A Grateful Farewell

NPG said farewell to Mike Caldarera, whose last day at NPGA was December 2^nd. Our propane family will miss Mike tremendously but we are happy that he, Andrew, and Giana will have more time together (even if some of it might be spent watching the Saints).

Mike was a member of NPGA’s senior leadership for over 20 years and he made significant contributions to the propane industry.  Those accomplishments are too numerous to list but a few examples demonstrate the breadth of Mike’s technical expertise:

• Working closing with the Regulatory Task Force and TS&S Committee, Mike led research on hydrostatic pressure testing of certain bobtails, which led to a successful petition of PHMSA to extend the requalification period for these bobtails from 5 to 10 years, permanently reducing a regulatory hurdle for all marketers.
• Mike secured a meeting with several Class 1 railroads and facilitated productive in-person discussions regarding precision scheduling and its implications for propane railcars.  Mike enabled NPGA to serve as the voice of propane companies throughout the country.
• Dedicating decades to the safety and training of the propane workforce, Mike’s management, development, refinement, and instruction of the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) formed backbone of the propane industry’s training practices.

Mike’s technical abilities are notable and allowed him to make an indelible imprint on the industry.  But it is Mike’s kindness, thoughtfulness, and ability to connect with others that is his on-going legacy.  We send Mike off grateful to have had him as a colleague –and a reminder that Maryland is still close enough to meet for lunch.