The Citgo Story, 1910–2010. 100 Years, A Zillion Miles
by Monty Johnson
“Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.”
—Henry L. Doherty
Words to live by, which is just what Citgo founder Henry Latham Doherty did.
Although this book was produced in 2010 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Cities Service Company—renamed Citgo in 1965—so popular did it prove to be that there was a second printing in 2017. Yet your reviewer somehow missed that second printing and is only now discovering this engaging book which is, and will be—thanks to the publisher’s print-on-demand (POD) department—readily available to any wishing to acquire a copy.
Some of the vintage images that illustrate the book. The gentleman is Cities Service founder Henry L. Doherty.
We’ve reviewed MT Publishing’s books before. All have been well and professionally made using good stock. This Citgo title is something very special—noticeably “a cut above” due in part to its dramatic cover. Slightly oversize (9″ x 12″), it emerges from its box shrink-wrapped to protect that beautifully and strikingly designed cover. MT Publishing’s graphic department designed the textured grain look of the background with the title and the Citgo logo floating in the middle. The two-tone reds, likely both approved Citgo PMS colors, is finished with a super high gloss lamination that doesn’t fingerprint. Impressive, to say the least.
Front-of-the-book endpapers feature a photographic montage setting off the timeline of significant dates in Citgo’s history.
Noting the book’s seven chapters led to thinking of the significance of the number seven. With the transnational petroleum industry’s own “magnificent seven” referred to as the seven sisters of major oil companies: Esso (now Exxon), Standard Oil of New York (Mobil), Standard Oil of California (Chevron), Royal Dutch, Texaco, Gulf Oil, and British Petroleum (BP).
The loose insert, printed on linen-finish stock, is a 2010 message from Citgo’s CEO noting the book “brilliantly captures the history of Citgo” while also commemorating its centennial. It is shown placed on top of back-of-the-book endpapers.
Although City Service/Citgo has never been one of the sisters, it has been an innovator and industry leader—sometimes in ways that will surprise a reader yet very much reflecting the deeply engrained culture of the company established by its founder and to which it has remained true. One has its origin in the opening quote for Doherty, true to his admonition, had established “in-house schools, one known as the cadet school, to advance technologies and to enable the sharing of knowledge.” That is manifested in the 1990s with “scholarships (primarily in engineering)” and in the 2000s by providing “various education classes and personal finance courses to benefit residents” in specifically identified poor areas.
Innovative Citgo. Shown is its prototype Quik Mart, forerunner of the now-ubiquitous paired gas station and convenience store. The price of a gallon of regular hints this is the earliest 1970s.
Citgo’s “solid foundation of history, values, and vision” has stayed true even as it has changed over the decades. One change involved its ownership with Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) purchasing 50% of Citgo. Subsequently Citgo became PDVSA’s wholly owned, but an independently operated Delaware corporation, subsidiary. That amalgamation went smoothly and has worked well due to shared philosophies and values.
Another change was the 1985 decision “to go to market through the marketer class of trade. In other words, Citgo exited the company-owned retail business and began selling its fuel products exclusively through locally owned marketing partners. … More than 20 years later, this strategy has been adopted by virtually every other petroleum marketer in the industry.”
This nicely written and well produced book offers insights into an industry very much performing a key role in keeping motor vehicles rolling.
Copyright 2026 Helen V Hutchings (speedreaders.info)
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