Convenience Matters

Disaster and recovery plans helped convenience and fuels retailers in Florida affected by Hurricane Ian be among the first businesses to reopen. We’ll talk about how they prepared and about current conditions in the hardest hit areas. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Ned Bowman, Executive Director, Florida Petroleum Marketers Association Ned Bowman grew up in Connecticut in a family of seven boys and one girl, and went to college at University of New Haven, graduating in 1981 BS and EMBA 1993. While in college, he played football for three years and one of his teammates was Tony Sparano, the former Miami Dolphins head coach. He graduated 1981 and was later honored with a distinguished Alumni Award in 1997. He's been in the heating oil and fuel business for over 25 years, and founded a retail propane distributorship and has been president of a fuel oil and petroleum products distributorship and a heating and cooling contractor business. Ned was involved with the New England Fuel Institute for over 15 ye

Convenience stores sell hundreds of different brands, and retailers can put a focus on these brands by pricing, placement and promotions. But what about the most important brand in your store--your brand? We discuss what you need to do to make sure your brand is top of mind with customers--and that your store offer matches that brand promise. Related Link: www.ab-net.us Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Rick Sales, President, Abierto Networks Rick is founder and president of Abierto Networks, a leading digital engagement solutions provider focused on the convenience store and convenience foodservice retail industries and used in more than 4,000 locations across the country. Eric Sales, Creative Director, Abierto Networks As creative director at Abierto, Eric leads the design team and been an integral part in developing its OPEN.Platform. A veteran in branding, content production and analytics, he works closely with customers to craft compelling brand messages and accompanying campaigns.

We're talking with a convenience retail industry icon how the end of the NACS Show is the start of a bigger strategic planning process. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky About our Guest: Jeff Miller, CEO and President, Millers Energy Jeff is CEO and president of Millers Energy, based in Norfolk, Va. The company was founded in 1977 and is in the residential heating and air-conditioning, heating oil and property management businesses in southeastern Virginia. He entered the family business in 1981 after working for five years in the restaurant business in Washington D.C. In 2010, he was elected Chairman of the NACS and testified before Congress on behalf of the industry and represented the industry at events all over the world. In 2022, Millers exited the convenience store and wholesale fuel distribution businesses.

We're talking about pressing issues that convenience retailing industry executives are facing, and how NACS is addressing them. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky About our Guest: Henry Armour, NACS President and CEO Henry is third president and CEO to lead NACS in its 61-year history. His tenure began in July 2005, following a long history with the association. He served two one-year terms as NACS chairman (2001-2003), as treasurer/chairman-elect and vice chairman of research and development. Henry grew up working in his family's retail automotive and wholesale transportation businesses, Armour Oil Company, from an early age pumping gas, selling tires and polishing trucks. He managed the company's retail service stations and transportation facilities, negotiated labor contracts, oversaw the company's petroleum supply system, and handled government affairs, rising to the position of vice president and chief operating officer of the company in 1977. In 1980, Henry joined The Standard Oil Company of

From just 8 veteran volunteers to 150,000-plus today, Team Rubicon is rebuilding global communities before, during and after disasters and crises. Related Link: Team Rubicon Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky About our Guest: Jake Wood, Founder and Executive Chairman, Team Rubicon Since 2010, Team Rubicon, the fastest growing and most innovative disaster response organization in the world, has responded to nearly 1,000 crises around the world and the United States. Under Wood’s leadership, Team Rubicon developed a reputation for its corporate culture and has been named one of the top nonprofits to work for in America. Prior to Team Rubicon, Wood served as a Marine Corps scout-sniper with combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was a varsity football player for the Wisconsin Badgers. He is the author of "Once A Warrior," a memoir detailing his time in war and disaster zones around the world that journalist Tom Brokaw called “The book America needs right now.”

By building trust and connection, customers will make your business the logical choice when the market needs your product or services. Related Link: Unmarketing Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Scott Stratten, Founder, Partner, Speaker Scott is best-known for the concept that is also the name of the company he founded in 2002: UnMarketing. Together, Scott and his wife Alison have taught their unconventional practices to thousands of people worldwide and are co-authors of six best-selling business “unbooks."

With billions of dollars being invested in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, what will the demand for EV chargers look like during the next 10 years? Related Link: Fuels Institute Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: John Eichberger, Executive Director, Fuels Institute John leads the Fuels Institute, a nonprofit, independent think tank founded in 2013 and managed by NACS. Prior to the Fuels Institute, he served more than 14 years at NACS as vice president of government relations and as the director of motor fuels. He oversaw advocacy operations and represented the convenience and fuel retailing industry before the media and federal government. With decades of experience, Eichberger is a recognized and go-to expert on fuels and fuel retailing.

From rural Mississippi to Key West and New Orleans, Stafford Shurden knows where to find delicious and authentic food at local gas stations in c-stores. Related Link: Stafford Shurden Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Stafford Shurden, host of "Gas Station Tailgate Review" Stafford is a farmer, restaurant owner and former justice court judge. In between farming and cooking, he tours the south giving inspirational speeches and reviewing gas station food.

As the fall months approach, here's what consumers and retailers can expect from the gas, diesel and oil markets. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Denton Cinquegrana, Chief Oil Analyst, OPIS For more than a decade, Denton has covered nearly all markets where OPIS has price discovery. Prior to becoming the chief oil analyst at OPIS, he was executive editor for U.S. refined products, overseeing day-to-day market coverage operations.

Small operators like The Hub's Jared Scheeler are always on the lookout for big ideas that will transform their convenience stores. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Chris Blasinsky About our Guest: Jared Scheeler, CEO, The Hub Convenience Stores Jared is the 2021-22 NACS Chairman. He began his career in the convenience industry in 1998 while attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where he worked at Minneapolis-based Bobby & Steve’s Auto World. His engagement with NACS began in 2001 when he attended his first NACS Show in Las Vegas. “That’s when I fell in love with the industry,” he said in the January 2022 issue of NACS Magazine. In 2015, Scheeler co-founded The Hub in his hometown of Dickinson, North Dakota.

We're breaking down what convenience retailers need to know as they prepare for an amazing experience at this year's NACS Show in Las Vegas. Related Links: NACS Show NACS Food Safety Conference Category Management Certification Pre-Conference Workshop Hosted by: Chris Blasinsky About our Guest: Jeff McQuilkin, Director, Exhibit Sales and Services, NACS Jeff has been with NACS since 2017 and is the director of exhibit sales for the NACS Show. He has extensive tradeshow industry experience with both for-profit and non-profit organizations. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, photography and classic cocktails. He is also considered by those who know him well to be a master Slurpee pourer.

At the halfway point of 2022, NACS data is revealing operational opportunities and lingering challenges that will last throughout the year. Related Links: NACS State of the Industry Report of 2021 Data NACS Research NACS CSX Database NACS State of the Industry Compensation Report of 2021 Data Hosted by: Chris Blasinsky About our Guest: Chris Rapanick, Director of Business Development for NACS Chris is the director of business development for NACS and has two decades of experience in the wholesale, B2B and retail sales environment. He is a go-to expert among NACS members for analyzing and the industry's operational and financial performance and is an integral part of data collection for the NACS CSX Database and NACS State of the Industry enterprise.

How retailers can define their value amid uncertainty around elevated gas prices and record-high inflation. Related Links: Cenex Cenex LIFT Initiative NACS Magazine, "Face LIFT" Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Akhtar Hussain, Director of Refined Fuels Marketing, Cenex Akhtar Hussain is the director of refined fuels marketing at Cenex, where he is responsible for brand marketing, retail development and retail imaging and equipment for Cenex, which has more than 1,500 convenience store locations across 19 states. In his more than 10 years at CHS, Hussain has held a number of roles including manager of petroleum equipment and manager of refined fuels marketing. A Minnesota native, he received his degree in marketing from Metropolitan State University.

There are many optimistic projections about EVs becoming a significant part of our transportation future, but very few account for current roadblocks. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guests: Jay Smith, Partner at Capital Results Jay oversees the communications division at Capital Results and helps clients from all sectors of the economy achieve their policy and strategic goals. Doug Kantor, NACS General Counsel Doug joined NACS in May 2021 after serving as a partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he worked with the NACS government relations team to define effective policy-based solutions on issues ranging from fuels to financial services. He has established and administered coalitions of companies and trade associations that share common legislative and regulatory objectives, including the Merchants Payments Coalition and its work to reform credit and debit card swipe fees.

Hear how the global convenience retailer quickly moved to support its teams and operations in Eastern and Central Europe related to the war in Ukraine. Related Link: Circle K Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Mark Wohltmann About our Guest: Niall Anderton, Senior Vice President Operations, Central Eastern Europe and Ireland (SVP CEE & Ireland), Circle K Niall’s overall responsibility is for the Circle K business in Ireland and Central and Eastern Europe, which includes Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia.

Effective marketing and communications can help convenience retailers drive customers inside the store. Related Links: Abierto Networks Rutter's Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guests: Rick Sales, President, Abierto Networks Rick is founder and president of Abierto Networks, a leading digital engagement solutions provider focused on the convenience store and convenience foodservice retail industries and used in more than 4,000 locations across the United States. Chris Hartman, Sr. Director of Fuels, Forecourt, Advertising and Construction, Rutter's Chris grew up working in the convenience retailing industry. In 2018 he joined his family business, Rutter’s, and currently leads multiple teams including the fuels and forecourt areas. The company operates 82 convenience stores across Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, and is based in York, PA. Rutter’s is also the oldest vertically integrated food company in the United States.

The convenience retail community unites to celebrate first responders, medical and emergency professionals and Red Cross volunteers on July 24, also known as 24/7 Day. Related Links: 24/7 Day Yesway NACS Foundation Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Stephanie Sikorski About our Guest: Derek Gaskins, Chief Marketing Officer, Yesway Derek has an impressive career in the convenience and fuel retailing industry. He currently heads up all marketing, merchandising and procurement efforts for the Yesway brand and develops relationships with Yesway’s supplier partners. Prior to joining Yesway, he was chief customer officer at Rutter’s and was instrumental in developing the company’s award-winning customer engagement programs. Derek was also senior vice president of marketing and merchandising with Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS) and served as vice president of marketing at NACS. He also led brand marketing for Giant Eagle for its GetGo chain of convenience stores and launched the Fuelperks fuel rewards loyalty program

Industry experts break down how environment, social and governance (ESG) issues are growing and facing regulatory requirements that could have enormous implications for the fuels industry. Related Links: Fuels Institute "The Case for Developing an ESG Plan" American Council for Capital Formation SEC Proposes to Enhance Disclosures by Certain Investment Advisers and Investment Companies About ESG Investment Practices Hosted by: John Eichberger and Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Mike Roman, Senior Fellow, Public Policy/ESG, American Council for Capital Formation Mike has more than 40 years of global energy industry experience. In addition to his current work at the American Council for Capital Formation, he is the founder of the consultancy CertainPoint Strategies LLC and serves as a member of the Fuels Institute Board of Advisors.

From salty to sweet, indulgent or healthy, here's how convenience stores satisfy their customers' cravings for snacks. Related Links: NACS State of the Industry Report of 2021 Data Convenience Voices NACS Magazine Hosted by: Chris Blasinsky and Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Tim Young Tim is an experienced category manager within the convenience retail channel who also uses social media to share stories about brands. He spoke at the 2022 NACS State of the Industry Summit on the candy and snacks categories.

Charlie McIlvaine of Coen Markets takes us on a deep dive into the convenience retail industry's financial and operational performance data. Related Links: Coen NACS Research Hosted by: Chris Blasinsky and Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Charlie McIlvaine, Chairman and CEO, Coen Markets Inc. Charlie and his brother, Andy, manage the Coen Markets, Coen Energy, Coen Tire, and Coen Transport in the Pittsburgh region. Charlie is also managing partner of Thomaston Capital LLC, a private investment firm that invests in growth or later stage companies primarily in the consumer/retail sector. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, attended New College of Oxford University, and earned a BA in economics from Duke University.