AFPM Annual Meeting Opens with Call to Develop America's Energy Resources to Benefit the Nation

SAN DIEGO, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The refining and petrochemical industries can help build a better future for the American people if regulatory conditions are improved and the nation is allowed to develop its abundant energy resources, leaders of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers said at the opening of the association's Annual Meeting today.

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AFPM Chairman James Mahoney, who is executive vice president for operations excellence and compliance of Koch Industries, opened the Annual Meeting by discussing the importance of manufacturers and how they benefit America, despite an often challenging business and regulatory environment.

"Elected officials from both parties routinely praise American manufacturers, but often fail to acknowledge that we are American manufacturers," Mahoney told AFPM members. "Our members support 2 million jobs and the oil and gas sector as a whole supports more than 9 million. We have the potential to do much more and put many more Americans to work, if only the restraints on our industry would be loosened."

AFPM President Charles T. Drevna reiterated the message of the value of American manufacturers, and detailed the potential opportunities available to America if the nation's tremendous energy resources are developed.  

"For more than a century, we've played a critical role in moving the nation forward here at home and on the world stage," Drevna said. "In times of peace and prosperity or war and woe, our industry built on opportunity and confronted challenge with resolve and determination….  For AFPM, as we look to the next hundred years, we remain committed to a strong America as a vibrant player in the global economy." 

"The nation needs to hear that we are energy-rich, not energy poor," Drevna added. "The products we make and the jobs we provide will spark a new renaissance in manufacturing and a new prosperity for our country."

The AFPM Annual Meeting is the largest professional gathering of its kind in the world and marks the first Annual Meeting since the 110-year old trade association changed its name in January from the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association.  More than 1,600 people are attending this year's meeting.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers was chosen as a new name for the association because it better describes the work of members and their contributions to America's economic and national security.

The Annual Meeting runs through Tuesday. Keynote speakers at the event include Tesoro Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Gregory J. Goff, editor and publisher Stuart Rothenberg and best-selling author Vince Flynn.

The Annual Meeting features 77 presentations and 15 technical sessions on a wide range of topics including gasoline, crude oil supply, refinery operations, petrochemicals, conversion technologies and hydrocracking.

About AFPM
AFPM, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (formerly known as NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association) is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of virtually the entire U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels and home heating oil, as well as the petrochemicals used as building blocks for thousands of vital products in daily life. AFPM members make modern life possible and keep America moving and growing as they meet the needs of our nation and local communities, strengthen economic and national security, and support 2 million American jobs.

SOURCE American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers