Timothy Brown became chief executive officer of American Refining Group, succeeding Harry Halloran, the companys board of directors announced.
Before the announcement, Brown served as ARGs executive vice president and chief strategy officer. He has been with the company since 1999, holding a variety of sales- and marketing-related positions. In 2008, he was appointed to the vice president of sales position. As CEO, Brown will be responsible for forging a business plan that fosters growth and ensures the long-term success of ARG and its refinery in Bradford, Pa., the company stated in a news release. He has more than 15 years experience in the lubricant and petroleum industries.
The company said Halloran will continue as executive chairman of the board, providing guidance and oversight as he transitions the business to the next generation of the Halloran family. Halloran is chairman and CEO of ARG Resource, and is also founder and CEO of Energy Unlimited Inc., a company involved in the renewable-energy field. He established the Enlightened World Foundation to fund projects to increase corporate social responsibility.
Founded in 1881, the Bradford refinery is the oldest continuously operating refinery in the United States, and the only remaining refinery exclusively processing Pennsylvania-grade crude oil. ARG, owned by Halloran, acquired the facility from Witco Corp. in 1997.
ARGs facility, on 131 acres in Bradford, has a rated capacity of 11,000 barrels per day and processes light, sweet paraffinic crude. The crude is available domestically, and ARG purchases most of its crude from sources in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia.
The facilitys base oil plant has capacity to produce 2,100 b/d of API Group I base oil and 300 b/d of Group II.
In December 2014 ARG finalized the sale of its Brad Penn Lubricants brand – started in 1997 – to Lebanon, Ind.-based D-A Lubricant Co. The deal included a blending and packaging agreement whereby ARG continues to blend and package the majority of the Brad Penn Lubricants at its Bradford facility.