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Shawmar retiree saw rapid growth of oil company

Staff writer

When Carol Makovec of Ramona began working for Shawmar Oil Company, Inc. 26 years ago, the business was relatively small, operating approximately 50 oil wells. Since then, it has grown to operate more than 300 wells.

The stay-at-home mom for 18 years began her secretarial position on Jan. 1, 1984. She retired Dec. 31.

In 1984, the company was owned and operated by Marlin Cloutier and Jack Caldwell.

After working for several months out of the Cloutiers’ Flint Hills home northeast of Marion, Makovec moved with the business into offices leased from Pilsen State Bank in Lincolnville.

Working three hours a day, she was trained in regulatory compliance by Cloutier and in the bookkeeping aspect of the business by his wife, Wilma.

Makovec said she ran the office while the Cloutiers took extended trips to their retreat in Missouri.

She was with the company when it underwent a change in ownership in 1998 after the two partners died within a few months of each other. Marlin Cloutier’s son, Jim, bought out the partnership and took over the business.

Offices were moved to Marion, first to a building west of Pizza Hut on U.S. 56, then to the company’s present location at the former Carlsons’ IGA on East Main Street.

As the company grew, so did the paperwork and the work hours. Makovec learned to use a computer and was required to make monthly and yearly reports to the mineral tax division of Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Corporation Commission.

“A computer makes it easier, but you have to be careful not to delete things,” she said.

When she retired, she was doing many reports over the Internet.

Another big change she has seen is the price of oil and natural gas. She saw oil go from $24 a barrel to $9 a barrel. The price gradually rose and fluctuated up and down. A year and a half ago, it sold for more than $100 a barrel.

“Producing oil is a lot like farming,” Makovec said. “You have to take what they give you.”

In other words, the producer does not set the price; the market sets the price.

Makovec noted when oil prices are high, the company makes more money but not as much as people might think because production expenses, including taxes, also rise. She said oil companies pay many different taxes in Kansas.

Makovec said she enjoyed her job.

“It was very interesting work,” she said. “It was varied. I enjoyed the people I worked with, and I will miss them.”

Now that Makovec is retired, she said she has many things to do that she didn’t have time for while she was working. She wants to get back to having a garden and canning produce.

She and her husband, Bob, who works as a truck driver for Agri-Producers, Inc., hope to do some traveling. She said she might even consider part-time work someday.

“I’m going to enjoy these days for a while,” she said.

The Makovecs spend a lot of time going to their grandchildren’s activities. They have five children and 15 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All live in the area.

Makovec praised her former employers for the flexibility she was provided while she was working.

“That was the best part of my job,” she said. “They were generous. They allowed me to take off early for family things and to work on weekends, if necessary. I didn’t have to sacrifice my family.”

Last modified Jan. 14, 2010

 

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