NPRA elects Klesse as association chairman

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 18 -- The National Petrochemical & Refiners Association has elected Bill Klesse, Valero Energy Corp. chief executive officer, president, and chairman, as chairman of the association.

Klesse has been with Valero and the former Ultramar Diamond Shamrock and its predecessors for 40 years. Prior to serving as the company’s chief executive, he was Valero’s executive vice-president and chief operating officer, overseeing all of the company’s refining and marketing operations.

Bill Finnerty, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Tesoro Corp., will serve as NRPA’s vice-chairman. Finnerty joined Tesoro in 2003 as vice-president of oil and logistics and has served as senior vice-president of supply and distribution.

Richard Meeks, senior vice-president of refining for Lion Oil Co., was elected NPRA’s treasurer. During 1982-98, Meeks held positions as senior process engineer, senior project engineer, and manager of planning and economics for Lion Oil Refinery. In 1998, he was promoted to the corporate office of Lion Oil’s parent company, Ergon Inc., as vice-president of economics and planning.