Culture is at the core of many businesses no matter how large they are. There are common traits in winning businesses that contribute to their unique nature: Clear values. caring, loyalty, humility, and deep commitment to community are just a few of them. These characteristics often directly affect decision making in the company and the way it treats its employees, customers and suppliers. Many businesses quite rightly view a values-based culture can be a competitive advantage and, as such, it is fiercely guarded. Hear how leading c-store chains are building their winning culture.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
General Session: Burning Issue # 2: Loading Up for Breakfast.
By Dora Ocampo Senior Foodservice Category Manager | Global Partners, Jessica Williams Founder & CEO | Food Forward Thinking LLC, Tony Sparks Head of Customer Wow! | Curby’s Express Market, Jerome Hunsinger Fresh Food Marketing Brand Manager | Wawa, Inc.
As more commuters return to the office, the breakfast business continues to rise and shine at restaurants. With consumers typically rushed at breakfast time, it’s no wonder that quick-service restaurants and grab-and-go c-stores items accounted for more than 80% of total restaurant morning meals pre-pandemic, according to NPD. Recapturing a strong breakfast business requires great food and outstanding service, but it’s important to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to make sure investing the morning daypart makes sense for your brand and your customer base.
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Information Exchanges Part 1
Information Exchanges are the heart and soul of what makes NAG so unique. Attendees will be formed into small groups of non-competing chains to discuss relevant business issues. We all want uninterrupted time with people who “do what we do,” but rarely do our busy lives allow us the luxury of benchmarking what we do and how we do it with other professionals. As you listen, learn and share with your small group of retailers, you will find that what you are doing right will be validated, what you might be doing wrong will be challenged, and how you might do things better will be encouraged. The relationships formed in this intimate setting will last a lifetime and be firmly measured in increased sales and profitability.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
NAG Retail Store Tours
3:00 PM
Group Hike
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Dinner on Your Own
March 29, 2022
7:00 AM
Registration Desk Opens
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session: Burning Issue # 3: Driving Targeted Business Outcomes
By Ieva Grimm Chief Operating Officer | Jim Dandy Stores, Rachel Puepke Vice President of Marketing | CEFCO, Sorin Hilgen Group Chief Digital Officer and Chief Information Officer | EG Group, Steve O’Toole Vice President of Sales and Business Development | Stuzo, John Lofstock Executive Director | NAG
Learn from leading convenience and fuel retailers about their approach to creating loyal customer behavior and the investments that drive targeted business outcomes. NAG has partnered with Stuzo to survey convenience store chains and convenience store customers to find out what is driving sales at convenience stores. Topics covered include:
• Loyalty, Payment, and Cross-Channel Customer Experience Campaigns
• Onsite and Offsite Engagement
• CPG-Funded Offers
• Security and Privacy
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
General Session: Burning Issue # 4: Lessons from Covid. How the Industry is Recovering from a Pandemic
By Erin Del Conte Executive Editor | CStore Decisions , Colin Dornish Director of Operations | Coen Markets, Derek Gaskins Chief Marketing Officer | Yesway, Brian Unrue Director of Operations | Clark’s Pump-n-Shop
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the retail sector and the nation's supply chains are still unfolding. Retail has experienced massive labor shortages, supply disruptions and price increases. It's impossible to predict the next pandemic, but retailers have learned quite a few lessons on how to deal with the next catastrophe. Hear from three convenience store retailers that embraced the unique challenges the Covid pandemic presented and learn about the leadership and stability they provided to guide their companies through those difficult days.
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Exchanges Part 2
By Brad Chivington Senior Vice President | High's of Baltimore, Laura Varn Vice President, People & Culture and Communications | Parkland USA, Joy Almekies Senior Director of Food Services | Global Partners/Alltown
1) The Rise of Electric Vehicles. What This Means for Convenience Stores 2) HR: Unleashing the Power of Mobile Apps for Staffing Moderator: Laura Varn, Vice President, People & Culture and Communications, Parkland USA 3) What's Next for Tobacco, CBD and Cannabis 4) Foodservice: How to Cut the Partnership on Delivery Moderator: Brad Chivington, Senior Vice President, High's of Baltimore 5) How to Build a Private Label Business. 6) The Business of Coffee. Is Bean to Cup for You? Moderator: Joy Almekies, Senior Director of Food Services at Global Partners/Alltown 7) Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin: What C-Stores Need to Know
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch
1) The Rise of Electric Vehicles. What This Means for Convenience Stores 2) HR: Unleashing the Power of Mobile Apps for Staffing Moderator: Laura Varn, Vice President, People & Culture and Communications, Parkland USA 3) What's Next for Tobacco, CBD and Cannabis 4) Foodservice: How to Cut the Partnership on Delivery Moderator: Brad Chivington, Senior Vice President, High's of Baltimore 5) How to Build a Private Label Business. 6) The Business of Coffee. Is Bean to Cup for You? Moderator: Joy Almekies, Senior Director of Food Services at Global Partners/Alltown 7) Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin: What C-Stores Need to Know
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM
General Session: Burning Issue # 5: Human Resources: Staffing, Recruiting and Retaining Personnel in a Labor Shortage
By Alex Olympidis President of Operations | Family Express Corporation, Laura Varn Vice President, People & Culture and Communications | Parkland USA, Peter Rasmussen Director of Operations | Neon Markets, Jayson Council Associate Faculty | Columbia University
A labor shortage exists and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. The reality that it coincides with a growing skills gap makes for a very challenging time for retail executives and hiring managers. Experts recommend that HR leaders look to and build relationships with universities, recruiters and search firms, allow current staff to take part in external professional activities to help attract new talent, and look for potential employees on job boards and other social media outlets. Hear how top quartile chains are winning the labor battle.
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
YEO Breakout Session: Understanding the Future of Retail Payment Systems
By Gray Taylor Executive Director | Conexxus, Jeremie Myhren Chief Information Officer, Road Ranger, YEO Board Chairman
Online shopping has become easier through mobile and digital payments, but retailers are slow to see the benefits in brick and mortar stores. How can c-stores join the consumer demand for frictionless payment? In this session, experts on payments will discuss where digital payments are going, and how the convenience industry can abandon cards for digital currencies.
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
NAG Networking Reception & Awards Ceremony
March 30, 2022
7:30 AM
Registration Desk Opens
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Working Breakfast: NAG Custom Research Discussion: Expanding the Evening Daypart
By Gaurang Maniar Executive Director, Marketing | Dash-In, Joy Almekies Senior Director of Food Services | Global Partners/Alltown, John Lofstock Executive Director | NAG
The evening daypart has been elusive to convenience retailers seeking to sell dinner meals to consumers. While sites are busy with customers during “evening dinner prep” drive time, the consumers do not seem to purchase dinner meals from convenience stores.
Utilizing custom research fielded for the NAG audience, we will explore consumer needs and desired interaction with convenience locations for food and grocery products. Our retailer panel will then explore various data points, uncovering how they are adapting or plan to adapt to customer expectations.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
General Session: Burning Issue # 6: How to Build Customer Loyalty Through Engagement
Convenience store loyalty programs are evolving and they can present a treasure trove of information. Plus, new subscription-based models can help chains grow repeated sales from a captive audience. But as companies gather information on their customers, they must also be mindful of emerging data privacy laws. Learn how leading c-store chains are growing sales through loyalty engagement, while carefully navigating privacy regulations.
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Ideas Boot Camp
By Brad Chivington Senior Vice President | High's of Baltimore, Joy Almekies Senior Director of Food Services | Global Partners/Alltown, John Lofstock Executive Director | NAG