Congratulations to Jack Cardwell, who was honored Tuesday by family and friends with a presentation and luncheon in the El Paso Community Foundation Room.

The occasion was his 60th year as a Chevron marketer. Jack, who has been in the fuel business for 68 years, started as a service station owner with Jack’s Super Service on Paisano, which led to the Chevron-built El Paso Truck Terminal, and later a chain of innovative Petro Shopping Center truck stops that fueled Jack’s reputation for delivering high-quality customer service. Its customer-friendly innovations included the installation of showers for truckers, improved dining options and a large general store geared to truckers’ needs. Petro grew to a total of 69 centers in 33 states (he owned 44 of them and franchised the others). His C&R Distributing has provided petroleum products to customers in West Texas and Southern New Mexico for 60 years.

Jack sold the Petro chain in 2007 and established the Cardwell Family Foundation, a supporting organization of the El Paso Community Foundation, to do good works in the community he loves.

“From the El Paso Truck Terminal back in the 1960s to C&R Distributing today, you have always done a great job of representing Chevron in a positive manner and we are truly grateful for that,” Chevron Products Company executive Roy Lawson wrote in a letter read by C&R’s Keith Kirkpatrick. “Your dedication to our industry and the community are admirable and you were ahead of your time with the vision of how a modern truck stop should look and operate.”

On hand to honor Jack were son Jim Cardwell and wife, Julie; daughter Tina Hatch; daughter Cindi Andrews; and grandson Trey Cardwell. Among his friends and business associates who attended were Paul Foster, Steve Lauterbach, Bill Burton and Leonard “Tripper” Goodman.

Pictured from left: Julie and Jim Cardwell, Cindi Andrews, Jack Cardwell and Tina Hatch.

Photo by Brian Kanof