John K. Evans (1907-1991)

John K. Evans emigrated from Wales to Canada and then to New York. While waiting tables in one of Dutch Schultz’s speakeasies, he met the vice president of Shell Oil who persuaded him to work for Shell. Evans worked for Shell Oil for thirty years and then left to form his own company – Independent Fuel Marketers of America. He tried for many years to build an oil refinery on the East Coast, and when his efforts failed, he went to Hawaii where he created the successful Pacific Resources, Inc. Evans worked as an oil trader and soon was on a first name basis with international business and political leaders, including presidents.