Convenience Matters

By building trust and connection, customers will make your business the logical choice when the market needs your product or services.

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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?

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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.

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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.