A Message from John Kleine
"It’s great to be back in New Orleans.
This city is going through a rebirth, and it is exciting and important for us to be a part of it," said John Kleine, BPAMA Executive Director, as he welcomed attendees of the 2007 BPAMA
Convention in New Orleans. Kleine stressed the critical importance of New Orleans to the industry as a whole. "With 60 branded marketers in the region, we have a vested interest in the future of New Orleans," he said.Kleine introduced the audience to this year’s theme: Driving Unsurpassed Performance Together – pointing out the continued growth upon a solid foundation with branded marketers, BP and affiliate members. Noting the annual convention is the one time a year all three come together to reflect on the past year and plan for the upcoming year.
Kleine spoke to convention attendees about the state of the industry, and how this impacts BPAMA’s mission. We are experiencing a volatile period, said Kleine, and BPAMA’s mission is more critical now than ever. "Structural changes and consolidation are occurring, and the coalition of BP and BPAMA is particularly important to accomplishing the joint goals of BP and your business."
Reflecting on the past year, it is clear BPAMA has served as the respected partner in these times, like never before. Kleine noted it is rare for a company to reach out to its customers for advice like BP has done with BPAMA over the past year. The risks are few and the rewards are many as the 2007 Convention demonstrated to those in attendance.
It is clear that collaboration is critical to driving unsurpassed performance. Over the last year, we have focused on the fundamentals to achieve operational excellence. “A key strength of the collaborative relationship between BP, branded marketers and BPAMA is the open candor and dialogue between us,” said Kleine. “The environment is rich with debate, challenges and sometimes disagreement – as it should be. If it’s not, then we have neglected the diversity that is inherent to our relationship,” he commented. The brand and fuels strategy are key examples of the strength of that collaboration.
Kleine gave convention attendees a high-level overview of what to expect in 2008 in terms of priorities and investment of time and resources. Noting we must continue on the road of successes from this past year, "We are improving our brand through executing a differentiated fuel offer and game plan. We are improving on supply – moving out of a rebuilding phase to create a sustainable operation for the future. Looking ahead, in the next chapter, we will be focusing on a differentiated fuel slate and moving from 'checkbook growth' to consumer-rewarded, sustainable growth of our brand."
Finally, Kleine touched on how we can continue to drive unsurpassed performance together. Referencing a three-legged stool displayed on stage, Kleine noted it was fundamental, functional and strong. The three legs represent the three parties driving the unsurpassed performance: Jobbers, BP and BPAMA. If each of the legs is supporting its weight, the consumer will choose BP as their preferred home for unsurpassed performance.
With these goals in mind, 2008 should be an exciting year for the productive coalition of BP and BPAMA, said Kleine. "Together, we can deliver a far greater value than either of us can achieve alone."