signals that loyalty gets recognized.
• Both visibility moves cost a photo and a few minutes, not a marketing budget.
• The LP Gas feature doesn't detail what was discussed during the visit.

Action Steps

1. 1.List the ag and industrial accounts your CSR would want photographed if a member of Congress toured your operation this month.
2. 2.Pull the file on your company's very first customer and confirm they're still on your books before your next milestone anniversary.
3. 3.Ask your district office contact, or your rep's local staff, how site visits for area businesses get scheduled.
4. 4.Draft a customer thank-you letter this week that names your first account and ties it to a real anniversary date, the way Superior's 20-year mark did.

Competitive Advantage

A photo in LP Gas puts your dealer name in front of every competitor's office and every account manager reading the issue. The clients standing in your picture remember they were invited when the next marketer calls.