Convenience Matters

From hand washing to why you should never rinse raw poultry during food prep, we're breaking down some of the biggest safe food handling risks that may be happening in your stores.

Related Links:

Food Safety Talk

Risky or Not

Safe Plates

Hosted by:

Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Benjamin Chapman, Professor, Food Safety Extension Specialist North Carolina State University

Chapman's interest in pathogens and public health began as a teenager while watching the movie "Outbreak." With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group designs, implements, and evaluates food safety strategies, messages, and media from farm-to-fork. Through reality-based research, Chapman investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers, and organizational decision-makers, the gatekeepers of safe food. Chapman co-hosts a bi-weekly podcast Food Safety Talk with Dr. Don Schaffner of Rutgers University, as well as a podcast called Risky or Not.

Two-store operator Anthony Perrine shares ideas he's implemented at his family's company, Lou Perrine's Gas & Groceries, that go well beyond traditional c-store retail: part bakery, coffee shop, apparel store, neighborhood hangout and a lot of fun.

Hosted by:

Britt Brewer and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Anthony Perrine, Owner, Lou Perrine's Gas & Groceries

Lou Perrine's Gas & Groceries is a family-run company with two convenience stores located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Started by Grandpa Lou in 1954, it has been a family affair for nearly 70 years. Anthony is active with NACS and serves on the NACSPAC Committee, speaks at local schools including the UW-Milwaukee Business School, and is an active member of the Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association.

Loss prevention and security concerns have become a big concern in 2022. What can convenience retailers do to ensure that their stores remain welcoming to customers and uninviting to criminals?

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Amber Bradley, Founder and Owner, Calibration Group

Amber has been in the loss prevention industry for more than 15 years. She currently serves as executive director for the Restaurant Loss Prevention and Security Association (RLPSA), hosts the popular podcast TalkLP.com and is a contributing editor for the D&D Daily, a daily e-news outlet focused on retail loss prevention, safety and security. She also is the founder and owner of the Calibration Group LLC and is a brand-positioning expert with extensive experience across multiple business disciplines, including marketing and public relations.

The Credit Card Competition Act would bring long-overdue competition to the credit card marketplace, significantly reducing swipe fees. Here's what you need to know—and do—to help move this effort forward.

Related Link:

Fix Swipe Fees

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

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.

Most consumers (97%) rely on digital searches to find a business or a service. The convenience retail industry has a massive opportunity to redefine its digital identity and drive both customer traffic and sales.

Related Links:

THRIVR

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Lori Stillman, NACS Vice President, Research and Education

Lori joined NACS in 2019 and leads the association's industry-leading research portfolio and education department. She has a deep background in data analytics, decision support, business development and consulting. Prior to NACS she worked at Advantage Solutions, Information Resources Inc., WEBCO General Partnership and Nielsen. Lori earned a B.A. in business communications from Maryville University.

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 years, and was on the board of directors for the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association Educational Foundation and a board member of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Dealers Association. He was awarded the ICPA Marketers of the year award in 2004 and joined the Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association as Executive Director in 2010. He has spoken in front of many industry segments including emergency fuel management. Additionally has been a member of Vistage since 2011.

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 Ohio, where he served as manager of development strategies. Three years later, he founded West Star Corporation, which grew to include 59 NOW! convenience stores, truck stops and quick service restaurants in the Pacific Northwest until he sold the company in 2004.

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."