Oilheat Associates

What Oilheat Associates does

Oilheat Associates, Inc. is a privately held professional services firm founded in 1989 and headquartered on Long Island, New York. The firm operates as a consortium of independent consultants providing specialized advisory services to the oilheat and propane industries, with four core service lines: mergers and acquisitions advisory (buying or selling), comprehensive consulting engagements, marketing program development, and industry-specific training programs. Its clients consist primarily of fuel oil dealers, propane marketers, HVAC service businesses, and family-owned energy companies in the U.S. Northeast, with some activity extending into Canada. The firm does not maintain a disclosed customer logo list or published fee schedule, and the website references an affiliated Vermont entity (Oilheat Associates Vermont) and a parallel Propane Associates brand.

The firm's value proposition rests entirely on human expertise and industry relationships rather than proprietary software or technology platforms. Three core principals (John Levey, Joe Vassallo, C. Justin McCarthy) and several affiliates (Bob Hedden, John Nardozzi, Bill Powers) collectively bring over 200 years of combined industry experience, with prior C-suite and VP-level tenures at industry leaders including Petro, Petroleum Heat and Power, Whaleco, Star Gas Corporation, and Heritage Propane. Several team members hold leadership roles in industry bodies such as the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA), NFPA Committee on Liquid Burning Equipment, UL Standards Technical Panel, Oil Heat Institute of Long Island, and Oilheat Manufacturers Association, and have authored industry training materials including the NORA Oilheat Technicians Manual.

Oilheat Associates generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements, M&A transaction fees, and training program delivery. Pricing is quote-based with no publicly disclosed fee schedules, and engagements are typically multi-month to multi-year. The go-to-market model is consultative and referral-driven: all client engagement occurs through direct phone or email contact with one of the firm's principals or affiliates, with no digital self-service, product-led growth motions, intermediary distribution, or formal demand generation programs. The firm maintains a minimal digital presence — a functional website, passive social media links, and accessibility compliance under WCAG 2.1 — and does not disclose revenue, headcount, funding, or named customer references.

Name

Oilheat Associates

Legal name

Oilheat Associates, Inc.

Website

https://oilheatassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oilheat Associates is a privately held consulting consortium founded in 1989 that provides M&A advisory, operations consulting, marketing program development, and training services to oilheat and propane businesses, primarily family-owned fuel dealers in the U.S. Northeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Industry Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Service Station Operations (Company-Owned & Dealer-Operated) (EUALAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution (EUALAIAB), Non-Fuel Retail & Ancillary Forecourt Services (Car Wash, Auto Care, ATM/Lottery, Parcel Lockers) (EUALAIAJ), Fuel Pricing, Loyalty & Payments Platforms (POS, Mobile Pay, Fleet Cards, Loyalty Programs) (EUALAIAK)

Keywords

• Oilheat consulting
• Propane industry advisory
• Mergers acquisitions advisory
• Business valuation services
• Energy industry training

Headquarters

HQ city

Wantagh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Revenue derived from providing consulting engagements to oilheat and propane businesses. Services include business evaluations, mergers and acquisitions advisory, annual company physicals, and strategic planning engagements. Fees are likely structured as project-based or retainer arrangements typical of professional services firms.
2. Training and Education Programs: Fees from delivering industry-specific training programs including technical training, customer service training, sales training, and credit/collections seminars. Programs are offered as both standard catalog courses and custom corporate training engagements.
3. Marketing Consulting Services: Revenue from developing custom marketing programs for clients, including customer acquisition strategies, retention programs, and sales tracking systems. Engagement typically includes ongoing marketing counsel and program development.
4. Buying and Selling Business Transactions: Fees from facilitating business acquisitions and divestitures in the oilheat and propane industry. Services include business valuations, buyer/seller matching, negotiations, and due diligence support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Oilheat Associates is a consortium of independent consultants serving oilheat and propane businesses since 1989. The firm delivers four core service lines: Buying or Selling (mergers and acquisitions advisory, business valuations, buyer/seller matching), Consulting (annual company physicals, strategic planning, operational assessments across sales, marketing, delivery, service, and credit), Marketing (custom customer acquisition and retention program development with ROI tracking), and Training (industry-specific technical, customer service, sales, and credit/collections courses). All engagements follow a "Diagnosis before Prescription" methodology focused on tailored solutions rather than canned offerings.

Product overview

Oilheat Associates is a consortium of independent consultants specializing in the Oilheat and Propane industries since 1989. The company operates four interconnected service offerings: Buying or Selling (mergers and acquisitions, business valuations, buyer/seller matching), Consulting (comprehensive business evaluations, strategic planning, department-specific assessments), Marketing (custom marketing program development, customer acquisition and retention strategies), and Training (industry-specific education programs for technical and non-technical personnel). The core philosophy, 'Diagnosis before Prescription,' drives a tailored approach where consultants investigate each client's unique circumstances before recommending solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buying or Selling Confidential business transaction services for oil heat and propane companies, including mergers and acquisitions, business valuations, buyer/seller matching, due diligence support, and negotiation services. Targeted at oilheat and propane business owners considering acquisition or exit.
• Consulting Comprehensive consulting services including Annual Company Physical evaluations, strategic planning, and department-specific assessments covering sales, marketing, delivery, service, installation, customer service, credit, and employee relations. Targeted at oilheat and propane business owners seeking operational improvement.
• Marketing Custom marketing program development addressing customer acquisition and retention, including sales tracking systems to measure ROI on sales and marketing investments. Targeted at oilheat and propane businesses needing improved marketing effectiveness.
• Training Industry-specific education and training programs including Technical Training for Non-Technical People, Beyond Customer Service, Stack the Deck, and Credit and Collections courses. Offered as standard catalog courses and custom corporate training engagements for oilheat and propane industry personnel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Team has been involved in over 200 acquisitions during careers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and minor.

• Oil Heat Institute of Long IslandmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Levey directs the HVAC education program for the Oil Heat Institute of Long Island. This relationship provides access to industry education standards and connects the firm with Long Island-based heating oil companies.
• National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple team members participate in NORA activities: John Levey serves on the Education Committee; Bob Hedden serves as Education Director and editor of the NORA Oilheat Technicians Manual; both have authored publications released by NORA. NORA is a key industry research and education body.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Levey serves on the NFPA Committee on Liquid Burning Equipment (NFPA 31), the technical standard for oil-fired equipment. This involvement keeps the firm current on regulatory developments.
• Underwriter's Laboratories (UL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Levey is a member of UL's Standards Technical Panel for Above Ground Oil Tanks (UL-80), providing insight into product certification standards affecting clients' equipment decisions.
• Oilheat Manufacturers AssociationmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerBob Hedden serves as Executive Director of the Oilheat Manufacturers Association, connecting the firm with equipment manufacturers and their technological developments.
• Suffolk County Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Levey serves as adjunct faculty member, teaching Business Administration. This academic affiliation provides access to emerging business thinking and potential talent.
• Oil Heat CaresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBob Hedden serves as Treasurer of Oil Heat Cares, an industry charitable initiative. This nonprofit supports community engagement and industry goodwill.
• State University of New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Levey taught Business Administration for several years at SUNY, indicating academic partnership and access to educational resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BDO USA: Top-5 US accounting and advisory firm with a dedicated energy practice including downstream fuels. Competes for the same dealer-owner clients on business valuations, M&A advisory, and consulting engagements, but as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Marcum LLP: Top-15 US accounting and advisory firm with a notable energy and natural resources practice serving distributors and dealers. Overlaps on valuation, M&A advisory, and consulting for fuel/propane businesses in the Northeast US.
• CBIZ: US business advisory, tax, and consulting firm serving middle-market energy clients including fuel distributors. Competes for the same consulting and advisory engagements at oilheat/propane dealers.
• RSM US: Top-5 US accounting and advisory firm serving middle-market energy distribution and fuel dealer clients. Comparable on consulting and M&A advisory for independent fuel/propane dealers but without the deep oilheat specialization.
• Crowe LLP: Major US accounting and advisory firm with energy distribution clients. Provides M&A advisory and consulting services that overlap with Oilheat Associates' offering for fuel dealers and energy distributors.
• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with a dedicated energy M&A practice. Competes with Oilheat Associates for larger oilheat/propane M&A mandates and business valuation engagements, though at a meaningfully larger deal size.

Direct peers

• Wipfli LLP: Top-25 US accounting and advisory firm with a dedicated energy distribution practice serving fuel oil, propane, and HVAC dealers. Most directly comparable to Oilheat Associates in serving the same niche dealer base with consulting, M&A advisory, and operational improvement services.

Emerging players

• Cargas Energy: Software and consulting provider specifically serving fuel oil and propane dealers with operations, delivery, and back-office systems. Overlaps with Oilheat Associates on consulting and process improvement engagements for the same fuel dealer customer base.

Others

• Petroleum Marketers Association of America (PMAA): National trade association representing petroleum marketers including heating oil and propane dealers. Adjacent ecosystem participant that influences the demand for Oilheat Associates' consulting and training services through member engagement and education programs.
• National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA): National research and education organization for the oilheat industry. Multiple Oilheat Associates principals sit on NORA committees and author its training manuals, making NORA both a partner and adjacent industry-body that shapes the firm's training revenue line.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/msedpinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/msedpinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oilheat-associates

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oilheat Associates