Leadership 

Joe Topper, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Joe Topper has 20 years of management experience in the petroleum industry. In 1987, Mr. Topper joined his family’s petroleum business. Before his involvement in the petroleum business, Mr. Topper worked for American Can Company as the Controller of Metal Packaging and Director of Marketing of Specialty Foods division. Prior to that, he spent two years with Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Topper graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and earned an MBA from Lehigh University. Mr. Topper is also a Certified Public Accountant.

 

 

Tom Caverly, Chief Financial Officer / Wholesale
Tom Caverly joined Lehigh Gas in 2004. He is responsible for accounting operations and financial reporting, which includes budgeting, credit management and information systems. Mr. Caverly oversaw a successful accounting software conversion, implemented internal controls and improved accounting operations which helped improve profitability. Before joining Lehigh Gas, he was Director of Accounting for Lehigh Valley College (Career Education Corporation). He also held financial management positions in the waste management industry and mechanical contracting. In addition, Mr. Caverly spent six years in public accounting with Campbell, Rappold & Yurasits. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Villanova University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

 

 

Gene  Marino joined Lehigh Gas in 2010 and oversees the finance and accounting aspects for the retail side of the business relating to company store operations. He brings 30 years of accounting experience to the company. Prior to Lehigh Gas, he served as a Finance Consultant for Special Projects at Haven Custom Homes in Baltimore. He also worked as the CFO and Corporate Controller for Lehigh Consumer Products, a multi-national manufacturer and distributor. Marino earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business from DeSales University.

 

Jack Hooven, Vice President, Wholesale
Jack Hooven joined Lehigh Gas in July 2008. He manages the wholesale fuels distribution sales team in a six-state network.  An industry veteran, Mr. Hooven came over from LUKOIL where he served as Regional Sales Manager.  Prior to LUKOIL, he worked at Mobil Oil Corporation where he held various marketing positions in New York, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As a consequence of the Exxon Mobil merger in 2000, he experienced a succession of employer transitions: from Mobil to Tosco to Phillips 66 to ConocoPhillips and, ultimately, to LUKOIL. He earned a BBA in Business Management from Temple University.
 

 

Steve Mercurio, Vice President, Logistics
Steve Mercurio joined Lehigh Gas in December 2006. He manages current Branded Supplier programs and other internal programs, contract administration and information flow. Mr. Mercurio has extensive petroleum industry experience having worked at ConocoPhillips and the Mobil Oil Corporation prior to working at Lehigh Gas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Pace University.

 

Karen Yeakel, Vice President, Administration
Karen Yeakel joined Lehigh Gas in 1995. As a Corporate Officer, Ms. Yeakel is responsible for the daily cash flow management, treasury management interface, accounts payable, credit analysis, motor fuels tax reporting & audit, insurance and general services functions for the company. She served as Corporate Controller from 2000 to 2003. Prior to Lehigh Gas, Ms. Yeakel worked at First Valley Bank as a Commercial Lender and Bank Officer, a Credit Manager and a Credit Analyst. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management from Moravian College.

 

 

Mark Miller, Vice President, Acquisitions
Mark Miller joined Lehigh Gas in 2004, managing their acquisitions, acquisition financing and working capital requirements. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Miller was the Chief Financial Officer for several small and middle market companies in various industries. Prior to this period, Mr. Miller spent six years with Deloitte & Touche LLP as a Senior Accountant. He is a graduate of Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Dan Robinson, General Counsel
Dan Robinson joined Lehigh Gas Corporation in March 2007. He oversees all legal affairs and is particularly focused on environmental issues, regulatory compliance, property sales and acquisitions, as well as human resource issues. He has an extensive background and experience in risk management and environmental insurance. Prior to Lehigh Gas, Mr. Robinson served as Chief Counsel in the Environmental Risk Division of ACE USA. He also served as Managing Counsel at XL Insurance. Mr. Robinson has a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.

Tracy Derstine, Vice President, Human Resources
Tracy Derstine started with Lehigh Gas in December 1999. She oversees all aspects of employee relations including health care benefits, 401K, payroll, recruitment, training & development, performance evaluations, workplace policies and employee communications. Prior to Lehigh Gas, Ms. Derstine worked in human resource management for Century Kitchen & Bath, Pennfield Precision and Air Products and Chemicals Corporation. She earned a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts in Management from Shippensburg University.

 

Pete Waldron, Vice President, Marketing
Pete Waldron started with Lehigh Gas in August 2008 and is charged with building a marketing focus for Lehigh Gas and its subsidiaries. He handles corporate branding and communications, marketing promotions, internal communications, employee and community involvement efforts and corporate philanthropy. During the past 25 years, Mr. Waldron has gained marketing communications and project management experience in a variety of sectors including consumer products, newspapers, government/public service, non-profit, and consulting. He started his own marketing & philanthropy consultancy in 2001. He has worked in marketing for The Hershey Company, The Morning Call newspapers and was an appointed official for The County of Lehigh. Mr. Waldron earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Penn State. He serves on a number of boards and committees for national and regional non-profit organizations.

Bob Brecker, Vice President, Retail Operations
Bob Brecker joined Lehigh Gas in 2009. He oversees all company-operated convenience store locations, as well as the Company’s expansion into new Ohio markets and the growth of its Uni-Mart convenience store franchise. Mr. Brecker also oversees operations for the Dunkin Donuts, Subway and other quick serve restaurant franchises. He has 20 years of company-operated convenience store and fuel center experience at Atlantic/Sunoco, Hess, Mobil, and most recently Top Star. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Temple University.

Steve Lattig, Director of Operations
Steve Lattig started with Lehigh Gas in September 2006. He is responsible for maintenance, transportation, construction, and environmental compliance. Mr. Lattig has 16 years of experience in the petroleum industry and, before joining Lehigh Gas, served as President of E.M. Haynes Jr. Inc., a Shell distributor in Central NJ. Mr. Lattig graduated from DeSales University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Accounting.

Chris Watts, Director of Management Information Systems
Chris Watts joined Lehigh Gas in October 2008. He oversees the development of user-friendly business processes and programs that allow our employee teams to work more efficiently and successfully with each other and with LG customers. Mr. Watts spent 25 years in the semiconductor industry providing business development services for several equipment and materials suppliers to the semiconductor manufacturing industry on a global scale working with customers such as IBM, Intel, Texas Instruments, Agere/LSI, Micron, Philips, Motorola, Samsung, Toshiba, and Sony. Prior to joining Lehigh Gas, he worked in Business Development for ATMI, Inc., a Danbury, CT-based supplier of chemicals and materials used in semiconductor fabrication (computer chips). Mr. Watts graduated from Lafayette College with a degree in Chemical Engineering and earned an MBA from Lehigh University.