Name change signifies organization’s refocused mission.
By David Bennett, Senior Editor
Searching for a stronger identity to match its technical expertise, the Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) has been rebranded as Conexxus.
Gray Taylor, executive director of the newly branded Conexxus, said Tuesday night that the name change signifies the refocus of the organization’s mission as one that touches ever-changing disciplines within its retail segment, including enterprise productivity, data security, mobile commerce and payments.
The organization also unveiled its motto: Solve Forward.
Taylor told Conexxus Annual Conference attendees gathered at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Ariz., that as an organization, PCATS had proven itself a valuable industry resource, but whose name didn’t resonate with stakeholders.
Actually, the PCATS name was anything but catchy, taking away from the brand’s identity. The brand was such a subtractor, PCATS began to suffer from “negative brand equity” because members and others didn’t associate with the brand, the director said.
“If we were a person, we were Walter,” Taylor said. “We were the IT guy.”
The issue was discussed and presented last year to the PCATS executive committee, which allocated $35,000 to solve the branding dilemma.
Conexxus describes itself as (www.conexxus.org) a non-profit, member-driven technology organization dedicated to the development and implementation of standards, technologies innovation and advocacy for the convenience store and motor fuels market. Conexxus touts that membership collaborates on key present and future industry challenges and innovations in working with c-suite executives from partnering industries.
Gabe Olives, director of fuels for York, Pa-based Rutter’s Farm Stores, has been named vice chair of Conexxus. Also named to the board of advisors are:
• Jeff Toeppner, director ebusiness solutions at Coca Cola, who will service as secretary
• Bill Wade, senior systems analyst at PDI Inc. will serve as chair of the technical advisory committee
• Susanne Chan, senior retail payment consultant at W. Capra Consulting Group, will chair the standards quality assurance segment.
The conference concludes Thursday.