8 minute read
Q & A WITH CARTER VAILLANCOURT FROM DAIGLE OIL COMPANY
Daigle Oil Company (DOC), founded in 1955 by Guy Daigle in Fort Kent, Maine, started with a single truck delivering heating oil and kerosene. Over the past 65 years, DOC has become a leading energy provider, offering home heating fuels, gasoline, propane, and HVAC services. Now employee-owned, the company operates seven fuel stations and six home comfort centers across Northern Maine, serving residential and commercial customers. With 150 employees, DOC remains a reputable and vital part of the community, continuing the vision set by its founder.
WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE YOU IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE YOUR COMPANY'S LONGEVITY AND RELEVANCE OVER THE DECADES?
The two largest strategies Daigle Oil Company has implemented are its product/service diversification and its Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Being in a more rural area of [Maine], we have developed our product lines and cross-trained staff to accommodate all situations. It is common for any of our technicians or drivers to work 40-50 miles from the home office on any given day. When leaving for the day, they generally are prepared for whatever may come their way in that area. On the product side, we have developed over the years from a single fuel truck delivering heating oil and kerosene to offering onand off-road diesel, multiple grades of gasoline, propane, operating 7 retail stations, 6 automatic car washes, 6 remote diesel fueling depots, along with full HVAC service departments spread throughout Aroostook County. As for the second strategy, in 2015, the company was sold to an ESOP which allows the employees of the company to have ownership without any cost for them to invest. This has enabled employees to have a direct influence on company performance and, ultimately, the money going into their pockets. The better the company does, the better they do individually. Employees are the greatest asset to our business; allowing them ownership of it only creates that much more of a drive to propel the company forward.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE CHALLENGES OF OPERATING IN A HIGHLY REGULATED INDUSTRY WITH THE NEED FOR PROFITABILITY AND GROWTH?
As difficult and time-consuming as it is to run a business, the last thing anyone needs is someone trying to regulate them out of business. Realistically, we don't live in a perfect world. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by a great team, and together, we do our best to make sound decisions on a daily basis, maintain agility, and plan ahead for where the future is going. While we may not be able to control the regulatory environment, at the end of the day, we have a business to operate and need to work with the cards that are dealt in order to stay profitable and support the people who rely on us to be there for them.
WHAT DOES MEMA'S POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT MEAN TO YOU, AND WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED FROM BEING POLITICALLY ENGAGED?
Whether we like it or not, politics has become a large piece of our industry over the last decade. We are fortunate to have advocacy where we need it most and the right people in the right places to carry that forward. MEMA is the voice for all its members and, hopefully, future members, looking out for our best interests. Day in and day out, while most of us are busy running our own businesses, MEMA is working to protect the industry and, ultimately, the consumer. Through networking and the use of the MTEC lab, we have been able to open the eyes of many political figures to what our industry has to offer in a world of clean energy that exists today and meet the goals of the future.
WHAT FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE OR REGULATORY ISSUES (CONCERNING THE CONVENIENCE STORE OR ENERGY INDUSTRY) KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT?
Without a doubt, the combination of fossil fuel bans and the "electrify everything" movement. Research and public polling have proven that consumers want a choice in which energy products they use and do not want to be mandated into any specific type of energy. It is essential for all types of energy to co-exist, and our industry accepts and promotes that. These two issues are challenging to overcome, but initiatives like MEMA's Energy Choice bill at the State level and the "Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act" at the federal level are just a couple of examples of how our industry advocates are working to protect what the consumer desires.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE AS MAINE ENERGY MARKETERS EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIR?
I think back to our Executive board retreat in May of 2023, where, over the course of two days, our board was able to better define who we are and what we want to be. Amongst the legislative and regulatory challenges we face, we need to be open to all energy sources, continue advocating for liquid fuels, which is our core, promote and grow MTEC and the technical education we have to offer, as well as ultimately maintain a value-added approach in building our membership. My goal is to continue seeing those through and maintain the ability to look at MEMA from a general member perspective and answer the question, "Why should I be a member of MEMA"?
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW CAN ENERGY MARKETERS BEST PREPARE FOR SHIFTS IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS THE GROWING INTEREST IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES?
We must all pay attention and look ahead at what is around the corner. Consumer behavior, as well as technology, is ever-changing. We see it just in generational gaps from the baby boomers to Gen Z, where interests change based on experience and influential factors. Electric vehicles are a great example of that. However, the infrastructure is still in its infancy and uncertain, for that matter, to the point where patience is key for any energy marketer looking into it. It is important that we continue to be observant, do our research, work closely through our trade associations nationwide, and learn from the successes and failures of others.
Consumers want a choice in which energy products they use and do not want to be mandated into any specific type of energy.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL ENERGY SOURCES EVOLVING IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY AS RENEWABLE ENERGY BECOMES MORE PROMINENT?
I'm a firm believer of energy sources coexisting far into the future because the need is there. They each have their respective place in making the world go round, but some sources work better than others, depending on the application. Renewable fuels will continue to grow and play a role, but to be sustainable, they will need the help of traditional energy to get there.
WHAT ROLE SHOULD TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION PLAY IN THE ENERGY AND CONVENIENCE STORE INDUSTRIES?
Technology has been an integral part of these industries and will continue well into the foreseeable future. From implementing in-cab computers for delivery trucks and online customer portals to mobile pay options at c-stores, we live in a much more technologically driven world than ever before. It has evolved into a means of how we communicate with our customers, in addition to the traditional methods. In any event, they should make for a simplified, more streamlined process for both the marketer as well as the consumer.
WHAT ROLE SHOULD CONVENIENCE STORES PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY?
Convenience stores should be the "face" of main street business. Whether it is serving the locals or visitors from away, c-stores are an interactive piece of the community and the very front line of consumer engagement. In most cases, these stores are locally owned and operated through family businesses and can be the center of any small town. Often, it is the only establishment for miles. From gasoline to food and household items to hunting/fishing supplies, they have just about anything people would need. In today's fast-paced society, C-stores get you what you need and on your way in a hurry.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SMALLER, FAMILY-RUN BUSINESSES LOOKING TO GROW IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC AND REGULATORY CLIMATE?
It's important to stay optimistic and use your strengths to create solutions to the threats that exist. Sometimes, there is a silver lining for an opportunity that otherwise may not have existed. For any business, change is inevitable and you have to adapt in order to survive. Specific to the energy industry, the fuels we sell today may not be the same as those we sell in the future, but there is still room for growth. Be sure to educate your customers and communities, talk with your legislators, and don't be afraid to tell your story.
