What's New at WSPA
Patty Senecal
Patty Sencal to head WSPA Southern California operation
March 30, 2010
The Western States Petroleum Association is pleased to announce that Patty Senecal will be taking over as Manager of the petroleum industry trade association’s Southern California Region effective April 1, 2010.
Ms. Senecal has more than 25 years experience in the goods movement and logistics industry, including several years as an officer in a Los Angeles-based firm, Transport Express. She has been a leading advocate for the goods movement and transportation industry in California on environmental issues that impact competiveness of trade sensitive businesses in California. She has represented the International Warehouse Logistics Association and the Harbor Truckers for Sustainable Future and Port Logistics Group.
Catherine Reheis-Boyd, WSPA’s President, said the Association is fortunate to have someone with Ms. Senecal’s breadth of experience. “Patty is a tremendously talented, poised and accomplished advocate for businesses and consumers. Her experience as a successful businesswoman and a respected spokesperson and advocate will undoubtedly serve WSPA members well in the years to come.”
Ms. Senecal replaces Jodie Muller who was promoted to WSPA’s Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs and Constituency Development January 1, 2010. The Southern California office is responsible for representing WSPA members who operate six refineries and several marine terminals.
Formed in 1908, WSPA is the oldest petroleum trade association in the United States. The Association represents 28 companies that explore for, produce, transport, refine and market petroleum and petroleum products in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
Guy Bjerke
Western States Petroleum Association Names New Bay Area Manager
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tupper Hull
January 13, 2010 (916) 498-9203
SACRAMENTO – Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) has announced that Guy Bjerke joined the oil and natural gas trade association as its Bay Area Manager on January 7, 2010. Bjerke is replacing Dennis Bolt who is retiring effective March 1, 2010, after a successful ten years with the organization.
As Bay Area Manager Bjerke will oversee WSPA’s public affairs and issue advocacy programs for members which include the five Bay Area petroleum refineries.
“Guy brings a tremendous amount of experience and dedication to this position and we are privileged to have him,” said Reheis-Boyd. “He has been a leader in the East Bay and the communities in which he has lived and worked all his life. We are looking forward to working with Guy to continue serving the energy needs of those communities.”
The Western States Petroleum Association is the leading petroleum industry trade association in six western states - California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Its twenty-eight members include major integrated oil and natural gas companies as well as independent refiners and marketers, and independent producers. Formed in 1906, it is the oldest petroleum industry trade association in the United States.
Bjerke, 48, joins WSPA after working as the City of Antioch’s Economic Development Director for the past four years and nearly 17 years for the Home Builders Association of Northern California.
Bjerke is a Concord resident currently serving on the Concord City Council and as the city’s Mayor. A lifelong resident of Contra Costa County, Bjerke and his wife, Denise, have two children who attend St. Mary’s College in Moraga.
He holds a Bachelor or Arts degree from California State University, Sacramento, where he majored in government.
Bob Pool Becomes Manager, Production Regions & State Waste Issues
December 18, 2009
Memorandum
To: Interested Parties
From: Catherine Reheis-Boyd
Joe Sparano
Re: WSPA Organization Transition Plan
We are pleased to announce that Bob Poole, WSPA's Senior Coordinator,
Coastal Region, State Marine and Property Tax Issues, will become
Manager, Production Regions and State Waste Issues effective January 1,
2010.
Bob will be taking over the duties of Suzanne Noble who will become
Vice President, Regional Issues and Chief of Staff on January 1. WSPA
is seeking applications to replace Bob as Senior Coordinator, Coastal
Region, State Marine and Property Tax Issues.
Bob's promotion was approved by the WSPA Production Committee and is
part of a 90 day transition plan that was unveiled last month. That
plan includes a number of staff changes at WSPA, including the
appointment of Catherine Reheis-Boyd as President. Current President,
Joe Sparano, will become Executive Advisor to the Chairman of the WSPA
Board of Directors.
WSPA Organization Transition Plan
November 23, 2009
Memorandum
To: WSPA Members
From: Catherine Reheis-Boyd
Joe Sparano
Re: WSPA Organization Transition Plan
WSPA's Board of Directors has approved a transition plan for the
Association that becomes effective January 1, 2010, the same day
Catherine Reheis-Boyd becomes WSPA's next President.
The new organizational structure includes a continuing role for
outgoing President Joe Sparano who plans to retire in March of 2011.
Joe will serve as Executive Advisor reporting directly to the Chairman
of WSPA's Board of Directors.
Joe will focus his efforts on WSPA external communications activities
and on sharing his experience with and training WSPA staff members, as
they expand their responsibilities during the transition and following
his retirement.
Many of the responsibilities held by Cathy in her current role as
WSPA's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer will be
distributed to a leadership team comprised of vice presidents and
directors. Those leadership team members who will report directly to
Cathy, and their respective responsibilities, are as follow:
- Suzanne Noble, currently Manager, Production Regions and
State Waste Issues, will assume the newly created position of Vice
President, Regional Issues and Chief of Staff. Suzanne will be
responsible for management of regional activities and issues within the
asset committees - Bay Area, Southern California and Northwest Refining
Regions, and Production Regions as well as coordination of internal
association operations;
- Jodie Muller, currently, Manager, External Affairs and
South Coast Region, will become Vice President, Government and
Regulatory Affairs and Constituency Development - also a newly created
position. Jodie will be responsible for external advocacy programs
dealing with government, public affairs and constituencies, and for the
coordination of regulatory issues within the service committees -
Legal, Government Affairs and Cross-Regional;
- Tupper Hull will become Vice President, Strategic
Communications, continuing his key and successful contributions in
further expanding WSPA's political relevance though the use of clear,
direct and effective communications tools;
- Gina Grey will become Vice President, Strategic Policy,
Fuels, Southwest and Hawaii Regions, continuing her critically
important contributions and leadership role in the areas of addressing
fuels policy initiatives and implementation efforts, along with
management of regional issues in the Southwest and Hawaii;
- Steve Slakey will become Vice President, Finance,
Administration and Human Resources. Steve's expanded responsibilities
include the Association's finance and accounting and treasury
activities, budget planning and budget management activities,
administrative and human resources functions, and benefits
administration;
- Michaeleen Mason, currently Director, Statewide
Regulatory Issues, will expand her portfolio in the new position of
WSPA's Director, Climate Change Policy;
- Will Ferrari will continue as WSPA's Director,
Information Technology.In another organizational realignment, Mike Wang
will take on additional duties as Manager, Cross Regional Issues and
Legal Affairs, reporting to Jodie Muller. All other Managers will
report directly to Suzanne Noble in her role as the new Chief of Staff.
The transition plan includes three new positions. Two of the positions
are necessary to fill the positions being vacated by Suzanne and Jodie
in the producing regions and Southern California region, respectively.
The third new position involves converting a temporary clerical
position in the Sacramento office currently staffed through an
employment agency, to a full-time WSPA Administrative Assistant
position reporting to the Chief of Staff. Joey Martinelli will also
continue as Executive Assistant to the new President.
This announcement is an element of a specific 90-day transition plan
that will guide this effort starting January 1, 2010. The plan will
re-affirm WSPA's current goals, priorities and commitments, and will
set the strategic vision of the Association going forward.
Please join us in congratulating and supporting all of the WSPA staff
members in their new or modified organizational roles. We are
determined to continue bringing you, our members, the highest quality
service and the best possible value. If you have any questions about
this phase of the transition plan please contact Catherine at
cathy@wspa.org.
Catherine Reheis-Boyd Named New WSPA President
October 16, 2009
Dear WSPA Member,
I wanted to share with you some exciting news about WSPA and our incoming President, Catherine Reheis-Boyd.
The WSPA Board of Directors announced this month that Cathy would
become WSPA's next President effective January 1, 2010, and that I
would take on the role of Executive Advisor to the Chairman of the WSPA
Board until my retirement in March 2011.
We have been working to ensure a smooth leadership transition at WSPA
ever since last October when I announced to the Board my plans to
retire in March of 2011.
Cathy and I are very excited about this change in WSPA's leadership and
we support the new organizational arrangement wholeheartedly. We are
looking forward to continuing our collaboration and success as we take
on the many challenges facing the petroleum industry.
The press release announcing the Board's decision is below. You may also read it on WSPA's website.
Sincerely,
Joe Sparano
President