I began to conceptualize this month’s edit memo on a shuttle bus from the El Dorado Hotel to the airport in Santa Fe, N.M., following the 2015 National Advisory Group (NAG) Conference. I shared a ride with Brent Mouton, of Hit N Run Food Stores, Joe Sucharzewski, of Dion’s Quik Marts and Vernon Young, of Young Oil.
It was one of the most memorable bus rides I’ve ever had to an airport. The stories were flowing and there was laughter all around following three days of interactive educational sessions and networking.
The fun didn’t stop there. After sharing some time in the Santa Fe airport, which seemingly holds a grudge against fans and central air conditioning, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Glenn McCaslin, of Kellogg, on the flight to Dallas. On this trip home, we shared stories about our kids, sports injuries, our futile efforts to dodge Father Time and this wonderful industry we serve.
It was a fitting end to the NAG conference where I had a wonderful time interacting and connecting on a personal level with about 175 retailers and suppliers. I always leave this conference on a high satisfied with the work our group has completed, and I believe it’s beginning to show around the industry. We had nearly two dozen new retailers at this year’s conference and 20 next-generation executives participate in our Young Executives Organization (YEO) breakout sessions.
While we also had an outstanding lineup of educational sessions, it’s the networking and relationships that makes this conference so rewarding. Lifelong friendships have been formed at the NAG Conference through the years and it’s been a pleasure watching some new relationships take root.
Key Takeaways
As you would expect from NAG, the educational sessions featured some of the most respectable men and women in the convenience store industry. In the Defining Your Retail Culture session, Tony Harris, of Thorntons, Glenn Plumby, of Speedway, and Henry Martinez, of CST Brands, showcased their skills and dedication to the industry with passionate presentations. It was extraordinary. I was proud to moderate such a powerful meeting of industry titans.
The experts for our two foodservice sessions spent as much time doling out advice after their sessions as they did on stage. I am grateful to Paul Servias, of Kwik Trip, Bart Stransky, of RaceTrac, Rick Hamilton, of Twice Daily’s, Shannon Harvey, of Ricker Oil, Rachel Mehl, of Wallis Cos., and Scott Zaremba, of Zarco USA. Their experience and knowledge of the foodservice business captivated attendees. Session moderators, Ed Burcher and Dr. Nancy Caldarola reinforced best practices to ensure there were actionable takeaways for everyone in the audience.
As swipe fees continue to erode industry profits, the NAG Conference kicked off with a panel of seasoned experts, who combined have nearly 75 years of experience engaged in developing and promoting new retail technology. And it showed.
Jenny Bullard, of Flash Foods Inc., Jeremie Myhren, of Road Ranger and moderator Ed Collupy, formerly of The Pantry and now with W. Capra Consulting Group, highlighted the benefits of alternative payment systems, ACH debit and integrated loyalty solutions. As a result, retailers were treated to a host of new ideas for reducing processing costs and even some tips for how to negotiate fees with processors.
In the loyalty card session, Fred Smith lived up to his brand and was Fabulous. Smith explained that Fabulous Freddy’s doesn’t rely simply on a card to drive loyalty. It’s all about creating theatre and a wonderful shopping experience. Scott Leonard, of Phillips 66, Howard Curtis, of Mapco and moderator Nikhil Joseph, of Mercator Advisory Group, reinforced that loyalty requires a lot of hard work, but when done right, your customers will respond.
Thanks to all those who joined us in Santa Fe and save the date for NAG 2016 in Savannah, Ga., Sept. 11-14. Mark your calendars to join us and experience the opportunities and relationships NAG has to offer.