American Refining Group Inc. announced Monday that its president and chief operating officer Jeannine T. Schoenecker will resign in early 2019.
“Two weeks ago, my husband Brett and I learned of his diagnosis with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease,” Schoenecker said. “While everyone is different, upon diagnosis an individual can typically expect 1 to 2 years of high functionality.”
The Schoeneckers celebrated 22 years of marriage in September.
“ARG has been an amazing extended family for me for the past 20 years. ARG has supported me and together we have accomplished some amazing things. I now must focus my time on my immediate family. Brett has to be my top priority,” Schoenecker continued. “Brett and I will make this journey together, starting with doing many of the things we have always hoped and planned to do together.”
Schoenecker will continue in her role until the end of March unless a successor can be identified sooner. Having the full support of ARG’s board of directors as well as owner Harry Halloran Jr. and his four sons, she will be a core member of the committee tasked with searching for her replacement.
Harry Halloran said, “Jeannine’s departure after 33 years will be a significant loss to us all. ARG is an extended family; we fully understand and support Jeannine’s need to step away and make the most of her time with Brett.
“Jeannine and I, and the Halloran Family, have always been highly aligned about the right way to conduct business,” Halloran said. “Her successor will be carefully selected and will most certainly share these principles and ARG’s values and vision. We are grateful to Jeannine for her extended notice and commitment for a smooth transition.”
Schoenecker will transition her responsibilities with the many local organizations she is involved with to other leaders at ARG who will maintain the commitment and passion for our community that she has demonstrated.
Schoenecker will be named to the ARG board of directors and will work on special projects for the refinery when possible.
“This has been the hardest decision of my life,” Schoenecker said. “It has come with many tears because I have such deep personal connections with the Halloran family, this company, our employees and the Bradford area.”
Schoenecker, a certified public accountant, joined ARG as assistant controller in 1985. Later that year, she assumed the position of controller and in 1991 earned promotion to vice president of accounting. In this role, she was instrumental in ARG’s purchase of the Bradford refinery in 1997.
Schoenecker advanced to chief financial officer in 2008. She succeeded Harvey Golubock as president and chief operating officer in 2011, when she and Brett established residence in Bradford.
“There is a sadness that I will not be able to personally finish what we began when I became president in 2011,” she said. “The ARG employees are an amazing, capable group of hard-working people and I have every confidence in them all and their ability to carry out what we have started, what we have planned for the future. I thank each and every ARG employee, and the Halloran family, for their support of my career these many years.”
