The annual NAG Conference is now officially called
At the close of the 2024 event, the National Advisory Group unveiled a new identity for it’s annual March conference! All event details for the re-branded program in 2025 can be found on the event website cstoreconnections.com
Additional Information on the update is included below! If you have any questions regarding the National Advisory Group please contact Allison Dean, [email protected]
The National Advisory Group is still very much a thing! The National Advisory Group and its Young Executives Organization are both membership groups that companies/individuals can join. The memberships provide a suite of benefits focused on enhancing the convenience retail industry and the professionals who lead it.
The National Advisory Group is a membership group – not just an event. After 40 years, we aim to clarify our membership organization from the products and services we offer.
For those who like analogies, think of American football…
– The NFL is the organization responsible for promoting and organizing it’s sport.
– There are a variety of conferences, divisions, and teams that make up the league.
– There is a cadence of games through out the year (pre-season, regular season, all-star, etc)
– There is one major capstone event for the NFL, the Super Bowl.
NAG is our NFL, Retailers and Suppliers are our divisions, we have benefits (games) through out the year, and our CStoreConnections event is our Super Bowl!
CStoreConnections will still offer all of your favorite components of our previous NAG Conferences. Attendees should expect:
- Adventure Networking This pre-conference (optional) activity will be selected relative to our event location. In the past we have offered golf and a fishing charter. In 2025, we will be taking advantage of the NASCAR city of Charlotte.
- Burning Issues Exchange These round table discussion groups are a pillar of our programing. Attendees are able to self-select which topic-based discussion they will attend based on their own role/needs. This round table includes event sponsors as well, to ensure the open dialogue can offer solutions and learnings for all.
- Retail Leaders Exchange In this round table discussion, only retail attendees will participate. Retail attendees are assigned to a group to ensure competing chains are not in the same group. This round table discussion is lead organically and starts with the simple question: What keeps you up at night?
- General Sessions Through out each day of the CStoreConnections program, attendees will gather together as we hear from leading retailers around the country on how they approach the areas of their business we’re all working on. Learning from others and leading by example are fundamental to how we bring content to life at CStoreConnections.
- Retail Innovation Tour Each CStoreConnections program will feature an opportunity to visit some of the best retail that our host city has to offer. This may not always include traditional c-stores, rather we look outside the box to spark new ideas that you can bring home to your team. Past examples include, shipping container food stalls, MTO food offers at fresh first grocery locations, a corner store with a unique foot print.
- Sponsors and Networking We strategically plan our event days to allow for ample time for networking with your peers as well as the sponsors who attend our event. Making new connections is what CStoreConnections is all about. These dedicated networking opportunities will look like breakfasts, lunches, coffee breaks, late-night hospitality, one-on-one meetings, as well as any additional moments you create – like dinners with colleagues and conversations with new folks on the store tour!
Sure is! Check out our awesome rebrand announcement video!