The new chairman of the Kentucky Petroleum Marketers Association started small — pumping gas in Horse Cave, Ky. at age 15.

        Steve Harper, president of Harper Oil Products in Florence, which supplies Chevron, Citgo and Petro-Canada products to several hundred customers in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, was named chairman in mid-July.

        His first task is a daunting one: Changing the negative image of gas stations after the recent rise in prices.

        Earlier in the year when gas prices skyrocketed to $2.00 a gallon, many people blamed the station owners for taking advantage of the customers, Mr. Harper said, but gas station owners have little control over price range and is at the mercy of OPEC, the international oil cartel that sets production levels in oil-producing countries.

        The higher the wholesale prices get, Mr. Harper said, the less the margin is for a station owner to change the price.

        Mr. Harper said since the KPMA represents convenience store owners, it has a responsibility to defend them.

        KPMA executive director Richard Maxedon said he agrees that repairing the damage caused by the high gas prices is one of the most pressing issues for the KPMA.

        Mr. Harper is the best choice for chairman to tackle this issue, Mr. Maxedon said.

        “He is a man with a lot of experience in the industry and has been very active in our association,” Mr. Maxedon said. “He is able to motivate other members of the association and enlist their support.”

        Mr. Harper started in the oil business in 1970 at age 15, when he worked at a small service station in Horse Cave, Ky., filling gas tanks and worked at his father's factory for thirteen hours a day. Mr. Harper served as treasurer of the KPMA and has been active with them for years. Mr. Harper said being the chairman of the KPMA is a tremendous honor.

        “I am proud to be able to do it,” Mr. Harper said. “It's kind of humbling because there are some pretty good business people across Kentucky that could have been elected.

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