In the early 1930's Truman I. Gray was a traveling sales representative for Standard Oil.  In 1937 “True” quit Standard and started a distributorship in Fort Lupton, CO, for Continental Oil Co, selling gasoline, diesel and lubricants.  As years went by the business continued a slow growth.  True’s belief was “Keep the needs and demands of customers in mind at all times and give the customer what he wants when he wants it.”  That idea is still working and still in force at Gray Oil.

Lloyd Gray, True’s oldest son of two, after surviving Pearl Harbor on the Tennessee came aboard to help as the company grew.  True, wife Esther and Lloyd ran the business with little outside help until the mid 60's when True was ready to spend more time away from work.  In 1964 2nd son Truman E. Gray (Buzz) joined the business and helped deliver products and helped the business to grow.   Buzz’s wife Mary Ann also joined and did the bookkeeping, (and some deliveries). During that time, they added a part time truck driver to help with the deliveries; Gray Oil was up to three Bobtail delivery trucks by 1979.  In 1979 Gray Oil became a Colorado Corporation 25% each owned by Buzz, Mary Ann, Lloyd and Lloyd’s wife Dorothy, Gray Oil was 50% women owned at that time.

Lloyd was ready to retire in the early 80's at which time they asked Buzz’s oldest son Tom, who was employed at Public Service Company of Colorado as an Electrical Engineer, to join the company.  Tom did come aboard as a driver, bookkeeper, etc. and helped the business to grow more. Over the next 10 years Tom and Gray Oil bought out the stock of the 4 owners.

In the years to follow, Tom learned the business and hired people to help the business grow.  Gary Baker was hired as a salesman in 1987.  Gary drove a truck and learned the business the first few years and became intimate with petroleum marketing.  He now is Vice President of Marketing and is still selling.  Gary has five sales people in his department including experienced and knowledgeable Bill Michel and sales manager Frank Cushatt.  Dale Rains was hired in 1988 as a driver.   He learned the business and the customers and now is Vice President of Operations. Dale now has an Operations Manager, Steve Darby, a full time dispatcher, Tobey Bachicha, ten drivers, logistics manager Michael Whidalm, two warehouse personnel, and our ace mechanic John Bandt, under him.  In 1989 we hired Tina Mann (Powell) as a receptionist and bookkeeper, Tina is now the President of Gray Oil and responsible for everything.  In 1993 Julie Engbarth was hired to help with the bookkeeping, Julie is now the Secr/Treas of Gray Oil, and has all of administration and retail employees reporting to her.  These four key people along with Tom Gray put together and believe in our Mission:

 “To Profit by Selling Quality, Succeed through Excellent Service and Attitude, and Provide Superior Benefit to our Customers”

Gray Oil continues to grow with this mission foremost in our minds. As a group we welcome challenges, and look forward to working with our customers and suppliers to create a mutually beneficial transaction in every instance.

In 1991 Gray Oil became large enough to support one transport truck, we hired Tom Bodkin to do our product relocation requirements.  Today Tom has 6 tractor-trailer combinations moving product throughout the US for Gray Oil. Tom does everything in his power to get product where it needs to be, when it needs to be there with no spills and no mixes.  Tom and his drivers bring a whole new level of customer care and service to the Gray Oil package.

In the late 90’s Tom Gray was concerned about the risk of being the only stockholder of Gray Oil.  If Tom were to die there was a chance that the bank could have called in the notes, the suppliers could have cancelled the contracts and the employees and customers could be left out in the cold, Tom put together an offer to sell and gave it to Tina, Dale and Julie.  It was accepted by the three and on February 1, 2000 Tom Gray sold Gray Oil to Tina, Julie and Dale.  Tina purchased 50%, Dale 33%, and Julie 17%.  Gray Oil is being certified "Women Owned".

In 2001 Gray Oil hired Bryant Gimlin, the best and most knowledgeable Risk Manager in Colorado, Bryant is a broker and buys and sells futures, contracts, hedges and does amazing things with managing risk in the Petroleum Marketing Industry.

Gray Oil is a licensed distributor of ExxonMobil Lubricants, has access to all Chevron and Conoco Lubricants, as well as a good working relationship with all the light oil (gasoline and diesel) suppliers in the Denver area.  Gray Oil is licensed and set up to buy and sell Gasoline and Diesel in all the states around Colorado.  Gray Oil operates one convenience store TJ’s Express with car washes a Subway sandwich shop and Noble Roman’s Pizza.  Gray Oil has bulk oil storage that is brought in by rail car and by truck, as well as bulk storage for Antifreeze, Methanol, Triethylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Industrial Heat Transfer Fluids, Bio Diesel and Window Wash.  Packaged goods are stored in 4 warehouses in Fort Lupton.  Gray Oil has 3 office buildings adjacent to each other, one for administration, one for dispatching and a sales office.  Gray Oil operates 14 tank and box trucks to deliver bulk and packaged products, and 6 tractor-trailer combinations that transport large quantities of bulk and packaged products.  Gray Oil has approximately 60 employees.