PMAA Distinguished Service Award Committee Chair Steve Clark (Genesee Energy, Seattle, Washington) is pleased to announce that Benny Hodges, President and CEO of Hodges Oil Company, Inc. has won PMAA’s prestigious 2019 Distinguished Service Award (DSA). Serving on the Committee with Mr. Clark included: Bill Herdrich (PMAA Executive Committee member), Mark McBride (past Chair of the PMAA Board), Frank Marcello (PMAA Executive Committee member), Dawn Carlson (PMCI’s association executive) and PMAA Chair Sharon Peterson.
Hodges Oil Company, Inc., is a third-generation owned petroleum business located in Belen, NM that specializes in wholesale fuel deliveries. It all began in 1923 when Frank Trainer (Benny’s maternal grandfather) began as a commissioned agent for Continental Oil Company. After WWII, Benny Hodges (Benny’s dad) took over the business and ran it until his passing in 1969. Benny attended the University of Oklahoma until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1966. He was deployed to Vietnam after graduating from Officer Candidate School (OCS) as a 2nd Lieutenant. He returned home when his father became gravely ill and was Honorably Discharged in 1969. At that point, he took over the business to “keep it going.” In 1978, Benny incorporated the business into Hodges Oil Company, Inc. Fifty years later, he has more than just “kept it going,” but evolved it into the business it is today. Mr. Hodges also attended the University of New Mexico to study Political Science and Business Administration.
Benny has served on the Board of the New Mexico Petroleum Marketers Association as well as the Western Petroleum Marketers Association for over 25 years. He has been President of both the state and regional associations, member of the Executive Committee for both associations, and Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee for New Mexico. The PMAA positions held by Mr. Hodges over the past years include PMAA Chair, Brands Chair, Chair of the Western Regional Nominating Committee, member of the PMAA Motor Fuels Committee and Executive Committee.
Benny is also on the Board of Directors for Spirit® Petroleum and the Western Mutual Health Insurance Company. In the past, he has served on the Belen Consolidated Schools Board of Education, the University of New Mexico Valencia Campus Advisory Board, New Mexico Environmental Storage Tank Board, Ranchers Bank Board, and the Governor’s Excise Tax Force Committee.
Hodges is the father of six children, twelve grandchildren, and a great-grandchild on the way. His youngest daughter, Alexandra, is the Operations Manager at Hodges Oil Company, Inc. and will eventually become the fourth-generation business owner. Benny and his wife Mary Ellen have been married for thirty-six years and are both involved and work in the business together.
Upon hearing the news of this award, Benny stated, “When I learned that I was this year’s recipient of the ‘Distinguished Service Award’, I was completely surprised…. ‘shocked’ would be a more accurate description! It never dawned on me that I would be considered, much less receive such a prestigious award. It still seems surreal to me to be placed into the same category as the previous recipients, for whom I have so much respect and admiration. I believe it to be the highest recognition that our association (PMAA) can bestow…. and I am completely humbled and honored to have even been considered. After a week of trying to absorb this, I am still shocked!”
The award will be presented at a luncheon held in his honor on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta during the PMAA Fall Meeting at the NACS Show.
