Propane Marketers Association of Kansas

What Propane Marketers Association of Kansas does

The Propane Marketers Association of Kansas (PMAK) is a Kansas-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1942 and headquartered at 540 NW Broad Street, Topeka. It is the only organization in Kansas dedicated solely to the propane industry, representing nearly 200 propane marketers, distributors, suppliers, and related service providers operating across all 105 Kansas counties. The association provides regulatory advocacy (including emergency Hours of Service waivers), safety training, education programming, industry communications (member newsletter), a supplier directory, scholarships, and workforce development resources for its members.

PMAK operates through two affiliated entities: the Kansas Propane Education & Research Council (KanPERC), established under Kansas HB 2038 in 2003 to administer industry checkoff-funded safety research, autogas infrastructure rebates, and training; and the Propane Foundation of Kansas, a philanthropic arm funding scholarships (including the Spickelmier Memorial Scholarship) and community initiatives. The association also maintains formal partnerships with the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), and the National Propane Gas Foundation (NPGF), and holds dual-membership channels that connect Kansas members to federal advocacy and programming.

The business model is a standard nonprofit trade-association dues structure: members pay annual subscriptions that fund advocacy, training, and administrative operations, supplemented by KanPERC checkoff assessments and event/training revenue. Operations are lean, with a three-person staff led by Executive Director Becky Schwartz, Office Administrator Stephanie Borough, and Education & Safety Manager Russ Reed. Revenue is small-scale, member-funded, and geographically constrained to Kansas, with the principal value proposition being regulatory representation and operational continuity (e.g., emergency HOS waivers) rather than technology or scale economics.

Name

Propane Marketers Association of Kansas

Legal name

Propane Marketers Association of Kansas

Website

https://pmak.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Propane Marketers Association of Kansas (PMAK), founded in 1942, is the sole Kansas trade association dedicated to the propane industry, serving nearly 200 marketers, distributors, and suppliers across all 105 Kansas counties through regulatory advocacy, safety training, and member services funded by dues and checkoff assessments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Topeka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: PMAK operates as a membership-based trade association. Revenue is generated through annual membership fees from propane marketers, distributors, and related industry companies operating in Kansas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PMAK is a membership-based nonprofit trade association that provides advocacy, regulatory representation, and training to Kansas propane marketers, distributors, and suppliers. Its core offering is annual membership, which delivers continuing education, NFPA and DOT compliance assistance, certified training programs, business materials, the quarterly PMAK Propane News publication, networking events, and access to KanPERC and the Propane Foundation of Kansas programs. The association represents nearly 200 member companies across all 105 Kansas counties.

Product overview

The Propane Marketers Association of Kansas (PMAK) operates as a membership-based trade association offering a unified portfolio of products and services centered on propane industry advocacy, education, and member support. The core offerings include membership providing access to training programs, business materials, and publications; KanPERC (Kansas Propane Education & Research Council) for safety and research; the Propane Foundation of Kansas for funding and rebates; the quarterly PMAK Propane News publication; Hours of Service Waivers for emergency propane delivery; a Find A Supplier directory; and professional training programs. The association was founded in 1942 and serves nearly 200 member companies throughout Kansas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PMAK Membership Annual membership for propane marketers, distributors, and suppliers in Kansas, providing access to continuing education (PERC Education Program, HazMat Employee Training), regulatory compliance resources (NFPA 58, NFPA 54, DOT), networking events, business materials (brochures, decals, labels), and the quarterly PMAK Propane News publication.
• KanPERC (Kansas Propane Education & Research Council) State-authorized council that enhances propane safety, education, and training for consumers and employees; improves propane technology; increases efficiency; and develops public education programs about propane safety and uses.
• Propane Foundation of Kansas Foundation promoting propane uses in Kansas by disbursing funds from the National PERC Organization for projects that increase propane awareness and gallon usage. Programs include First Responder Training, Blue Flame Safe safety videos, and Autogas Infrastructure Rebates.
• Professional Training Programs Certified training offerings including Propane 101, Haz-Mat Refresher, Bobtail/Cylinder Delivery, System Testing Training, Vapor Distribution, Plant Operations, Entry Level Driver Training, and DOT Audit preparation classes delivered at various Kansas locations.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kansas Propane Education & Research Council (KanPERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished under House Bill 2038 and the Kansas Propane Education & Research Act (KanPERA) of 2003. KanPERC enhances propane safety, education, and training; improves existing propane technology; increases efficiency; and develops programs to educate the public about propane safety and uses.
• National Propane Gas Foundation (NPGF)coreOthersNPGF provides $1,000 and $2,000 scholarships to students pursuing education at two- or four-year colleges or technical/trade schools. Eligible applicants are children of employees of NPGA member companies, state propane associations, and PERC. Since 1994, NPGF has awarded over two million dollars in scholarships to 1,500+ children of member company employees.
• Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational program established, operated, and funded by the propane industry. PERC educates consumers about propane's uses and benefits, leads safety and training efforts, and drives technology development to expand propane adoption as a clean, affordable, American-made energy source.
• National Propane Gas Association (NPGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trade association for the propane industry. PMAK works with NPGA on national representation, propane promotion as a clean alternative fuel, and industry-wide advocacy efforts including DOT regulatory matters and EPA Risk Management Plan exemptions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA): Multi-state regional propane trade association covering western U.S. marketers. Operates the same membership, training, and advocacy model as PMAK but at a regional rather than single-state level.
• Illinois Propane Gas Association: State propane trade association in Illinois. Operates similar advocacy, training, and member-services model relevant to PMAK's structural benchmarking.
• Propane Marketers Association of Indiana: Indiana state propane trade association with parallel membership-based structure, training programs, and state-level advocacy remit. Direct structural twin to PMAK.
• Florida Propane Gas Association: State-level propane trade association serving Florida marketers. Comparable membership, advocacy, and training model to PMAK with a different geographic market.
• Propane Gas Association of New England: Regional propane trade association serving northeastern marketers. Directly comparable to PMAK in mission (safety, training, advocacy) but operates in a different U.S. region.
• Texas Propane Gas Association: State-level propane trade association analogous to PMAK. Both are membership-based organizations serving in-state propane marketers with advocacy, training, and regulatory representation.
• Mid-Atlantic Propane Gas Association: Regional propane trade association for mid-Atlantic distributors. Mirrors PMAK's service offering—membership dues, training programs, regulatory advocacy—for a different geographic footprint.
• Carolinas Propane Gas Association: Multi-state propane association covering the Carolinas. Another regional peer with comparable member services, regulatory advocacy, and training offerings to PMAK.

Others

• Propane Education & Research Council (PERC): National checkoff-funded council that PMAK partners with for safety, education, and technology development. Functions as an ecosystem enabler/funding partner rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• National Propane Gas Association (NPGA): National umbrella trade association for the U.S. propane industry. PMAK explicitly partners with NPGA on national representation, advocacy, and clean-fuel promotion, making NPGA the closest hierarchical peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PropaneMarketersAssociationOfKansas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/propane-marketers-of-ks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Propane Marketers Association of Kansas