[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 66 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S2545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   100TH ANNIVERSARY OF SINCLAIR OIL

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to a well-
respected American company: the Sinclair Oil Corporation. This May 
marks 100 years since Harry Ford Sinclair founded the corporation after 
purchasing petroleum assets from 11 smaller companies. In its 
centennial year, Sinclair Oil continues to thrive as one of the oldest 
continuously operated brands in the petroleum business and the seventh 
largest fuel company in the United States. Today I wish to congratulate 
the company on its 100th anniversary.
  Most people know Sinclair Oil for its iconic green Apatosaurus, but 
behind the character is a company fueled by two real American legends: 
Harry Ford Sinclair and Earl Holding.
  Harry Ford Sinclair experienced his fair share of setbacks before 
becoming a successful businessman. In fact, Sinclair was just 25 years 
old when a speculative investment went south, and he lost his father's 
drugstore, but the bad investment turned out to be a blessing in 
disguise for the brash and brilliant young man, who was never cut out 
for the quiet, meticulous life of a druggist in the first place.
  After losing his family's drugstore, Sinclair found work selling 
lumber for oil derricks. Soon, he was buying and selling small oil 
leases on the side, and his ``side'' business did well enough to 
attract investors. Sinclair's successes snowballed as he rolled small 
profits into bigger ventures, eventually leading to a payout in 
Oklahoma's Glenn Pool oil field that made him a millionaire by age 30. 
In 1916, he founded the Sinclair Oil and Refining Corporation. Three 
years later, the company had grown to four times its original size.
  In the 1920s, Sinclair introduced America to the first modern service 
stations. These early retail gasoline outlets offered oil changes, 
minor mechanical repairs, and, for the first time, public restrooms 
that motorists could use while an attendant pumped gas into their 
vehicles. The convenient amenities of these service stations enabled 
the creation of a uniquely American experience: the long road trip.
  Sinclair's success continued through tough times. During the Great 
Depression, the company bought up dying competitors, saving hundreds of 
American jobs. And during World War II, Sinclair supported the Allies 
with high-octane fuel, tankers, and more.
  In 1948, Harry Ford Sinclair officially retired, but 28 years later, 
Earl Holding, another American business icon, acquired the company, 
leading Sinclair Oil into a new era of prosperity and growth. Earl had 
grown up with nothing during the Great Depression, but like Harry 
Sinclair, he turned a willingness to work into success. Before 
purchasing Sinclair Oil, Earl and his wife, Carol, built the Little 
America chain of hotels and gas stations. In fact, the Little America 
chain became Sinclair's biggest customer before the Holdings bought the 
oil company.
  Earl was well known for his brilliance, but he was equally regarded 
for his steadiness and warmth. These personal qualities enabled him to 
make Harry Sinclair's empire somehow feel like a mom-and-pop business. 
No task at the company was beneath Earl, whether it was serving coffee 
or digging ditches. He even hosted annual conferences and parties so he 
could personally meet partners and employees from around the country.
  Today Sinclair Oil continues to succeed under the leadership of CEO 
Ross Matthews. Family values hold the company together, while 
innovation drives it forward. As the company celebrates its centennial, 
the spirit created by Harry Sinclair and Earl Holding lives on, as does 
Dino, the familiar green dinosaur that is the beloved mascot of 
Sinclair Oil.
  In closing, I would like to offer just a few words in memory of the 
company's late CEO, Earl Holding. I knew Earl personally and considered 
him a dear friend. He inspired his employees through genuine kindness 
and humble leadership. Earl was a master of commerce, but more 
importantly, he was a good and honorable man of uncompromising 
character and integrity. Although Earl left us only 3 years ago, his 
legacy is alive and well. Today I wish his beautiful wife and children 
the very best.

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