About Us
Mission Statement
Deckman Oil realizes that it’s critical to anticipate the industry trends, regulations and technology changes and we have a plan ready to implement in order to adapt to these changes. At Deckman Oil, we define ourselves within our industry as a marketer that is staffed with a “lubricant experienced” sales force that is 100% dedicated to our customer for product and technical support. Our primary focus is providing the right product at the right time for the right application. Having the product in stock at a competitive price, when it’s needed, is critical to maintaining a strong customer relationship. That is the foundation on which we have built our business – successful partnerships within our customer base has allowed us to nurture long standing relationships for over 90 years!
Our History
The early years…
Woodfill & Wegman was founded in 1924 by Oliver B. Woodfill and John Wegman and was run by its founding partners until the late 1930s. It was at this time that Woodfill bought out Wegman and changed the company name to Woodfill, Inc. After Oliver Woodfill’s death in 1956, his nephew John, and Clarence Deckman assumed command of the distributorship under the name of Genesee Valley Petroleum.
Deckman bought out John Woodfill’s estate in 1960 and ran Genesee Valley Petroleum until his death in December 1962. Throughout Clarence’s tenure with the company his sons Buzz and Bernie helped out around the shop. From mopping floors to driving delivery trucks, Buzz and Bernie learned the business from the ground up. After his father died, Buzz Deckman left St. John Fisher College where he was a senior majoring in accounting to run what had become the family business.
Building on tradition…
In 1970, the company moved to Honeoye Falls, NY, 20 miles south of Rochester. Bernie Deckman joined his brother at the distributorship in 1971 after earning his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from St. John Fisher. Three years later, the brothers decided to rename the company to reflect their family name, Deckman Oil Company, Inc.
The Company Today
“As the company expanded, we were faced with different challenges at each stage of growth.
It’s the way our team has managed these changes and expansion challenges that has led to our overall success. Throughout the years and amid the various fluctuations in the industry, our focus has always remained on fulfilling our clients’ needs by providing strong customer service and sales support.
We have always believed that an informed customer is a customer for life. The first step is to educate our sales force on the latest industry trends, reports, programs and products available so they can relay that knowledge to our clients in a concise and effective manner.”
Pete Deckman, President of Deckman Oil Company.