Working in Clark County, a brief profile of interesting Clark County business owners or a worker in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. Send ideas to Mary Ricks: mary.ricks@columbian.com; fax 360-735-4598; phone 360-735-4550.
While still in high school, Dan Wolff was converting a gas engine to propane. That was the start to his long career. Many conversions later, Wolff started his own business and continues to push the usage of greener fuels. “We need to take care of Mother Earth and to care about what fuel we put in our vehicles,” Wolff says. “We need to learn how to recycle instead of dumping everything into a landfill.”
Name: Dan Wolff.
Job/employer: Owns Wolff’s Specialties, with his wife, Penny.
Age: 53.
Education/professional background: I did my first conversion while I was in high school. After high school, I attended Oregon Institute of Technology. I met a buddy who was involved in domestic industrial conversion with Ferrellgas in Portland. I soon left school and started working for the company doing conversions on school buses.
In the late 1980s, I was able to go back to school, this time at Mt. Hood Community College. I earned my advanced engine performance specialist certification.
As more cars, trucks and buses went back to using diesel and the federal government cut back on programs to help with conversion costs, the market for conversions slowed. Ferrellgas (which owned eight shops from Medford, Ore., to Seattle) was developing a conversion center. I trained with the conversion manufacturers and then became the training agent for Ferrellgas.
Ferrellgas wanted to concentrate on being a propane supplier and didn’t want to support a conversion center any longer so I bought the inventory from Ferrellgas and opened my own shop. I ran it from 1992 until 2000.
Alternative fuels were not being promoted as they were at first and there was not a huge growth rate. I closed my shop and took a four-year sabbatical. Suburban Propane, a national company, asked me to do some conversions for them. After doing more research, I learned there was some new technology and I began doing small-engine conversions, such as lawn mowers, buffers and generators.
Over the last year I have received my certifications for the American Alternative Fuel and Icom systems. Both are EPA certified and are leading our country in conversions. All government vehicles are required to be EPA certified.
I opened my shop in Vancouver in 2004. I started with small-engine conversions for Washington Department of Transportation. Then I became a vendor for government jobs. My shop has now received the contract on DOT conversions in Vancouver, Centralia, Tumwater and Seattle.
Most rewarding part of job: I like the teaching part of my job. I have worked with Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Ore., which has the largest program available in Oregon, and also worked with Peninsula College in Port Angeles. I am helping establish the program for conversion and alternative fuels for both colleges.
Most challenging part of job: The most challenging is the blending of the technologies under the hood, how the auto manufacturers and after-market technology blends the two together.
Something you would like to do over: I am a firm believer in, “I am who I am.”
Residence: Camp Bonneville.
Best feature of my Vancouver/Clark County community: The people are wonderful here. I love the environment. It is a good social setting and I hope Vancouver doesn’t grow so large it expands beyond our abilities. We are a small community environment close to a large happening (Portland).
What would make your community a better place: It would be better if we were greener. If there was a bigger push on going green. We need to take care of Mother Earth and need to care about what fuel we put in our vehicles. The electric car is a wonderful idea on the forefront but what do you do with the waste? Unfortunately, that solution hasn’t been developed yet. We need to learn how to recycle instead of dumping into a landfill.
Favorite restaurant/pub/coffee shop/store: Pho Saigon restaurant in Orchards
Hobbies: I have spent a lot of time on the racetrack. I promoted go-carts when my children were younger. As I have gotten older I have discovered hiking.
Volunteer activities: I volunteer with my church.
Favorite travel destination: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, especially for the snorkeling.
Most interesting book in last 12 months: Andy Andrews’ “The Traveler’s Gift.”
One thing you want to do this year: I would like to explore Canada. It would be a blend of fun with work. I would probably take some training there, too.
In five years and looking ahead: I want to stay focused on teaching youngsters through the college programs. If propane is going to take off, we need installers and people who can work on the equipment. I would like the public to open their eyes and accept greener fuels. Here at home I would like the city and county to step up like the rest of the nation and use alternative fuels. In other parts of the country there is a large movement for sheriff’s departments and city police for conversions and I would like to see it happen here.
One word to describe yourself: Conservative.
