OMEGA News - OMEGA - West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

Our Purpose and Commitment

OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

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Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

Details: Press; May 31, 2017

Charleston, WV (May 30, 2017) – The West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association (OMEGA) is heartbroken to announce the death of Jan Vineyard, the organization’s long-serving president, on Tuesday, May 30 from complications with a recent illness.

Vineyard, a lifelong West Virginian who was raised in Nitro, was incredibly passionate about the industries she represented and the people that worked in them. She was a leader in West Virginia’s business community and a respected lobbyist known to all who held political office over the past nearly three decades. She was an advocate for children suffering from disease and crisis in the family, having led fundraising efforts over the past fifteen years raising nearly $3 million for a variety of state organizations.

“It is unthinkable that Jan is no longer with us and it is an understatement to say she will be greatly missed by so many of her family members, friends and colleagues,” said Joe DeFazio, chairman of the OMEGA board of directors. “On behalf of the Boards of Directors of OMEGA, the West Virginia Trucking Association, the West Virginia Wholesalers Association and the Independent Insurance Agents of West Virginia, we extend our thoughts and prayers to Jan’s husband Gary, her son Craig, and her entire family.”

Jan began her career with Ashland Oil following graduation from Marshall University. It was during this time that she learned the gasoline and petroleum products industry.

In 1993, she was hired to manage the West Virginia Petroleum Marketers Association and the West Virginia Association of Convenience Stores. Three years later, Jan led the merger of these two groups to create the West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association, Inc.

Through Jan’s leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, OMEGA entered into a joint venture with the West Virginia Trucking Association in 2006 to manage the organization. In 2013 and 2014, respectively, OMEGA entered joint ventures with the West Virginia Wholesaler’s Association and the Independent Insurance Agents of WV, Inc. to manage those organizations, as well.

For additional information, contact Bryan Brown at (304) 546-5500.

Details: Press; April 28, 2017

wvomegtax

Dear Governor Justice,

I'm writing to you on behalf of the West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association (OMEGA WV) in regards to the upcoming Special Session and budget.

For our industry, border stability is our number one issue. Because of the products we sell – gasoline, tobacco, sugary drinks, etc. – we must remain competitive on our borders. Unfortunately, it appears as if our industry has been under constant attack with tax increases proposed throughout the session on all of these items.

The proposed eight cent increase in the gas tax (flat and variable) would make ours significantly higher than all our border states except Pennsylvania.

For reference, I’d like to give you an idea of what the recent tobacco tax did to our border retailers. For border locations, overall tobacco sales were down a minimum of 15% (Huntington), 24% (Princeton), 22.5% (Wheeling) and 24% (Martinsburg).

Gasoline purchases account for approximately 5% of consumer spending in any given year. This increase would also place a huge burden on the citizens of West Virginia who choose to purchase inside our state.

The creation of the Commercial Activities Tax (CAT) would hit our industry especially hard because our businesses are high gross sales with low net margins. Normally, when the price increases our margins decrease. If it becomes a necessity to implement this tax, we request that fuel be exempt.

As mentioned above, our industry provides many products to our citizens and any tax increases will greatly affect our businesses and possibly reduce the number of jobs that we are able to provide to our citizens because of loss of border sales.

Below are graphs showing our current tax rates compared to our neighboring states:

om tax 2017

Thank you in advance for your consideration. If you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to call me at 304.343.5500.

Sincerely,

jan sig

Janet S. Vineyard
President

Details: Press; April 17, 2017

Charleston, W.Va. (April 17, 2017) – With more than 4,000 West Virginia children in out-of-home-care and 1,200 children in need of adoption, the West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association today launched their 7th Annual Every Child Deserves A Loving Home Campaign to raise funds to help children and families in crisis across the state.

"The Children's Home Society of West Virginia, which has offices and child shelters throughout the state, works to protect and nurture children and families in crisis," said Jan Vineyard, president of OMEGA. "The Every Child Deserves a Loving Home Campaign was developed to provide needed funding to help West Virginia's children and families and we ask the public to join us in doing just that."

All funds raised through this statewide effort will go towards the Children's Home Society's assistance programs, which include; emergency child shelters, foster care, adoption support, mentoring, early intervention and numerous other family support programs.

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Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.