Our Heritage
The history of CITGO through the decades.
The 1910s
1910
Pioneer oilman Henry L. Doherty created the Cities Service Company.
It would, eventually, lead to today's CITGO. The company was one of the first to supply gas and electricity to public utilities in the U.S.
The 1910s
1915
Cities Service by now had acquired 98 subsidiaries.
The company was headquartered at 60 Wall Street in New York.
The 1910s
1916
Lady Liberty
Henry Doherty and Josef Pulitzer installed nighttime lighting on Lady Liberty in New York Harbor.
The 1910s
1918
The end of World War I
Cities Service subsidiaries produced half the oil used by the Allies in the final year of World War I.
The 1910s
1919
Cities Service acquired seven refineries
That year, Henry Doherty used motion pictures to attract investors.
The 1920s
1927
Cities Service introduced “Koolmotor” high-octane gasoline
The 1920s
1928
Cities Service discovered The Oklahoma City Pool
The Oklahoma City Pool is one of the largest and most productive oil fields of all time. By now, Cities Services' companies controlled or drilled 176 wells and produced 160,000 barrels per day
The 1930s
1931
Cities Service became a billion-dollar corporation with 25,000 employees.
The 1930s
1936
Cities Service Marketing moves to Tulsa
Cities Service Marketing moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Tulsa, Oklahoma. That same year, the company expanded and was now comprised of 24 petroleum companies, 45 electric companies and 15 natural gas companies.
The 1930s
19377
Anthony Lucas Medal
Company founder, Henry Doherty, received the Anthony Lucas Medal for “Distinguished Achievement for Improving the Technique of Finding and Producing Oil.”
The 1940s
1940
Kenmore Square Sign
The iconic Cities Service (now CITGO) sign was erected in Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts.
The 1940s
1944
CITGO Lake Charles Refinery was built
During that same year, Cities Service refineries processed 53 million barrels of crude oil to fuel the war effort.
The 1940s
1945
End of World War II
By the end of World War II, Cities Service oil tankers aided efforts delivering 32 million barrels of oil to military forces around the globe.
The 1950s
1952
Cities Service began exploration in the Middle East
The 1950s
1957
Cities Service won a contract for exclusive rights to operate service stations on the New Jersey Turnpike
The 1950s
1957
Cities Service delivered jet fuel to the U.S. Air Force for the first time
The 1960s
1960
Cities Service now operated in five countries and produced 47 million barrels of crude a year.
The 1960s
1964
Cities Service launched its popular “Eager Beaver” advertising campaign
The 1960s
1965
Debut of the CITGO Brand
Cities Service unveiled its new marketing brand; retaining the first syllable of the heritage company and adding “GO” to imply power, energy and progressiveness.
The 1960s
1965
CITGO Branded Gasoline
Announced on May 16th, 1965.
The 1970s
1972
CITGO Quik Mart
CITGO Quik Mart debuted. This pioneering retail concept store combined the sale of gasoline with convenient food items.
The 1970s
1974
Cities Services moved its headquarters to Tulsa
The 1980s
1983
CITGO became a standalone refining, marketing and transportation company
The company that year was also acquired by the Southland Corporation, operators of the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores.
The 1980s
1986
Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) purchased 50 percent of CITGO.
That year, the company sponsored the Wood Brothers NASCAR race team.
The 1980s
1987
Team CITGO
The official company volunteer group was founded.
The 1980s
1988
CITGO branded outlets increased to nearly 7,700, a 22 percent jump in just one year
The 1990s
1990
CITGO became wholly owned by Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA)
That same year, the former Champlin Refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, became a part of the company’s refining network.
The 1990s
1997
14,885 CITGO Branded Outlets
Approximately 14,885 CITGO branded retail outlets existed. At the time, the number of outlets was more than any other company in the nation.
The 2000s
2002
Midwest Refinery in Lemont
PDV Midwest Refinery in Lemont, Illinois became part of CITGO refining operations.
The 2000s
2004
CITGO Headquarters
CITGO relocated its headquarters from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Houston, Texas.
The 2010s
2010
Celebrating 100 Years
On September 2, CITGO celebrated its 100-year heritage with a clean, new, contemporary brand image.
The 2010s
2013
CITGO introduced TriCLEAN® gasoline
The 2010s
2016
CITGO & MDA
CITGO, the largest corporate sponsor for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), celebrated its 30-year partnership with MDA, which raised nearly $200 million since January 1986.
The 2010s
2017
TEAM CITGO
Employee volunteer group, Team CITGO, celebrated 30 years since its founding in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The 2010s
2017
Launch of "Fueling Good. Rebuilding Lives."
Hurricane disaster relief & recovery; housing restoration; mobile food pantries.
The 2010s
2018
CITGO Oklahoma City Lubricants Plant Achieves New Safety Record.
The 2010s
2018
STEM Talent Pipeline
Seven Innovation Academy locations, over 30 STEM partners and 16 universities reach more than 17,000 students & educators.
The 2010s
2019
Ten-year anniversary of FUELING GOOD®
Recognizing and rewarding those doing good in the CITGO community footprint. GO > FUEL GOOD, new online platform for company-wide volunteering and matching gifts, debuts.
The 2010s
2019
CITGO Petroleum Corporation Confirms New Board of Directors.
The 2010s
2019
Carlos E. Jorda Selected as New CEO.
The 2010s
2019
Chrysti Ziegler Appointed First Female Chief Auditor.
The 2020s
2020
CITGO Appoints Jack Lynch to Serve as Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer.
The 2020s
2020
Mariela Poleo Named First Female President of Simón Bolívar Foundation.
The 2020s
2020
CITGO and Bess the Book Bus Celebrate Decade-Long Partnership to Promote Children's Literacy.
The 2020s
2020
110-year Corporate Anniversary
New decade, new Illuminate Reimage Program lights the path into the future.
The 2020s
2020
MDA Milestone
CITGO employees, contractors, marketers, retailers, family and friends raise more than $250 million since 1986.
The 2020s
2020
The Simon Bolivar Foundation Redefines its Mission and Goals
Helps expand access to medicine and nutrition, while improving the well-being of vulnerable individuals in and from Venezuela. Launches newly redesigned website.
The 2020s
2020
The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) awarded CITGO Petroleum Corporation its Platinum Safety Awards.
The 2020s
2020
The American Petroleum Institute awarded CITGO its 2019 Distinguished Pipeline Safety Award.