Allied Oil founder R. Conrad Heinson dies

OMAHA — Allied Oil & Supply Inc. founder R. Conrad Heinson died May 16 at age 96.

A native of Steelville, Mo., he served in the U. S. Army Air Force during World War II as a radar mechanic in the 867th Bombardment Group within the 243rd Army Air Force Base Unit and was stationed in Cassel, Germany.

After the war, he became a salesman for Interstate Oil in Kansas City, Kan. Upon learning the company was pulling out of the Nebraska-Iowa territory, he started his own business, Allied Oil, in Omaha in 1958.

In 1965, the company expanded its location in Omaha and opened Allied Tire Co. and Allied Construction Specialties.

By 1968 Heinson had developed a network of retail tire outlets spanning from Omaha to San Diego. In 1998, Allied opened a Michelin Retread Technologies plant.

In 2019 Bauer Built Inc. acquired the tire division of Allied Oil & Tire, which included seven outlets in five states, the retread plant and wheel-refinishing operation. With the divestiture, Allied reverted to its Allied Oil & Supply Inc. name and focus on the lubricants business and industrial services division.

Today, Allied provides services and products in an eight-state area.

According to his obituary, Heinson said he loved his career: "I never worked a day in my life. I spent my days calling on my friends."

He took great pride in building a multi-generational business with his two daughters, nephew Greg Kennedy and grandson Kyle Fowler.

Preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Ann, and his daughter Debra, he is survived by daughter Tamara Fowler (Doak), son-in-law Steve Thiesfeld, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.