Lakes Gas Acquires Foss-Johnson Oil

Lakes Gas Co., headquartered in Wyoming, Minn. acquired the propane and refined fuels delivery business of Foss-Johnson Oil, based in Walcott, N.D., Cetane Associates announced.

For nearly 70 years, Foss-Johnson Oil has been delivering home comfort in North Dakota’s Richland County. Founded by Ernie Johnson who initially named the company Johnson Oil, by 1955 the business was acquired by Ray Foss who renamed it to include his name. Ray’s family stepped in after his death and in 1991 his daughter Penny Cirks bought the business from her mother Lillian. The company today sells and delivers propane, heating oil, and diesel fuel to residential and light commercial customers. In the early 2000s, the company built more storage, and added buildings to its Walcott facility. The company later added a retail refueling station with gasoline and diesel to serve motorists traveling on the interstate.

 Owner Penny Cirks stated, “We are very happy that our company will become a part of Lakes Gas. We’ve built a great reputation for exceptional service which we know is a high priority for Lakes Gas as well.”

Family-owned for over 60 years, Lakes Gas Co. is now one of the largest propane providers in the Midwest, with 48 locations. President and CEO Trent Hampton commented, “We’re pleased to be working with the dedicated Foss-Johnson group and are proud to carry on their legacy. We take pride in our customer service professionals—this is a very good match.” The transaction closed on March 1, 2022. Cetane (www.cetane.net) served as arranger and business advisor to Foss-Johnson Oil.