Happy Father’s Day
A Father’s Day Tribute to the Dads and Granddads in the lubricants business.
JobbersWorld published a special edition on June 11, 2014 asking our readers to shine a light on their Dads and Granddads with pictures and memories about those that had an impact on our lives and the lubricant’s business.
Some of what we learned is said in the tributes below. Tributes that speak volumes about the impact fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, and others have on our lives. Tributes that too often go unsaid. With that…
Happy Father’s Day.
Wendy Warren-Spell
Christian and Greyson Spell
Warren Oil Company’s owner had a vision; I know because he is my father.
My father, Irvin Warren, worked hard day and night. I watched and worked beside him every summer and after school. He taught me the company and the oil industry. Nothing was ever easy for him, or us.
My father always told me you cannot know a company unless you start from the beginning and that’s where he started me.
I still have dreams of putting the old paper cans on the line by hand at age 7. At that time, it seemed the only thing I was learning was torture. But I was wrong, because he was teaching me more, much more!
An early part of what I was learning came a few months later when I was with my father in a line at Red & White grocery store. There was a man standing in front of us with two cans of our oil. My father tapped him on the shoulder and asked him about the product. He told him that I helped put the cans on the line. The man thanked us for helping him save money.
That was my first memory of being proud of hard work and how proud I was to have a father that wanted to help people save money.
Through the years, my father has shown my family that hard work and giving back to your community is what life is about and the way you grow.
My father never forgets his roots as the son of a farmer and the community that he came from. He still loves to ride tractors with his grandsons and talk to people in stores that are looking at his products or buying them. Family, passion and love created Warren Oil Company but it took my father to bring them all together and teach me what it means.
We love you dad and granddaddy!
Jeff Hart
EVP – Business Development
RelaDyne, LLC
Dear Dad…
I wanted to wish you a happy father’s day and thank you for being such an incredible role model to myself and so many others.
So let me tell you the short version of the story…
Ray Battersby is my father-in-law… but I proudly consider and call him my Dad. Ray grew up in Chicago as an Orphan, raised by Catholic priests and nuns. At age 18 he went on to the Navy and served in WW2. Back to Chicago post war, Ray needed a job and ended up working for Sinclair Oil delivering home heating oil. A couple years later, Sinclair made their drivers owner operators and Ray had an idea… Deliver for Sinclair during the day and at night crawl into the new homes being built in Chicago and put a sticker on the oil tank so they know who to call when they needed oil.
Well it worked.
In 1954 Mid-Town Petroleum was formed and Ray ran a great fuel and lubricants business for many years. His son, Bill Battersby, ran the business through the 80s and 90s and Ray continued to work there. I had the privilege of running the business from 2002-2010 and Ray continued to work there. In 2010, we sold the business and became one of the founding companies of RelaDyne (www.reladyne.com) and today Ray continues to work there as a valuable employee doing building, pump and truck maintenance as well as anything he is asked to do. Ray has been part of this great company and great industry for over 60 years. He celebrated his 88 birthday last month at work (picture).
So Dad, I have to say that you have taught me more about business than anyone else. More importantly, you showed me what determination, loyalty and integrity mean from a man that displays it every day in everything he does. Thank you for being such a great Dad, thank you for teaching me the business and thank you for showing me what it takes to be a great man.
Happy Father’s Day!
Love, Jeff
Bob Stolz
Chevron, GM North America Sales
My father always taught me to see the “good” in everyone. Never does he share a negative judgment. As a result he always builds enduring relationships with family members, co-workers, and his volunteer organization members. He continues an optimistic view of life and even enjoys a 60mph jet ski ride at the age of 92 from time-to-time.
Happy Father’s Day!
Meg Fenderson
Director of Management Information Services
GH Berlin Windward
We’re so grateful for our Dad (and Mom) and what they taught us in life and in business. By example, they taught us to work hard, to be motivated, innovative, enthusiastic and genuine. Dad taught us to take care of the customer and the customer will take care of you, while Mom taught us that cash is king. A winning combination, wouldn’t you say?
Though they no longer have to report for duty at the office every day, our parents continue to show us the way by embracing life, being active in their community and spending time with family.
Happy Father’s Day!
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Pictured above:Captain G. David Fenderson USNR Ret., |
Lindsay Baker Hegna,
Vice President Sales & Marketing, CAM2 International
I was writing my dad’s Father’s Day card when I received the Happy Father’s Day edition of JobbersWorld… it struck a chord with me.
My dad (Jack Baker) has been in the lubricant business for 40 years, first with Sun Oil selling CAM2 and then helped start CAM2 when the brand was purchased from Sun Oil in 1984. I was 4 years old at that time (please don’t do the math). Back then, my dad ran CAM2 out of our basement and my sisters and I often helped pack sample cases of oil in our garage. That’s us in the picture below; I am the little sister in the back, and more recently, standing with my dad.
Thanks to my dad, I learned not only the value of hard work, but how that hard work and dedication could pay off and grow a business to where CAM2 is today. I am honored each and every day that I get to work at CAM2 alongside my dad. I value the extra time I get to spend with him, but also the knowledge and lessons that I learn from him every day. My dad often quips that his father would always say to him “you can’t go to bed at night unless you learn at least one thing each day” – I am always pleased each day that I learn something from him and I know that my grandpa would be proud of him as well. I feel tremendously blessed each day to be a part of CAM2 and what my dad has built. I work tirelessly every day to put into practice the lessons and values my dad has taught me to help CAM2 be successful.
Happy Father’s Day.