Agenda
Sunday, September 8
1:00 – 7:30 PM Registration
1:00 – 4:00 PM NAG Hospitality Suite
4:00 – 5:00 PM NAG/YEO Board Meeting
6:00 – 7:00 PM NAG Networking Reception
Frank Siller
Chairman & CEO, Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
9:00 PM – 12:00 AM NAG Hospitality Suite
Monday, September 9
7:00 AM – 1:30 PM Registration/Info Desk Open
7:00 – 8:00 AM Breakfast
John Lofstock
Editor-in-Chief, The Convenience Store Decisions Group; Vice President, The National Advisory Group (NAG)
Doug Galli
Vice President and General Manager, Reid Stores Inc./Crosby’s
John Lofstock
Editor-in-Chief, The Convenience Store Decisions Group; Vice President, The National Advisory Group (NAG)
Margaret Dinneny
Vice President, Chief People Officer, Wawa Inc.
Matthew Spackman
Senior Vice President, Grow People
Leo Vercollone
CEO and Co-Owner, Verc Enterprises
Family-owned small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They provide 55% of all jobs in the U.S. and 54 percent of U.S. sales, according to the Small Business Administration. Strong family values can prove extremely productive in business and this is evident in the convenience store and petroleum industries. Family businesses have left an indelible impression on convenience store chains across the country by providing outstanding leadership, innovation and stability in the communities they serve. In this session, we will hear how three unique chains have made their mark on the convenience store industry.
9:15 – 9:30 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
Tom Briant
Executive Director, National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO)
Jim Calvin
President, New York Association of Convenience Stores
Clay Lambert
Co-Owner, Managing Director, Metro Petro Gas
Jerry Smith
Director of Retail Operations, Tobacco Central / Low Bob’s Group
Whether it’s increasing tobacco taxes, rising minimum wages, fuel regulations or credit card fees, convenience store owners need to make their voices heard on the important issues integral to store sales. Lobbying is an essential part of our democratic system and can help bring about change. This session will delve into how convenience store owners can make their voices be heard with lawmakers at the local and state levels to influence change that is good for business.
10:30 – 10:45 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM Information Exchanges Part 1
12:15 – 1:15 PM Lunch
$150 per golfer and $25 for rental clubs – sign up during registration. Read more >>
Stops include Bobby & Steve’s Auto World, Holiday Stationstores and Metro Petro Gas.
6:30 – 9:00 PM Dinner on Your Own to Explore Minneapolis
9:00 PM – 12:00 AM NAG Hospitality Suite
Tuesday, September 10
7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Registration/Info Desk Open
7:00 – 8:00 AM Breakfast
John Schaninger
President, The Schaninger Group
Ernie Harker
Brand Therapist, Ernburn Brands
Melissa Peterson
Merchandising Director, Bobby & Steve’s Auto World
From foodservice to the cold vault, customers see c-stores as a destination, but how closely do you track where they go once they enter your store? New technology, such as heat maps integrated with high-resolution cameras, allow retailers to see where customers are going, what they are looking at and how much time they spend in each area of the store. This data can help c-stores design integrated merchandising plans to drive sales.
9:00 – 9:15 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
Bob O’Connor
President, Jetz Convenience Centers
Paul Roetzer
Founder and CEO, The Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute
Doug Haugh
President, Parkland Fuel Corp.
Pat Lewis
Partner, Oasis Stop N’ Go
The hype around artificial intelligence (AI) has never been higher – and one industry where it has a chance to make a major impact on profits is retail. From interpreting data to predicting sales needs, artificial intelligence is redefining retail. This panel will discuss how a digital strategy ties into all aspects of the store including loyalty, the back-office and the POS system. It will also discuss how retailers can use AI to engage customers through communication and experiences, better manage inventory and price products optimally.
10:15 – 10:30 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
Bob O’Connor
President, Jetz Convenience Centers
Paul Roetzer
Founder and CEO, The Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute
Bradley Campbell
Category Manager for Tobacco, Sheetz Inc.
Kalen Frese
Food Service Director, Warrenton Oil Co.
Jonathan Ketchum
Vice President of Retail, Energy North Group
Sharif Jamal
Corporate Training Manager, Chestnut Petroleum
- New and Emerging Fuels. Moderator: Bob O’Connor, President, Jetz Convenience Centers
- HR: There’s an app for that. Moderator: Doug Yawberry, President, Weigels Inc.
- CBD, Vape and Tobacco: What the future holds for this growing category and how FDA regulations can impact sales. Moderator: Paul Crozier, Category Manager for Cigarettes & Tobacco, Sheetz and Bradley Campbell, Category Manager for Tobacco, Sheetz Inc.
- Foodservice: Forecasting demand. Moderator: Kalen Frese, Food Service Director, Warrenton Oil Co.
- How is Industry Consolidation Changing the C-Store Industry? Moderator: Jonathan Ketchum, Vice President of Retail, Energy North Group
- LEED Certification and Embracing the Green Movement.
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
Joy Almekies
Director of Food Services, Global Partners
Jon Cox
Senior Director of Food & Beverage, GetGo
Ted Roccagli
Director of Partnerships & Preferred Vendor Programs, Empire Petroleum Partners
David Caruso
Director, Stewart’s Shops; President, Lakeside Business Advisors
Space limitations used to be the bane of convenience store operators who wanted a professional foodservice program. But now manufacturers are stepping up to the plate with equipment that serves multiple purposes and still fits nicely within the c-store footprint. Choosing the right equipment can often be an overwhelming task given the range of options available, so retailers must also focus on cost, machine life, maintenance and ROI considerations.
2:30 – 2:45 PM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
Linda McKenna
Principal, Convenience Store Coaches, Inc.
5:30 – 6:30 PM NAG Networking Reception
6:30 – 9:00 PM Dinner & Awards Ceremony
9:00 PM – 12:00 AM NAG Hospitality Suite
Wednesday, September 11
7:30 AM – 12:00 PM Registration/Info Desk Open
8:00 – 8:45 AM Breakfast
Richard Crone
CEO and Founder, Crone Consulting LLC
Keynote Session with Richard Crone, Founder of Crone Consulting LLC.
For convenience stores, their merchandising concept, execution and location(s) are their principal competitive advantages today. As good as that may be, the barriers to entry are low and risk of others improving upon that formula are high and already in play. Not the case if a retailer surrounds their business with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) model bolstered by a successful check-in and personalization strategy. This session will review the disruptive forces at play, provide a guide for immediate action and strategic checklist to execute against to leverage these changes to grow your business through check-in, personalization and autonomous checkout.
9:45 – 10:00 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
Raymond Huff
President, HJB Convenience
Gus Olympidis
CEO, Family Express
Richard Crone
CEO and Founder, Crone Consulting LLC
Erin Del Conte
Executive Editor, Convenience Store Decisions
Amazon and other cashier-less concepts are no longer a novelty. They are fast becoming destinations in markets such as San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago, and they are challenging conventional convenience stores in the race for time-pressed customers. Beyond retail competition, the concept is also changing consumer behavior to expect a frictionless experience. While some municipalities are passing laws to require stores to accept cash, convenience store owners must develop a strategy to compete with this emerging trend.
10:45 – 11:00 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
John Lofstock
Editor-in-Chief, The Convenience Store Decisions Group; Vice President, The National Advisory Group (NAG)
Brian Unrue
Director of Operations, Clark’s Pump-n-Shop
Best practices and conference wrap up with John Lofstock, Executive Director, NAG, and Brian Unrue, Vice President of Operations, Clark’s Pump N Shop.
2:30 – 2:45 PM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
11:45 AM Conference Wrap Up and Takeaways
12:00 PM Departures