Whitehead Oil Company is a third-generation, family-owned fuel distributor headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. We have been powering the businesses, fleets, farms, and marinas of Nebraska since 1959.
What we do
We are an authorized Phillips 66 distributor and deliver TOP TIER™ Certified fuels across southeast Nebraska and north central Kansas. Our service catalog spans five core areas:
- Bulk Fuel Delivery — Phillips 66 gasolines, ethanol blends, highway diesel, off-road diesel, and kerosene delivered to commercial and agricultural operations across the state.
- Wholesale Fuel — Competitive pricing and reliable supply to convenience stores and retail stations, backed by six decades of purchasing power and a dedicated transport fleet.
- Lubricants & Fluids — A comprehensive inventory of engine oils, hydraulic fluids, and specialty lubricants from the brands professionals trust.
- Marina Fueling Program — Dock-side fueling at Big Sandy Lake, Sandy Pointe Lake, and Lake Allure, accessed by the Whitehead Oil ACH Card.
- On-Site Fueling & Tank Rentals — Mobile fueling and tank programs for construction sites, agricultural operations, and seasonal fleets.
Our story
In 1959, M.E. “Bus” Whitehead purchased the Phillips 66 Direct Operation in Lincoln — fourteen service stations — and founded Whitehead Oil Company. Bus was a Scottsbluff native who captained the Nebraska Cornhuskers to the 1950 Big Seven basketball championship, and he built the company the same way he played: show up, deliver, repeat. By 1965 the company had grown to 24 full-service stations and a wholesale bulk plant serving tank-wagon fuel and lubricants.
Mark Whitehead joined full time in 1982 and opened the first U-Stop convenience store at 27th & South Streets that same year. In 1989 ownership passed fully to the second generation of the Whitehead family, where it remains today. Mark Whitehead serves as president.
In 1996 the company donated roughly 100 acres of restored saline wetland — now the Whitehead Saline Wetland at 27th Street and Interstate 80 — to the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, and became the first corporation to receive Nebraska’s Master Conservationist Award.
Growth has continued into a third generation of family involvement: Merritt Concrete, our Lincoln neighbor since 1894, joined the company in 2021, the same year the flagship U-Stop opened with Jeannie’s Kitchen and Soapatopia Car Wash. In 2024, U-Stop crossed state lines into Kansas — more than 40 locations now serve drivers across two states.
Whitehead Oil Company has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 1961 and holds an A+ rating — one of the longest-standing accreditations in Lincoln.
The company gives back where it operates. Through U-Stop’s Kick It Back program, two cents from every gallon sold on Tuesdays goes to a rotating local nonprofit — partners have included the Food Bank of Lincoln, Capital Humane Society, TeamMates Mentoring, and Folds of Honor — and the Whitehead family is a longtime supporter of junior golf at Lincoln’s Jim Ager Golf and Learning Center.
Our family of brands
Beyond fuel distribution, Whitehead Oil Company is the parent of a family of Nebraska brands — including U-Stop Convenience Shops, with more than 40 stores across southeast Nebraska and north central Kansas and Kansas offering Phillips 66 TOP TIER™ fuels, Jeannie’s Kitchen foodservice, and Soapatopia Car Wash — plus two specialized divisions:
- High Limit Detail Supply™ (HLDS) — A division supplying elite premium detailing products and tools — automotive, agricultural, marine, and aviation. Visit highlimitds.com.
- Merritt Concrete — Concrete-on-demand for residential, commercial, and repair projects in Lincoln, family-owned since 1894. Visit merrittlincoln.com.
Certifications & partnerships
- Phillips 66 Authorized Distributor
- TOP TIER™ Certified Fuels
- Family-owned and operated since 1959
Giving back, every Tuesday
Through the #KickItBack program, U-Stop donates 2¢ from every gallon sold on Tuesdays to a rotating monthly nonprofit — partners have included the Capital Humane Society, Food Bank of Lincoln, Folds of Honor, and TeamMates. It’s one more way fueling with a family-owned Nebraska company puts money back into Nebraska communities. See this month’s partner →
Visit us
Corporate Office
2537 Randolph Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
Phone: (402) 435-3509
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30am–5:00pm CT
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
