Flint Hills names Alaska head, will base operations in Fairbanks

Petroleum News

Flint Hills Resources of Wichita, Kansas, which is in the process of buying Williams’ Alaska assets, including a refinery in North Pole, said Feb. 17 that it will base its operations in Fairbanks.

“With the local refinery and the Fairbanks terminal, we believe it makes good business sense to have our headquarters here,” said Allen Lasater, who has been selected by Flint Hills to be president of its Alaska-based business. Flint Hills will have a marketing office and products terminal in Anchorage, he said. Williams based its head of Alaska operations in Anchorage.

Lasater, who will move to Fairbanks once the purchase is finalized, is a vice president of Flint Hills Resources, based in Wichita, Kan., and is responsible for environmental, health and safety excellence for the company. He has been with Koch companies for more than 10 years, and has also been involved in the chemicals business and in international operations. He earned a master’s degree in management from Houston Baptist University and a bachelor’s degree of chemical engineering from the University of Missouri.

Flint Hills said its purchase of Williams’ Alaska assets is expected to close in the first quarter of 2004, subject to approval by the Alaska Legislature of a crude contract with the state of Alaska.

“We’re excited about the opportunities this business offers and plan to make significant modifications to the facilities to provide cleaner air, and position them to meet future regulatory and community expectations,” Lasater said in a statement.