MAPGA Summer Meeting 2009 Recap

The MAPGA Summer Meeting took place at the Grand Hotel in Ocean City, Maryland Sunday, July 26 through Wednesday, July 29.  Over 80 members, families and guests from 31 companies attended the meetings, seminars and meeting activities.  

"Overall, I was very pleased with the attendance and participation by members at the events and especially during the seminars when we had an opportunity to interact with our knowledgeable speakers.  I think that everyone who attended the meetings walked away with new information and new ideas to take back to their companies and that’s really what these meetings are all about.   Our association is growing, evident by the 7 new members this year, and the consensus is MAPGA membership generates a great return." Said MAPGA President Nash McMahan.

Sunday's golf tournament was held at the Man O'War course at Glen Riddle Golf Club.  The weather, which turned rainy later in the evening, was perfect during the day for hitting the links.  Four teams competed for a first-place team prize of $150.00 and all golfers had a chance at 4 "Closest to the Pin" prizes.  Taking home the team prize were Harry Tarsi of American Welding and Tank, Joe Cummiskey of Sharp Energy and new member Tim Carlson of Centennial Energy.  Carlson also won two of the Closest to the Pin prizes along with Steve Barton of Gas Equipment Company and Jeff Kerns of Thompson Gas.  Later in the evening, all members were invited to a welcome reception at the Grand Terrace Restaurant to meet and mingle.  Though a torrential downpour kept everyone inside, the rain did not dampen the spirits of the guests who had a great time reconnecting with friends and family.

The seminars on Monday and Tuesday were the true focal point of the meeting.  Monday's guests included Tom Jaenicke, Energy Advisor to PERC, Bob Purcell, President of Beachwood Incorporated Custom Builders, and Allen Luzak, owner of JCN Building Science and Environmental.  Tom Jaenicke provided a "train the trainer" presentation on how to successfully convey the message of propane as a ‘green fuel’ to prospect customers.  This presentation was followed by a panel discussion including long-time builder Bob Purcell and home energy consultant Allen Luzak who, Along with Mr. Jaenicke, answered questions from the audience about green building, energy efficiency, and what consumers want to know when switching to a propane-powered appliance or system. 

Tuesday's sessions included a presentation by Mike Gonder of MGSafer Services who discussed important DOT changes for marketers and a presentation by Stuart Flatow, PERC Vice-President of Safety and Training highlighting training tools available through PERC and the www.propanemarc.com website.  At Tuesday’s lunch, Stuart Flatow also presented the latest developments on the National Energy Conversation, T. Boone Pickens' commitment to the propane industry and advertising campaign developments that will be available soon for marketer use.

Despite the rain, members turned out to the Reel Inn and Dock Bar on Harbor Island, home to the White Marlin Open, for a special reception sponsored by members and open to all registrants and their families.   Tuesday’s Mini-Golf Tournament was a BIG success with over 20 participants.  Executive Director Jon Williams, Mike Boulden of Boulden Propane and Chad Easterday of Thompson Gas all scored holes-in-one!   

At Tuesday’s Annual "Crab Feast," participants enjoyed breaking into a table-full of large blue Maryland crabs, steamed shrimp, fried chicken and accompaniments.  After the feast, the winners of the 2009 Summer Golf Tournament were announced and all the kids who participated in the mini-golf tournament received prizes for their excellent sportsmanship!
At Wednesday’s Board of Directors meeting, the board discussed the need for strong participation by the membership in committees and emphasized that committees are the vehicle by which the Association will grow and flourish.  The Board also voted to add a new committee, the Suppliers committee, to be chaired by Bill Woodward with the ultimate goal of creating new and exciting networking opportunities at meetings for members. 

"This was my second meeting with the Association and I am truly encouraged and impressed by the increase in participation and the excellent feedback we’ve received.   We will continue to work with members and the committees to provide well-organized meetings, meaningful topics and great networking opportunities at all future MAPGA events." said Executive Director Jon Williams.