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BizVoice/Indiana Chamber – May/June 2016
The company’s rapid growth led to a new
location in Tennessee earlier this year.
GETTING TO KNOW
“My background had been
nothing but really corporate
until I came here, and I guess I
had every intention of coming
to Heritage and making
changes. But the reality is that
Heritage really changed me …
especially from the top down,
it’s really about customers and
people.”
– John Clark, chief financial officer
Heritage Petroleum
By Symone C. Skrzycki
Heritage Petroleum, LLC
RIDING HIGH
Driving development
• Monthly safety meetings at all satellite
locations
• Implemented six-course management
program
• Sales team receives training from major
vendors such as Exxon Mobile and
Phillips 66
Fueling camaraderie
• Employees receive spending money – and
transportation via golf cart – during a
week-long fall festival in downtown Evansville
• On-the-Spot awards recognize outstanding
performance
• 10:2 Prayer Time: Inspired by a biblical
verse, employees can submit electronic
prayer requests. Owner Tom Gabe keeps a
handwritten list of each one
“Whether they’re faithful or not, people
share what’s going on in their lives and it just
allows us to feel more like a family.”
In for the long haul
• Distributes heavy lubricants and a variety
of petroleum products
• Headquartered in Evansville
• Launched 50-plus years ago as two
companies – Gabe’s Oil and Wannamuehler
Oil – which combined in 2002 to create
Heritage Petroleum
Heritage horsepower
• Employees: 85
• Percent of workforce hired within last two
years: 25%
• Since 2013, the number of gallons sold per
year has skyrocketed by nearly 100%
Igniting change
• Community outreach includes I Am Second,
a national movement inspiring people of all
kinds to live for God and for others, the
Evansville City Transformation project and
additional endeavors.
“Our owners preach that Heritage is a platform
to do better – not just by our customers and
business, but also by our community.”
Heritage Petroleum is the
largest independent
petroleum distributor in
Southern Indiana.