ILMA Compoundings - March 2021 - 31

ILMA PAST PRESIDENT,
AMERICAN OIL & SUPPLY
INTERNATIONAL CHAIRMAN
STAN ZIEMSKI RETIRES

Stan Ziemski, chairman of American
Oil & Supply International, retired
from the lubricants industry after 48
years. His retirement came as Advanced
Lubrication Specialties acquired American Oil & Supply International LLC's
assets earlier this year. 
Ziemski's involvement in the
lubricants industry started in 1973,
when he and his partner, Al Shutts,
purchased American Oil & Supply
Co., which was initially incorporated
in 1895 by employees from the lubricants division of John D. Rockefeller's
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey.
Together, Ziemski and Shutts grew
American Oil & Supply Co. globally
among other businesses they acquired
through the years. Through those
acquisitions, they established the
company's global footprint.
Chuck Decker, president of ILMA,
former president of American Oil &
Supply International, and now director - specialty products at Advanced
Lubrication Specialties, said they
always treated customers and suppliers
like family. " Since the day I joined
American Oil & Supply International,
Stan always pushed relationships,
networks and getting involved in
your industry trade groups, especially
ILMA, " he said.
Ziemski has been a longtime industry leader. " He recognized early on the
importance of ILMA on his company, "
said Jeff Leiter, ILMA's general counsel
and a friend of Ziemski.
Ziemski's work within ILMA helped
ensure a solid future for the Association and created new relationships that
have advanced the industry. Ziemski

served as chairman of ILMA's Government Affairs Committee in 1997,
then became secretary of the Board
and served as president in 2001-2002.
" There was a period of time when
there was a particular magic with the
Board and the Executive Committee that took ILMA up a bunch of
notches, " Leiter said.
Paul Converso, a past president of
ILMA, worked closely with Ziemski on
the Board and said he was always willing
to share his knowledge. " He was as honest as the day is long and was extremely
hard working, " Converso said. " I always
loved working with him. "
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
occurred while Ziemski was serving
as president, and Decker said Ziemski
refused to let the terrorists win. " He
and the ILMA Board agreed to have
the annual meeting, and it was the first
meeting of that size in Las Vegas after
9/11, " Decker said.
As part of his work on the ILMA
Board, Ziemski was instrumental in
creating a long-term strategic plan
for ILMA, organizing and facilitating
planning sessions, and reorganizing
the committee structure. " That whole
committee reorganization he put in
place remains the same today, 20 years
later, " Leiter said, adding that Ziemski
also focused on fiscal discipline.
His work extended beyond just
domestic affairs. " Stan always saw the
need for ILMA to be an international
organization, " said Greg Foltz, retired
engineering and development manager
for CIMCOOL Fluid Technology and
ILMA president in 2002-2003. " He
was the leader in forging many of the

relationships ILMA now has in place,
especially in Europe. "
More specifically, Ziemski was
instrumental in pushing ILMA's
engagement with the Union of the
European Lubricants Industry (UEIL).
More regulations were becoming global
regulations, and Ziemski saw opportunities for ILMA. " He thought with
the increasingly global economy and
global supply chains expanding that we
really needed to get that liaison with the
Europeans, in particular, going, " Leiter
said. " Today, the relationship with
UEIL remains strong. "
Family businesses were important
to Ziemski, and he worked to provide
more information on succession planning to ILMA members, Decker said.
In 2017, ILMA presented Ziemski
with the John A. Bellanti Award,
previously called the ILMA Distinguished
Service Award, which honors an ILMA
member who, through relentless determination, diligence and dedication, has
made significant contributions to enhance
the quality, effectiveness and stature of the
Association and the industry.
Leiter said Ziemski has always been
very generous with his time and answers.
" Stan empowers people and gives them
the tools to get it done, " he said.
Decker said Ziemski is an involved
grandfather who is active with his 11
grandchildren. Plus, he is a passionate
golfer and plans to continue to shoot
his age on the golf course.
" Stan is probably one of the most
competitive people I know, and that is
said as a compliment, " Leiter said.
To submit Member Connections
items for future issues of Compoundings, contact Senior Managing
Editor Sam Hoffmeister at samuel.
hoffmeister@theYGSgroup.com

31
ILMA Compoundings - March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings - March 2021
