Be Sure With Pure

PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. :: 2025 Ebenezer Road, Suite G :: Rock Hill, SC 29732 :: 803.328.5284

www.besurewithpure.com Welcome to a Cooperative of marketers, founded by marketers, to work for marketers. PURE branded licensing A PURE History – from PURE Oil to the PURE Co-op The PURE branded licensing agreement gives the Co-op a way to grow the PURE The origin of PURE dates back to 1914, with the founding of the Ohio Cities Gas brand in areas that are not currently served by a supplier arrangement. The licensing Company. Six years later, the company name changed to PURE Oil, and by 1926, it agreement allows licensees to use the PURE brand name and Firebird trademark -- as had moved to to establish its headquarters. well as signage, graphics, pump decals, credit card processing, etc. -- for marketing In 1950, PURE Oil opened its research laboratory, and by the 1960’s, annual sales their retail sites, after obtaining their own product supply from other sources. had grown to $700 million, as PURE Oil ranked among the 100 largest industrial corporations in the . The growth of the PURE brand during the 50’s Images, Signage, Decals, etc. and 60’s, especially in the Southeast, also coincided with the growth in popularity of stockcar racing, as PURE was one of the more visible petroleum brands for the sport The PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. provides its members with an approved vendor during this era. that can assist with all of the PURE signs, images, decals, etc., necessary to successfully brand their retail sites. Specifications for all PURE signs, images, and decals are offered It was 1965 when the Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) purchased PURE as well, letting members convey consistency and uniformity in the visibility of respective Oil, converting PURE branded sites to the Union 76 brand. But when Unocal sites, if they so choose. However, members always have the flexibility to control their announced it was pulling out of the Southeast in 1992, this created an ideal opportunity for a group of independent petroleum marketers to purchase and resurrect own imaging standards. Thus, members enjoy the benefit of obtaining a brand name the PURE brand and Firebird trademark, which Unocal had no longer marketed. with tremendous brand equity, yet free of the rigid and strict imaging and marketing standards like those of major oil companies. The Founding of the SOJC Member Apparel and Employee Uniforms In 1993, following the negotiations between Unocal and the oil jobbers it left behind in this region, the Southeastern Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. (SOJC) was born. The PURE Co-op members have access to a complete line of work apparel. PURE apparel SOJC consisted primarily of smaller operators who established a true cooperative “of includes everything from uniforms for those attendants working at PURE sites to marketers, by marketers, for marketers.” sportswear for use in any business casual setting. The PURE line of apparel includes The Co-op was founded on the principle of autonomy for its members, trusting their twill and denim shirts, long and short sleeve polos, work shirts, smocks, aprons, pants, judgment and expertise in their respective markets on issues such as purchasing shorts, jeans, caps, jackets, and more. volumes and imaging for site locations. Credit Card Assistance Co-op membership requires only an initiation fee, a purchase of one share of stock (members can only have one share so ownership will be equally divided), and a The PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. has very competitive credit card processing Co-op fee of 1/10 of 1 cent per gallon purchased. As a result of this investment, programs available for its members for use at their retail sites. members can receive a monthly rebate when they pull 85 percent of their contract volumes, as well as annual dividends at the end of each year. The PURE Co-op has Insurance and Payroll Assistance paid back annual dividends to its membership every year since 1996.

Through hard work and continual negotiations by the staff and board leadership, the By 2008, the SOJC had changed its name to the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, PURE Co-op offers its members high quality coverage for workman’s compensation, long- Inc. in celebration of its 15th anniversary as a group of highly principled petroleum marketers. Their talents now oversee the marketing of a PURE term care, and life insurance, as well as a vendor that can provide payroll assistance. brand that has come full circle, with tremendous brand equity garnered Software Innovations through nearly a century’s worth of business history.

As a benefit of membership, PURE Co-op members can gain access to Growing into the PURE Co-op some of the industry’s most innovative and updated software applications When the Co-op changed its name to PURE, it did so to reflect a desire to attain for use in business operations or retail outlets. members outside of the original 10-state Southeastern region. In addition, the regional name of the Co-op didn’t take advantage of one of the strongest national Be Sure with PURE petroleum brand names in the industry. Thus, the “PURE” brand became the focal point of the organization’s corporate identity as well. The tagline of the PURE petroleum brand is also representative of the mission of the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. “Be Sure with PURE” At the time of negotiations between the Co-op and Unocal over ownership of reflects the guarantee to members that this Cooperative, owned by the the PURE brand name, Unocal commissioned a study to measure the public’s awareness and opinion of the PURE name. The results revealed that 54 percent petroleum marketers it serves, will provide the highest quality petroleum of respondents were familiar with PURE, proving the brand had remarkable equity, products, with member services, support, and business infrastructure, even though it had been dormant for decades. designed to enhance opportunities for success. While retail customers can “Be Sure with PURE”, so too can Co-op members, knowing that they are a Today, the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. has approximately 340 members part of the best collection of independent petroleum marketers in the U.S. operating within its 10 original Southeastern states, with future growth of the Co-op membership -- and the PURE brand -- anticipated within this region and beyond.

Sources include the Encyclopedia of Chicago and The Journal of Petroleum Marketing. PURE Oil Jobbers Co-op, Inc. :: 2025 Ebenezer Road, Suite G :: Rock Hill, SC 29732 :: 803.328.5284 The PURE Co-op For more information on the The Co-op Leadership The Co-op Members Pure Oil Jobbers Cooperative, The leadership of the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative is determined The PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. has approximately 340 members, pulling in excess of Check us out online at by the equally vested voting interest 50 million gallons of product each month. Currently, the members are located primarily within of each member. The members the 10 Southeastern states of: , , , , , , www.besurewithpure.com, , , , and . By obtaining the rights to the or by calling 803.328.5284. elect a board of directors to PURE trademark in all 50 states, through an agreement with Unocal, the Co-op membership is manage and determine policies for expanding beyond the original 10-state region. the Cooperative. There are five districts within the Co-op, and the The Co-op Benefits members of each district select Membership is Ownership three board members. The 15 Members of the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. join the petroleum marketers group by members of the governing Board purchasing one share of stock, and by paying a flat initiation fee and a Co-op fee of 1/10 of of Directors of the PURE Co-op serve staggering, 1 cent per gallon purchased. A member can only own one share, so influence in the Co-op is three-year terms. The PURE Co-op Board then selects an annual slate of officers to serve divided equally among all members. in the roles of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, with the intent that these Strength in Numbers officers will move up in their respective roles each year. Rather than face the challenges of business decisions alone, members of the PURE Oil Jobbers The PURE Co-op Sales Team, Staff Cooperative, Inc. obtain strength in numbers when obtaining supply, branding products, determining image for retail operations, and more. Through involvement in the Co-op, The sales team and staff of the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative work out of the home office in individual members obtain more purchasing and operating leverage in virtually all of their Rock Hill, South Carolina, as well as on the road in their respective districts. marketing and management decisions. The General Manager provides communication between the Co-op and its membership, Direct, Secured Supply while assisting District Sales Managers and the President with correspondence to individual As market conditions change, the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative continues to provide consistent, members as well. In addition, the General Manager is responsible for submitting available competitive petroleum products for its members from contractually secured suppliers. This security provided to Co-op members helps to reduce uncertainty concerning one of the most critical figures to the District Sales Managers of member purchases. Finally, the General Manager objectives for a petroleum marketer – obtaining a guaranteed supply of competitively priced reports non-compliance information to the Co-op President and Board of Directors, so they petroleum products for retail distribution. may intervene if necessary.

Independent Brands District Sales Managers respond to the needs of the growing number of members in their One of the greatest benefits of the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. is the strength of its respective territories. They also monitor each member’s month to month purchases, to help PURE petroleum brand. The brand equity in PURE is unmatched, at least among independent ensure the member is in compliance with the member agreement, which includes a specific petroleum marketers. It’s a brand that offers flexibility for Co-op members, who can make their fuel purchase arrangement. District Sales Managers are responsible for growing the Co- own decisions regarding imaging and marketing retail sites, yet do so with a brand name that op by calling on prospective members, though they are always available to assist existing has the equity and history of a major oil company. members with whatever they need. Growth and Profitability One of the primary goals of the PURE PURE Marketing Co-op is to grow its membership, increase its market presence, and The PURE Brand and Firebird Trademark provide an increasingly profitable and positive return on each member’s The “PURE” petroleum brand name has been on the American landscape since 1920. investment. As a result of investing in Today, the PURE Oil Jobbers Cooperative, Inc. has the exclusive right to use the “PURE” the Co-op, members receive a monthly brand and the “Firebird” trademark among its membership, while marketing PURE petroleum rebate if they pull 85 percent of their products at retail sites and during business operations. The Co-op has obtained the rights contract volumes, as well as annual to the PURE brand and Firebird trademark in all 50 states, with an intent to market them dividends at the end of each calendar year. accordingly, all across the country.