Peter Arguindegui, Sr.
Arguindegui Oil Company was founded in October 1942 by Peter R. Arguindegui, Sr., after he was awarded the Continental Oil Company Commission Agency to serve Laredo, Texas, and the surrounding area.
Peter Arguindegui, Jr.
Peter Arguindegui, Jr. graduated from Texas A&M University in 1953 and, following his service in the United States Air Force, joined the company in 1956. His leadership and dedication helped carry forward the values and vision established by his father, ensuring the continued growth of the family business.
Family Legacy
In 1970, Peter Arguindegui, Jr. became President and CEO, and Charlie Arguindegui was named Executive Vice President, launching a new era of growth. Peter, Jr. guided the company with vision and civic involvement, while Charlie led expansion in lubricants and chemicals, earning national recognition as a top Conoco distributor. Together, they diversified into convenience-store marketing and unattended fueling, which helped the company win the 1997 Dupont Marketing Excellence Award. Their leadership reinforced Arguindegui Oil’s reputation for innovation, integrity, and dedicated community service.
Alfonso & Charlie Arguindegui
In 1988, Alfonso L. Arguindegui graduated from St. Edward’s University and joined the company as head of the Retail-Convenience-Store Division, where he expanded operations and drove diversification with a strong focus on real estate development. That same year, Charlie Arguindegui, Jr., after attending Texas A&M University, became Operations Manager, applying his mechanical expertise to grow the wholesale division into a statewide network of seven wholesale terminals.
Unprecedented Growth
In celebration of its 60th year in business, Arguindegui Oil Companies proudly welcomed both second and third-generation family members, along with long-standing business partners, including ConocoPhillips and Valero. This milestone underscored the company’s deep roots and enduring partnerships within the fuel and energy industry. As part of the occasion, Conoco honored Alfonso Arguindegui with the DuPont Management Business Scholarship, enabling his participation in the Minority Business Executive Program at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. This recognition further strengthened the company’s commitment to diversity, leadership development, and its continued role as a proud minority-owned business.
Celebrating 80 Years of Service
In 2022, Arguindegui Oil proudly celebrated 80 years of service. Since our founding in 1942, we have grown from a family business in South Texas to a trusted partner across industries and regions. This anniversary marked not only eight decades of fueling progress but also a renewed commitment to integrity, reliability, and customer-focused service that continues to guide us into the future.
A New Chapter Begins
In May 2025, Illan Arguindegui, a fourth-generation leader in the company, was named President of Arguindegui Oil Companies. Just months later, in August, we proudly introduced our new name and branding, transitioning from Arguindegui Oil Companies to ARG Petro. This change reflects our commitment to modernizing our image, aligning with our evolving company culture, and making our name easier to recognize and remember. While our look has evolved, our dedication to exceptional service, strong partnerships, and the values that have guided us since 1942 remain at the heart of everything we do.
