LP Gas Hall of Fame Inductee – Class of 2017
Reifschneider led Manchester Tank as its president and CEO, helping to grow the company from a single site in Los Angeles to multiple plants across the United States, Canada and Australia.
He joined his mother, Mollie Reifschneider, to lead the family business in 1955 after graduating from college. Throughout his career, he had a zeal for selling and was loyal to his customers. Reifschneider introduced powder coating to the 20-pound cylinder market, and his company’s efforts helped to further that market overall.
The production of large volumes of 20-pound cylinders at low cost to grill manufacturers is a key reason for propane dominating the grill market today. He also helped to introduce the vertical dispenser as a Manchester Tank design. With its former leader as a strong advocate of autogas, the company has shown a willingness to manufacture autogas tanks, even when the market was limited.
Throughout the course of the autogas market, the company has developed new tank designs to accommodate new vehicle packaging.
Reifschneider is characterized as someone who remained steadfast to the propane industry, even through tough times in the industry’s history.