May 15, 2007
CITGO, AITC and YKHC Partners (left to right): Mariela Guzman, Bruce Brunsvold, Eladio Perez, Oleg Malikov, Andrew Rangel, Dan Wikelman, Mark Springer, Steve Sumida.
Four representatives from the CITGO (CITies service Gas and Oil) Petroleum Corporation and two members from the AITC (Alaska Inter-Tribal Council) visited Bethel April 17 and 18 to assess the management of this winter's fuel donation program.
Last December, YKHC announced CITGO's donation of stove oil to residents of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and partnered with AITC to manage the distribution of more than 400,000 gallons of stove oil, valued at $1.9 million dollars. Each eligible household was gifted 100 gallons of fuel.
CITGO visitors included Andres Rangel, Commercial Operations Manager; Eladio Perez, Supply and Marketing Audit Manager; Mariela Guzman, Operational Support Analyst; and Oleg Malikov, Senior Auditor. Joining CITGO from AITC were Executive Director Steve Sumida and Accountant Bruce Brunsvold.
The party first visited the offices of Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC), who were responsible for the distribution of fuel to eligible Bethel residents. CITGO also visited a variety of local non-profit agencies, making reimbursements for fuel oil purchases made this past winter.
The CITGO and AITC party were honored guests at a community-wide potluck and reception hosted by ONC April 17.
The next day they visited YKHC to review the results of the Delta-wide fuel oil distribution program. They were scheduled to visit the villages of Nunapitchuk and Napakiak, but weather conditions prevented travel.
Dan Winkleman, YKHC General Counsel and Vice-President for Administration, presented a Certificate of Appreciation from YKHC on behalf of all the residents of the Delta to Andres Rangel, CITGO's Fuel Oil Program Manager.
Rangel said he would gladly visit the region again next year and looked forward to future partnerships.