Operations

ECR International, Utica, N.Y., appointed Michael Klas director of sales and marketing. Klas’ responsibilities include overseeing the company’s brand and channel management as well as leading the North American sales team. Klas previously worked for Uponor, where he held the title director of sales for the Eastern region.  He was responsible for both the heating and plumbing sides of the ...

​Wayne Frank, who worked for W.B. Hill, East Longmeadow, Mass., for 20 years, died on June 21, the company announced. He was 75 years old. Frank worked in the trucking industry for over 50 years. He started selling Brockway and Peterbilt trucks in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He changed to lift axles, and then tank truck and trailer parts, becoming parts manager ...

Northeast Technical Institute hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new campus in Bangor, Me. “The new campus will not only help us better serve our current students, but we believe it will help the region as a whole with increased educational resources and training opportunities,” Jim Liponis, Northeast Technical Institute’s president, said in a June 6 statement. Northeast Technical Institute ...

Regional, one-day seminars designed to educate fuel wholesalers, distributors, retailers, marketers, fleets, and municipalities on the benefits and opportunities of biodiesel are being held in various cities around the country. The first was in Boston, Mass., on June 12., and four more are scheduled. The sessions are designed to provide an understanding of biodiesel’s place in today’s liquid fuels supply ...

Otodata, a tank monitoring company based in Montreal, is a new entrant in the U.S. market this year. Otodata’s hardware contains two SIM cards, allowing Otodata to switch its monitoring system from AT&T to other carriers dynamically, says Andre Boulay, Otodata’s president. The design is “not only to make sure the unit has communication capabilities, but to optimize the battery ...

Sal’s Propane, Inc., a family-owned company based in Los Angeles, Calif., has sold its commercial propane business to Energy Distribution Partners (EDP), Chicago, Ill. Sal’s Propane provides propane and propane equipment to commercial and industrial customers throughout Los Angeles, and operates a wholesale business in the same territory. The company, which has been serving customers in the Los Angeles area ...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of grant funding to modernize the nation’s diesel fleet by retrofitting or replacing vehicles with cleaner, more efficient diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $40 million in Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA) grant funding to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds. “These grants will incentivize improvements to aging diesel ...

The Knowledge Exchange, a mentoring program run by the NPGA Women in Propane Council, is entering its third year. Mentors are industry veterans who volunteer their time. “They’re basically donating their time to help with the development of fellow employees within the industry,” Jennifer Jackson, a vice president for Thompson Gas in Boonsboro, Md., said. Jackson is the project manager ...

Bergquist, Inc., a wholesale propane equipment distributor, updated its Online Storefront to improve user experience, simplify transactions and increase access to its product catalog. The updated storefront is designed to look less like a catalogue and more like an online retail store. “We used feedback from our customers to improve the layout and experience,” said Don Montroy, director of marketing ...

Trying to figure out how to sell your customers on a tune-up this spring? Here’s how Nicholson Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, based in Holliston, Mass., on behalf of other companies, they encourages homeowners to schedule their HVAC tune-ups and consider hiring Willard Power Vac to do your works before summer arrives. The family-owned home service company, and recipient of ...