Sully Curran retires after 24 years
The Fiberglass Tank & Pipe Institute (FT&PI) has announced a change in its leadership. Sully Curran, the Executive Director for the past 24 years, and only the second in the Institute’s history, has retired. The Institute’s new Executive Director is Bob Renkes. Bob recently retired from leading the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) for the past 30 years. FT&PI members include ZCL/Xerxes, Containment Solutions, NOV Fiber Glass Systems, Hobas, and L.F. Manufacturing, who manufacture fiberglass tank and pipe products for the upstream, midstream, and downstream petroleum industry, as well as a broad range of water and wastewater markets.
Mr. Curran began his petroleum industry career in the 1950’s when he joined Exxon Corporation. Sully remained at Exxon for most of his career, taking higher profile assignments, finally ending his Exxon career in Houston as the Corporate Environmental Manager and advisor on the development of Exxon’s environmental and regulatory positions.
Upon retirement from Exxon, Sully accepted the position of Executive Director for FT&PI and remained in that role until last month. While FT&PI’s director, Sully was actively engaged in various code, standards, and regulatory committees related to the petroleum and fiberglass composite industries. He was also the author of over 60 technical papers on a wide range of petroleum industry subjects.
Mr. Renkes began his career with PEI in 1979 as the Administrative Director, working under PEI’s Howard Upton who helped establish the association. Bob took over as Executive Director in 1987, and retired on May 31st of this year, after 30 years (in that position). Under Bob’s leadership, PEI grew significantly, now representing more than 1,600 member companies. Bob also has a long career of participation and leadership with various industry code and standards committees, which influenced the interests of PEI’s diverse membership. This includes the development and publication by PEI of 15 different recommended practices (RPs), which are widely used throughout the petroleum equipment industry today.
The board of the FT&PI extends its sincere gratitude to Sully Curran for his many years leading the organization and wishes Sully all the best in his retirement. Tom Tietjen, Vice President with ZCL/Xerxes and president of FT&PI commented, “As a small association, we are very fortunate to have had the experienced leadership that Sully provided through these many years. We are also very pleased that Bob Renkes, with his extensive background and industry contacts, has agreed to be our new Executive Director. Our members will continue to receive skilled guidance and representation.”
About FT&PI
Fiberglass Tank and Pipe Institute provides a forum through which the fiberglass reinforced thermoset plastic (“RTP”) industry can work together effectively toward the common goal of advancing the use of certain fiberglass products substantially used in the underground tank and piping marketplace, coordinate market studies, gather statistics and combine talents and resources to provide standard-setting organizations with superior technical data and disseminate information to the government, industry, and the public.
