Harbor Enterprises steps on the gas.

• Author: Bauman, Margaret
• Position: Harbor Enterprises Inc. - 1995 New 49ers

Dale and Carol Lindsey have used "family values" to build a petroleum marketing and distribution empire down on the Kenai Peninsula. Now they're expanding into Canada.

Harbor Enterprises Inc. nearly doubled its size in 1995, with acquisition of Canadian bulk fuel facilities, on the way to a projected $200 million record revenue for the heating oil distributor. That's after the Seward-based company reported revenues of almost $139 million for 1994.

But Dale Lindsey, owner and president of Alaska's largest independent petroleum marketing firm, wasn't resting on his laurels.

"It will be the best year yet for revenues, but the bottom line needs to be fine-tuned a bit," says Lindsey, who reorganized the firm earlier this year.

"I am thankful and grateful for the success we've achieved and I don't take that for granted. Every day is a new day and you have to get up and perform and prove yourself."

The reorganization was needed to assure smooth operations once Harbor Enterprises acquired the White Pass Transportation facilities, which included seven marine-oriented petroleum bulk facilities in Southeast Alaska.

Along with the purchase of the White Pass facilities, with annual revenues of about $60 million, Harbor Enterprises agreed to retain 110 workers, bringing its own staff to a total of about 270 employees, Lindsey says.

The White Pass deal involved bulk fuel facilities in Skagway, Haines, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Craig and Ketchikan. The sale also included several service stations and bulk fuel facilities in the Yukon that serve a complete range of products to heating fuel customers, as well as tourism, transportation, government and mining operations, says A. J. McClanahan, corporate communications manager for Harbor Enterprises.

The Yukon Territory facilities are now operating under a new name, North 60 Petro.

Harbor Enterprises also operates at 11 Alaska locations under the trade names Petro Marine Services, Alaska Oil Sales and Shoreside Petroleum. Its plants are located in Seward, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Nikiski, Homer, Soldotna, Kenai, Whittier and Valdez.

The company maintains marketing offices in Anchorage and Seattle, and is a partner in a joint venture fuel facility in St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands. Harbor Enterprises also is affiliated with Forty Niner Transportation, Inc., a barge company, and is a partner in the Petro Star Valdez Refinery.

Railroad Refugees

Lindsey, who has owned and operated Harbor Enterprises since 1959...