Jason Henkel is pumped for 26 years in the oil industry

Jason Henkel is celebrating an impressive 26 years in the oil industry. His journey began in school, working at his family’s oil business, where he did everything from sweeping floors and crushing oil filters to driving an oil collection truck and handling long-haul deliveries.

Today, Henkel serves as GFL’s Regional Director of Oil Services for Western Canada, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“I love the oil industry,” Henkel said. “I’ve been in it for a long time and it’s still interesting. I love the problem-solving part of my job and I love dealing with people.”

As the family business grew, so did Henkel’s expertise, eventually leading him to the role of general manager. When his father sold the company, Henkel stayed on as operations manager for Manitoba, overseeing liquid business operations across the province.

After GFL acquired the company in 2012, Henkel continued to rise. His responsibilities now cover Western Canada, stretching from Manitoba to British Columbia.

Henkel compares his job to accounting, but instead of balancing dollars and cents, he balances oil supply and demand.

“I wear many hats in a day, but my main focus is making sure that we collect sufficient [used] oil to process so that we have the correct volume of [recycled] oil to go out to customers across North America,” Henkel said.

Among the challenges he faces are predicting the future of the oil industry two to three years out, as well as navigating the various government regulations that differ from province to province and state to state.

Transportation and logistics also test Henkel’s problem-solving abilities. Managing oil inventory across GFL’s tank farms and ensuring efficient rail transportation to customers are key aspects of his role. When natural disasters like flooding or wildfires disrupt rail lines, Jason must find alternative shipping methods.

Though Jason now focuses on ground transport, his early career ambitions focused on the skies.  While working for the family business and attending school, he earned his pilot’s license at 16 and his commercial license at 19. For 10 years, he also worked as a commercial pilot.

“I assumed that my career was going to be an airline pilot but I had to choose the direction I wanted to go in,” Henkel said. “I still fly regularly and enjoy it as a hobby; I just don’t do it as a career anymore.”

In his free time, Henkel enjoys spending time with his family at their cottage, making sure his children stay connected with nature. He’s also an avid hunter and fisherman.

Congratulations to Jason on 26 years in the oil industry!

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