The convenience store industry continues to grow sales at record numbers, but the stakes have never been higher as convenience store owners face competition from multiple retail channels. The National Advisory Group (NAG) provides the convenience store industry one of the most exclusive environments for small, mid-sized and family-owned retailers to interact with each other and share ideas for reducing operating costs and increasing sales.
NAG is pleased to announce that Doug Galli, the vice president and general manager of Reid Stores Inc./Crosby’s, has been named chairman of the NAG Board of Directors for a two-year term helping to oversee the direction of NAG and content for its annual conference.
“I am honored and excited to be named as chairman of NAG. Since both attending the NAG Conference for a number of years and serving on the NAG Board, I have been impressed with the depth and breadth of the knowledge I have gained,” Galli said “In addition, I have enjoyed the opportunity to share with my fellow retailers what we have learned in our business. I look forward to the next two years working with the NAG Board to continue with the tradition of providing a first class conference where all attendees can leave with some real actionable items to help grow their business.”
Galli has been with The Reid Group, parent company of Reid Stores since 2004. Prior to that, he spent 29 years with Tops Markets/Wilson Farms having worked in both the supermarket and convenience store division. He currently serves on the board of the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS), and is a past chairman of the state association. He also served for 15 years on his local school board.
“We are honored to have Doug’s vast industry experience on the NAG Board,” said John Lofstock, executive director of NAG. “As chairman, he will have the opportunity to shape the direction of the association, the Young Executives Organization (YEO) and continue pushing our mission to help convenience store owners become better retailers.”
Galli follows Robert “Bob” O’Connor, president of Jetz Convenience Centers, as NAG chairman.
Bob O’Connor
“Serving as chairman of NAG has clearly been among the highlights of my career. With its personal format, outstanding venues and exceptional speakers, the NAG Conference is a must attend for anyone fully engaged in the c-store business,” O’Connor said. “Through NAG I have come to know Doug over the years and can clearly say he will be an outstanding chairman. I wish he and all the members of NAG the very best as we continue to move our industry forward. I especially want to thank John and the entire NAG staff for having given me the opportunity to serve.”
“I want to thank Bob O’Connor for his service to NAG,” Lofstock said. “No one has been a better brand ambassador for the group. I look forward to working with Bob in the future.”
Reid Stores/Crosby’s currently operates 82 convenience stores throughout western New York and northwest Pennsylvania. In addition, it operates a freestanding Tim Hortons Café and Bakeshop. Within its 83 retail locations the company also operates as a franchisee of three additional Tim Hortons locations and 10 Subway locations.
A lifelong New Yorker (and Yankees fan), Galli was born and raised in Liverpool, N.Y., a suburb of Syracuse ,and currently resides in Amherst, N.Y., outside of Buffalo. He has been married for 44 years to Karen, and the couple has three daughters and three grandchildren.
NAG AT WORK FOR THE INDUSTRY
NAG is a retail trade association driven by retailers for retailers and is an organization committed to building profits and relationships. NAG is aimed at small, mid-size convenience and family-owned convenience store chains and the executives that run them.
NAG members meet annually to examine pressing issues affecting the convenience store and petroleum industry. Through education, networking and NAG’s world-class Information Exchanges, NAG members and the supplier companies that support them have formed lasting friendships and partnerships that have helped storeowners increase profits, reduce operating costs and explore new ideas for expanding their business.
Recognizing the role next-generation leaders play in the competitive convenience store and petroleum industry, training the young executives is more important than ever before. NAG relaunched the Young Executives Organization (YEO) in 2012 to help young executives have a group that is solely focused on exchanging personal experiences with peers in their age group. YEO accomplishes this mission by providing networking and educational opportunities at the annual YEO conference in May and recently launched web-based training sessions, which provide access to information exclusively for YEO members.
Please plan to join us at the 2019 NAG Conference in Minneapolis Sept. 8-11. Speakers for this world-class event include Wawa, Kum & Go, Sheetz, Verc Enterprises, GetGo, Alltown and a dozen other leading convenience store chains. For information about NAG, YEO or the 2019 Conference, contact NAG Executive Director John Lofstock at [email protected]. To register for the NAG Conference visit NAG Register.
The 2019/20 NAG Retail Board members include:
Doug Gali, Crosby Reid Stores, Lockport, N.Y. (Board Chairman)
Mary Banmiller, Warrenton Oil, Truesdale, Mo.
Greg Ehrlich, FriendShip Food Stores, Columbus, Ohio
Joe Hamza, Nouria Energy, Worcester, Mass.
Brent Mouton, Hit-n-Run Food Stores, Lafayette, La.
Robert O’Connor, Jetz Convenience Centers., Hales Corners, Wis.
Peter Tamburro, Clifford Fuels, Canastota, N.Y.
Vernon Young, Young Oil Co., Piedmont, Ala.