Fostering the Next Generation of Leaders

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From May through August 2026, 25 students from universities across the U.S. joined Ergon’s 2026 Corporate Internship Program at our Corporate Headquarters in Flowood, Mississippi. While we have long offered internship opportunities, this summer’s agenda expanded participants’ experiences by immersing them in multiple departments and teams through shared learning activities, professional development and service projects.  

This hands-on approach connects classroom knowledge with real-world applications to give students a broader perspective of Ergon and help them better understand how individual roles contribute to our organization’s overall success.  

“Our internship program is designed to foster professional growth and career explorations,” shared Ashley Smith, Corporate Recruitment Supervisor. “This gives interns the opportunity to absorb information from industry professionals, engage with the communities where we work and live and experience our family-oriented culture firsthand.” 

In addition to formal learning sessions like Refinery and Base Oils, Asphalt 101, Lean 101 and Operations Finance, interns took a deep dive into our operations through visits to several facilities. From exploring our state-of-the-art laboratory at Paragon Technical Services Inc. to touring our refinery in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and seeing maritime transportation in action at Magnolia Marine Transport Company they gained a firsthand understanding of the people, processes and operations that drive our organization forward. Interns also got to experience Ergon’s family atmosphere and people-first culture.  

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Building Connections and Giving Back 

While professional development was a key part of the program, the relationships interns built were what made the summer memorable. Through team-building activities and everyday interactions, students established bonds with one another, mentors and employees across the Ergon family, creating friendships and networking that extended beyond their assigned departments.  

“The group also had the opportunity to give back to the community by participating in a Day of Service benefiting the Mississippi Methodist Children’s Home, connecting their experience to our Core Value of Empowered Service,” Ashley added. Our culture is measured not only by what we do as an organization, but also by how we invest in people and communities. 

WATCH: Thank you, students! Click HERE to see the recap of our 2026 Corporate Internship Program!

 

Showcasing Growth Through Capstone Projects 

The summer concluded with each intern presenting a capstone projects to our Ergon employees, including Board members and members of the founding family. From operational improvements and cybersecurity initiatives to process enhancements and business insights, the projects highlighted the assignments and research students accomplished over four months.  

 More than a final project, the capstones served as a reflection of our family-first culture. Through mentorship and knowledge sharing, interns presented their work with greater confidence, stronger problem-solving skills and a deeper understanding of how their contributions can make an impact. The 2026 Internship Program ended with each participant receiving a certificate of completion and a celebratory luncheon. 

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Youth Impact Across the Globe 

Our Corporate Headquarters was not the only Ergon location welcoming eager minds this summer. Through a partnership with Global Academic Ventures (GAV), Ergon Asia hosted their first interns in May 2026. Rhyan Plumlee, Vice President of Ergon Asia, said they have had five interns representing supply chain, finance and chemical engineering fields, with two additional students scheduled to begin internships in October. 

“Our interns truly become part of the team,” said Rhyan. “They jump into meaningful projects, work alongside employees across different functions and gain a full, hands-on understanding of our international business. Interns bring new curiosity and different perspectives to our work, while giving our Asia team the opportunity to reach, mentor and the help them grow.” 

Ergon Asia plans to continue partnering with local universities to create more opportunities for students across our facilities in Singapore and Indonesia.  

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For Ergon, our internship and Co-Op programs strengthen our future talent pipeline, introduces fresh perspectives and allows employees across the organization to invest in the next generation. Most importantly, it gives students an opportunity to experience Ergon’s global family identity, live out our mission and embrace our Core Values grounded in Respectful Relationships, Empowered Service, Selfless Leadership and Purposeful Growth. 

Built for Service, Powered by People

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From the beginning, Ergon’s Founder Leslie Lampton Sr. set out to build a company centered on a simple but powerful idea: Identify a need, then build the capability to meet it with top-tier customer service. As a family-owned company with a diverse portfolio of businesses, Ergon’s strength lies in how our operations work together to provide end-to-end solutions to customers worldwide. 

Ergon Trucking, part of Ergon’s Integrated Services & Logistics (ISL) segment, plays a critical role in that mission. As a key link in Ergon’s supply and logistics network, the people at Ergon Trucking ensure products move safely, efficiently and on time — from production to customer delivery.  

Ergon Trucking’s reach is as vast as it is diverse. Whether picking up crude from remote oil fields in the Ohio River Valley or delivering product to terminals in Washington state, it’s the drivers who make it all possible, representing Ergon at every stop.  

“Our drivers are the face of Ergon,” said Russ Maroney, President of Ergon Trucking. “Mr. Lampton said it for years: our drivers are the best salesmen we have. Most people don’t drive to a terminal or a refinery. They just see the truck. That truck — and in turn, the driver — represents Ergon to a lot of people.” 

From our earliest days in 1973, Ergon Trucking’s story has been shaped as much by our culture as our operations. The mission that guided those first deliveries — meeting needs, supporting families and serving customers — has remained constant. Over several decades, that consistency has fostered lasting relationships, long tenures and a legacy of trust sustained by the people behind the wheel.  

Rooted in Relationships

“In trucking, we call it having the heart of a servant.” – Russ Maroney 

In 1955, crude oil was discovered in Bolton, Mississippi, sparking a wave of drilling activity. Mr. Lampton recognized the opportunity and began supplying rigs with fuel and chain oil, initially pulling a small trailer behind his car. Even in those early days, the focus was not only on meeting demand, but on personally delivering exceptional service. 

As production increased, Mr. Lampton leased more trucks and trailers to haul crude oil, marking the beginning of his first independent business and laying the foundation for what would become Ergon Trucking. 

“There were a couple points in time where we had those leap-forward moments,” said Maroney. “I’d say the ‘70s and ‘80s were critical. Crude oil was a major growth area during that time. Before that, Mr. Lampton was only hauling and selling Number 6 oil. Getting into the crude market was a big deal.” 

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as the U.S. navigated oil shortages, increased fuel demand and the continued expansion of the interstate highway system, crude oil hauling became increasingly critical for maintaining a high level of customer service. It enabled us to meet growing and shifting needs in a rapidly changing energy landscape. Alongside this demand, Ergon Trucking expanded in step with Ergon’s refining capabilities. By the early 1980s, we expanded into asphalt transportation, adding specialized trailers and further increasing our ability to meet customer needs.  

By the mid-to-late 1980s, completion of Ergon’s hydroprocessing unit in Vicksburg further expanded operations to lubricants — all part of our commitment to continued innovation in search of new ways to serve customers. In the early 1990s, Ergon Trucking entered the pulp mill liquor market, supporting paper companies and adding dozens of drivers as the business continued to methodically scale. 

A key turning point came in 1997, when Ergon acquired the remaining Quaker State assets in the Ohio River basin. With this acquisition, Ergon Trucking gained considerable capacity, especially in support of refining operations. 

Throughout the years, Ergon Trucking’s growth has been steady and strategic — growth built not only on internal expansion, but on strengthening outside customer relationships as well. Today, approximately 55% of Ergon Trucking’s work supports Ergon operations, while about 45% serves external customers. 

“We’ve constantly looked for opportunities to grow,” said Maroney. “It’s knowing your customer base, knowing where you need trucks and knowing how you can respond to customer needs.” 

Since the beginning, a single through line has connected all these major moments: that meeting needs, supporting families and serving customers would be Ergon’s mission. Dedication to service is built upon the culture everyone at Ergon Trucking is committed to upholding — no matter their role.  

The People Behind the Wheel — Embodying Consistency and Integrity

“There’s a lot of tenure, and that tells you something.” – Russ Maroney 

As Ergon expanded, our trucking business evolved into a nationwide network capable of servicing customers across multiple industries. But at our core, the work still comes down to people. 

A typical driver’s week is carefully coordinated to balance safety, efficiency and service. Dispatch teams work to minimize empty miles and maximize productive loads. Drivers are trained not only in operational procedures, but in representing the Ergon name wherever they go. 

“To set our drivers up for success, first, we lead by example,” said Maroney. “We also make sure they don’t feel like a number. Our managers care about the individual. That’s a trait of our culture — caring about people first.” 

Ergon Trucking’s operations are largely ‘touch freight’. Drivers are directly involved in loading and unloading procedures, reinforcing accountability and customer service at every stop. As leadership often emphasizes, drivers are carrying our reputation as well as products.  

Training reflects that expectation. Beyond technical instruction, new drivers learn our culture by observing other employees at all levels of the company — seeing firsthand what it means to meet needs with consistency and integrity. 

The results are measurable. While industry turnover rates can range from 50% to 70%, Ergon Trucking’s driver turnover typically runs less than a third of that. “That turnover advantage translates into the same drivers going to the same customers,” said Maroney. “Relationships form, trust builds and customers are happier at the end of the delivery.” 

Over time, that consistency translates into experience. Drivers get to know the facilities they’re servicing and the products they’re hauling. They grow more familiar with the unique safety procedures each job requires. For customers, that experience means fewer unknowns and service they can rely on.  

In addition to company drivers, Ergon Trucking works with independent contractors who have their own trucks and contract their services. Many of those contractors have remained with Ergon Trucking for 25 to 30 years. “Those contractors staying around tells you something, because that group has plenty of opportunities to go elsewhere,” said Maroney. “Here, they realize they’re part of the family.” 

Longevity like that is a product of a culture that proves itself not just in day-to-day operations, but in extraordinary moments as well. In even the most challenging times, Ergon Trucking’s leadership could rely on the character of our drivers.  

When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, hospitals and radio stations were in dire need of diesel fuel to continue providing medical care and emergency communications. With part of our mission being ‘support families’, Ergon Trucking wanted to help however we could. 

“I went to Vicksburg, Mississippi, to talk to our drivers about how we could help,” said Maroney, “And we had more than enough volunteers. We had drivers volunteer to go down to these places where there were no amenities — no showers, no place to even buy something to eat — to make those deliveries. We were running trucks all around, getting product to places that needed it.” 

Throughout a history measured by expansion into new industries and routes, moments like these offer an equally clear record of how we’ve grown. Ergon Trucking’s story is built on how our people have responded to challenges just as much as it’s built on where the work is done.  

Scale, Service and the Culture That Holds It Together

“If you roll up understanding you’re there to serve the customer, everything goes better.” – Russ Maroney 

What started as one truck serving Mississippi has grown into a vast network of logistics assets. Ergon Trucking operates hundreds of trucks and trailers, serving the 48 contiguous states and Canada. 

Despite the scale, our culture remains personal. Leadership makes a point of visiting terminals, sitting down with drivers, sharing meals and listening to any issues they’re facing in day-to-day work.  

“It’s an easy formula,” said Tim Peters, Operations Manager of Ergon Trucking. “Treat people right, do the right thing and do what you say you’re going to do. And that includes leadership. If you do that every day, and then do it again tomorrow, you’re going to be successful.”  

Keeping this people-first formula in mind has been critical as Ergon Trucking navigates an ever-changing technological landscape.  

“Technology growth is huge to us,” said Maroney. “We’re looking at how we can use AI with load management. That can become a positive for the driver and the company, because the driver can be more efficient if we ensure we’re giving him a week’s worth of loads. Efficiency means reducing deadhead miles, and that’s where AI can help. It’s not about replacing people’s jobs but making their day-to-day lives easier.” 

As technology changes over the years, the standard set by Mr. Lampton over 70 years ago remains Ergon Trucking’s guiding principle. At Ergon Trucking, AI and other advanced developments aren’t a way to reduce headcount. They’re a way to make drivers’ routes and deliveries run more smoothly — which in turn allows for more time to serve customers. 

“We say: be the one who picks up the piece of trash nobody else picks up,” says Maroney. “It’s that little extra step. If you can find it and do it, you can serve the customer better. No matter how things change, it always, always comes back to service. Ergon Trucking has grown in many ways over the years, but what’s never shifted is the belief that our people are really the ones making the difference.” 

Driven by Family Values

“Drivers learn the culture through experience — what they see in leadership from their terminal all the way to the corporate headquarters.” – Russ Maroney 

From hauling Number 6 oil behind a single car to coordinating hundreds of trucks across North America, Ergon Trucking’s history has been marked by methodical expansion into new markets and the development of new technology.  

But the most consistent measure of growth has always been cultural rather than operational. The same mission that guided those early deliveries — meet needs, support families and serve customers — continues to shape decisions today and have through every era of Ergon Trucking. Over seven decades, that consistency has built more than a fleet. It has built relationships, long tenures and a reputation carried by drivers who represent the company every day. 

Ergon Trucking’s history is still being written. And as it moves forward, its direction remains anchored in the same foundation that defined its start: service powered by people.