Episode 01: Peter Krueger: Lobbying
Krueger grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, attended college in Utah, and then served in the Air Force while working on his masters degree in business. “I was able to study while on duty at a missile launch site, so you might say I got my masters degree while babysitting ICBMs,” he quips.
After his military service, Krueger spent several years working at his in-laws’ general aviation business before establishing a lobbying firm in Reno. His experience and relationships in the Nevada state legislature brought him to the attention of the Western Petroleum Marketers Association board when the Nevada state executive position opened up, and he was hired in 1989 to handle lobbying efforts on behalf of Nevada petroleum marketers (like other WPMA federation members, general association tasks are carried out by WPMA from its office in Utah while state association executives serve on a contract basis).
Krueger’s first major issue as state executive entailed working to implement a fund to assist owners and operators of underground storage tanks in meeting the federal mandate of demonstrating financial responsibility for repair and cleanup in case of a leak. The bill passed and has been in place ever since. “This happened the year I started at NPM&CSA and it was a huge task for me right out of the gate, a real trial by fire,” he recalls. Other prominent items on his agenda include safeguarding the tax collection allowance granted to marketers to make up for fuel losses.
“Like any state executive, I’m working to establish and maintain relationships with legislators and regulators to be sure they understand the needs and issues of our marketer members,” says Krueger. “Petroleum issues can be very complex, and it’s a tough, competitive industry, so it’s critical that marketers’ interests be well represented at the table when it comes to laws and regulations. I really enjoy that part of the job.”
As he looks back on his years in the business, Krueger expresses concern about the shrinking number of family-owned marketing operations that results from mergers and acquisitions. “It’s troublesome for our membership rolls, of course, but more importantly, it represents a loss to our individual communities. The shift from local family businesses to larger entities that operate all over the state means fewer folks to sit on boards, to sponsor sports teams, to invest in their towns and cities. It’s probably my biggest concern at this point.”