Casey Energy Co. Inc. - oil, propane, furnace, and air conditioning service

News Article

Heat on Tap
three generations continue to deliver service

Written by KERRY ANNE DUCEY, townvibe
Holiday 2011

Not a day goes by that Shane Casey doesn’t appreciate the road paved by his grandfather Bill Casey. The office Shane works in and the desk he rests his elbows on are the same ones his grandfather used to build Casey Fuel, now known as Casey Energy. "If my grandfather didn’t take a big risk buying an oil truck 60 years ago, we wouldn’t have any of this," Shane explains.

In 1949, William H. Casey purchased an oil truck and, just like that, a company was born. "He would park the truck behind his house," says Shane with a laugh. Without funds to pay a staff, Casey the Oilman, as Bill was known around town, did it all—even delivering oil himself and running the business out of the garage, just behind his residence on Main Street. Today, the operations part of the business still takes place at this location. For 30 years, Bill grew Casey Fuel and in 1979 awarded the business to his son, Michael, who was company president until 2007.

Shane was 27 when he decided he wanted to be part of the business, sharing that news with dad Michael during a father-son scuba-diving trip. After getting his MBA and working alongside his father for four years, Shane was named the third-generation president of the company. According to Inc., only about 13 percent of family businesses are passed onto the third generation.

In 2008, Michael Casey passed away after a long illness. "My dad’s passing coincided with the world economy plunging," says Shane. Soon after, the normally steady price of heating oil plunged rapidly, forcing the newly installed company president into a challenging environment. "Everybody wanted out of their contracts," Shane recalls of the roller-coaster oil market. But his perseverance paid off, though he admits, "It took a few years to recover."

Not one to rest on his laurels, Shane says, "We have to stay relevant. It’s important not to be afraid to try new things." As a result, he changed the direction of the company. "We are in the home-comfort business, not necessarily the oil business." Casey Energy now provides customers with air-conditioning service and propane sales and is preparing for a future that will have a variety of energy solutions, including biofuel and natural gas. "I don’t see oil going away too soon, but we’ll begin to see a blending," Shane says. "Whatever it is that heats our homes, I want to be in the position to deliver it."

Today, there are 15 vehicles bearing the Casey name. "My dad always told his field workers to treat every customer like they were his best friend. It’s a business built on relationships," says Shane, who with his wife, Ridgefield native Suzanne Spielman, is raising his family in the same Main Street home in which his dad was raised. "The house has been in our family since 1951. My kids are fourth-generation Caseys," he says. Every morning Casey walks out his back-porch door to the office accompanied by his ten-year-old rescue dog, Jackson. "Jack" spends the day with the staff, some of whom have been with the company for more than a quarter-century. "If you treat your employees like family, they will treat your customers like family," says Shane.

 

 

News Article

Shane Casey elected chairman of Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce, January 2011

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Shane Casey of Casey Fuel has been elected 2011 chairman of the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce.

Four new board members for 2011 are Patricia Carlson, Craig’s Jewelry; Tony Cerreta, Cerreta Waste Systems; Margaret Price-Sims, Ridgefield Supply; and Richard Vazzana, Vazzana Management Consulting.

"The chamber also gratefully acknowledges Charles Rio of State Farm Insurance for his dedicated efforts as past chairman, 2010, and a farewell salute to longtime board member and past chairman 2009, Geoffrey Morris of Morris Media Group," said Marion Roth, chamber director.

"It’s a great time to belong to the chamber and we thank all our loyal members for their support and advocacy."

Other board members include Patt Alexander, Webster Bank; Allyson Catanzaro, All Destinations Travel; Ray D’Amico, Minuteman Press of Danbury; Mary Kate Gobleck, Reliance Merchant Services; Rich Hanel, IT Difference; Jill Maguire, Ridgefield Bank; Pamela Miles, Pamela Miles, LLC; Nancy O’Connell, nancy O; Ron Rucolas, Ridgefield Pet; Lauren Saunders, Saunders & Co.; Bruce Yuen, Tiger Sports; and Jennifer Zinzi, Union Savings Bank.

The chamber will have its Annual Inaugural Luncheon on Jan. 28 to salute our "2010 Business and Individual of the Year" and other outstanding and dedicated businesses and committee members. First Selectman Rudy Marconi will deliver the Annual State of the Town Address during the luncheon. Call 203.438.5992 for more information or register online at ridgefieldchamber.org.

 

 

News Release

UCONN Family Business Program's 15 Year Anniversary Special Edition, December 2010

Celebrating Casey Fuel Innovation
View Article PDF

With 15 trucks delivering oil and servicing homes and businesses in Northern Fairfi eld County, Shane Casey, president of Casey Fuel, is acutely aware of how important the family name is.

"Our name is on every truck. I take a lot of pride in that," he explains. "If a customer has a question or concern, he can dial us up and talk directly to me, the president of the company."

For three generations, customers have depended on Casey Fuel for all their heating and cooling needs. The company, started in 1949 by Shane’s grandfather, Bill Casey, installs, repairs and replaces boilers, furnaces, oil tanks and humidifiers. It also delivers competitively priced heating oil and propane.

As Shane Casey describes, many companies deliver fuel oil, but what his customers appreciate most is the staff’s dedication to customer service. "We know every customer by name and we work hard for them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We’re there whenever they need us."

But being a small, family-owned company doesn’t mean that Casey Fuel can’t keep up with bigger companies. To stay competitive, Casey Fuel has embraced new technologies and software programs to reduce expenses and improve the customer experience. The company uses advanced routing software in its high-tech vehicle computers to reduce travel times and increase productivity on the road and has invested heavily in its web site to give customers access to their accounts and allow them to track transaction history, make payments and schedule service calls and oil deliveries.

"We can’t just continue to do the same things our grandfather did and expect to be successful," Shane explains. "We don’t want just to deliver more oil to more customers. We want to be the one place customers turn to for home comfort. For example, we’re offering home energy audits and other conservation techniques."

Casey Fuel sees a bright future for their business, even as the world shifts away from oil as a primary energy source. As "green" energy becomes more of a reality, recent state legislation has ensured that heating oil will contain a small but significant portion of renewable, domestically produced "biofuel," as well as a 300 percent reduction in sulfur content. Casey Fuel thinks this will keep the heating oil business relevant for generations to come. "Some sort of fuel has to keep all these homes warm, and whatever fuel that is, we will provide it!"
 

 

Press Release

The Ridgefield Press, April 2, 2009

Casey becomes a two-fuel company
After more than a half century in the fuel oil business, Casey Fuel has added a new product and has become Ridgefield's only hometown deliverer of propane. The family-owned company spent many months researching the market, including surveying its customers, and began quietly providing propane deliveries a little over a year ago.

"We didn't want to overmarket ourselves," said Shane Casey, president of the company.

Now Casey is beginning to promote its propane and related services.

Clearly, Mr. Casey said, there is a market, and it has been growing. Most new homes are now equipped with gas stoves, preferred by many gourmet cooks. More people have pools and are heating them with propane. Propane generators, which are easier and cleaner to maintain than gasoline or diesel models, have become more popular.

Propane fireplace units are being installed in more houses - both for heat and for ambiance - and propane hot water heaters have long been in use. Even propane furnaces are being used to heat smaller homes and cottages.

Propane has advantages.

A furnace, for instance, burns cleaner and quieter, and has fewer moving parts to wear out. Propane can also sit in a tank for a year or more and its quality will not be affected, as often happens with generators, which only use propane when there is a power outage.

The fuel costs are about the same, said Mr. Casey.

Unlike fuel oil, propane is not sold on a strict per-gallon rate, and the price depends on the quantity delivered.

A volume user with a 1,000-gallon storage tank would pay less per gallon for a delivery, while someone who doesn't use much and has a 60-gallon tank will pay more.

He said the prices are "absolutely competitive" with out of-town propane dealers.

Casey Fuel is also in a good position to provide propane.

The company has a reputation for quality service, Mr. Casey said. What's more, most propane users also have fuel oil furnaces, and people find it convenient to have one company supply their fuel needs.

"We have a great customer base in Ridgefield," Mr. Casey said. "This is another product that we can offer our existing customer base."

Mike Brown, vice president of Casey Fuel, said that, after undergoing intensive training, all the company's technicians are now licensed to service propane equipment Casey can install and service many kinds of propanefired equipment, and can provide some devices such as furnaces and hot water heaters.

The company supplies tanks, and will install them above or below ground (propane tanks must always be outdoors).

Smaller tanks are usually leased while large ones are purchased.

Casey Propane also has a "Gas Check" program, where customers are made familiar to the smell of propane and are shown where the supply shut-offs are located, and how to shut the valves off if necessary.

Casey's propane is stored in Monroe, and for deliveries, the company has a new 2008 Kenworth truck that holds 3,200 gallons of propane.

To promote the new service, Casey is offering free pool heater inspections this spring. Technicians will check the pilot light, clean out the unit, inspect wiring, and check pressures, said Mr. Brown.

Casey Fuel was founded in 1949 by Shane and Mike's grandfather, William H. Casey.

William Casey's son and Shane's dad, the late Michael D. Casey, was also a company president.

For information on obtaining propane deliveries, call 438-6500.

 

Press Release

The Ridgefield Press, December 4, 2003

UCONN honors Casey Fuel as Family Business.
The University of Connecticut Family Business Program honored Casey Fuel of Ridgefield Nov.25 as one of this year’s winners of the 2003 Connecticut Family Business of the Year Awards.

The award is a prestigious way to recognize and honor those family businesses that embody core family values and the best of American free enterprise, said Priscilla Cale, director of the University of Connecticut Family Business Program.

Twelve finalists were honored at the ceremony, which drew nearly 300 people, at the University of Connecticut’s South Campus Rome Ballroom.

The Connecticut Family Business of the Year Awards recognize successful family firms in three categories: small-sized businesses (5-39 employees), medium-sized businesses (40-99 employees) and large-sized businesses (over 100 employees). Winners are chosen by a panel of judges and evaluated based on business success, positive family and business linkage, multi-generational family involvement, dynamic contributions to community and industry, and innovative business practices or strategies.

Casey Fuel Company took first place in the Small Business Category.

"Family businesses are the cornerstone of Connecticut’s UConn honors economy, Ms. Cale said. There are over 70,000 small to mid-size privately held companies in our state, the lion’s share of which are family owned and operated. What these family firms have collectively contributed to their local communities, as well as communities on a global scale, is outstanding. This is a tremendous opportunity to give back to those who have already given so much "and we encourage others join us to celebrate in their achievements."

Ms. Cale added that family businesses account for over 90% of all businesses in the United States. They also produce half the United States gross national product and employ half the United State work force.

Casey Fuel was founded in 1949 by William H. Casey, who was known to many as Casey the Oilman. Bill Casey died in August 2002 at the age of 84.

His son Michael Casey was named president in 1976 and continues to run day to day operations.

Michael's son Shane recently joined the business after obtaining a master s degree in business administration from the University of Denver and will eventually take over the reins from his father.

Chip Brown, a son-in-law to Bill, worked for Casey Fuel for 30 years as vice president of operations before retiring in 1997. Chip passed his responsibilities on to his son Mike, the current vice president of operations.

The family values at Casey Fuel run deeper than blood, how-ever. Aileen Egan, a lifetime Ridgefield resident and vice president, is celebrating her 20th year with Casey Fuel, as is Arlette Perry of Newtown. Ron Tardiff of Bethel has driven a Casey Fuel delivery truck for 30 years, and recent retirees Joe Wilson and Neale Babcock spent 24 and 30 years in the field, respectively, before hanging up their uniforms.

The University of Connecticut Family Business Program is a member organization comprised of business-owning families. It is a place for Connecticut family businesses to network with university experts, leading industry professionals and fellow business owners to acquire education, seek professional advice and share ideas and experiences.

"The UConn Family Business Program’s annual Connecticut Family Business of the Year Awards ceremony is a tribute to Connecticut’s premier family businesses and the many contributions made by family firms - Connecticut’s most effective mechanism for creating jobs, security and wealth," Ms. Cale said.

For more information on the Connecticut Family Business of the Year Awards, contact Ms. Cale at 860-486-5628 or e-mail pcale@business.uconn.edu.