Educational topics include finding your foodservice niche, using technology to drive foodservice sales, reducing swipe fees, loyalty programs and executive leadership.

The convenience store industry continues to grow sales at record numbers, but the stakes have never been higher as convenience store owners face competition from multiple retail channels. As competition for increases across the board, savvy retailers are learning to take cost out of their operations to run lean, efficient top quartile businesses.

The National Advisory Group (NAG) has been working overtime to create an environment where small, mid-sized and family-owned retailers can interact with each other and share ideas for reducing operating costs and increasing sales. The proof can be found in our world-class educational lineup for the 2015 NAG Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Speakers at this year’s conference reads like a who’s who of the best companies in the convenience store and petroleum industry, including Speedway, RaceTrac, KwikTrip, Thorntons, CST Brands/Valero, Phillips 66, Flash Foods, Mapco, Tri Star/Daily’s, Ricker’s, Wallis Oil, Road Ranger, Fabulous Freddy’s, Zarco USA, and more. Additionally, our panel moderators include Fran Duskiewicz, the former president of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes and Ed Collupy, the former vice president of information services for The Pantry.

This is a powerful agenda aimed at helping make you a better convenience store retailer. Click to register now for the 2015 NAG Conference.

Plus, this year’s conference includes several events for the convenience store industry’s next-generation executives. The mission of NAG’s Young Executives Organization (YEO) is to cultivate young talent in the convenience store and petroleum industry through implementation of education and networking. YEO accomplishes this mission by leveraging the experience of NAG members to help foster superior leadership skills.

To help retailers return home with actionable ideas to boost sales and cut costs, the 2015 NAG conference encourages an extremely educational, yet highly social environment. The multi-phase schedule encourages interactive dialogue among retailers. In addition to the educational sessions, the conference will feature retailer information exchange study groups and opportunities for networking either one-on-one or in groups. Below is a breakdown of sessions and speakers. Visit www.nagconvenience.com to register or learn more about NAG.

Burning Issue #1: How to Boost Profitability by Reducing Swipe Fees

Speakers:
Jenny Bullard, ‎Chief Information Officer, Flash Foods Inc.
Jeremie Myhren, Vice President of Information, Technology, Road Ranger
Moderator: Ed Collupy, Executive Consultant, W. Capra Consulting Group

Burning Issue #2: Driving Foodservice Sales Through New Technology

Speakers:
Shannon Harvey, Foodservice Program Manager, Ricker Oil Co.
Rachel Mehl, Specialized Category Manager, Wallis Cos.
Scott Zaremba, President and CEO, Zarco USA
Moderator: Ed Burcher, President Burcher Consulting Inc.

Burning Issue #3: Defining Your Retail Culture

Speakers:
Tony Harris, President, Thorntons Inc.
Henry Martinez, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, CST Brands
Glenn Plumby, Senior Vice President of Operations, Speedway LLC
Moderator: Fran Duskiewicz, Retired President, Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes

Burning Issue #4: Finding Your Foodservice Niche: Defining What it Takes to be Great at Foodservice

Speakers:
‎Rick Hamilton, Vice President of Operations, Daily’s/Tri Star Energy
Paul Servais, Food Service Zone Leader, Kwik Trip Inc.
Bart Stransky, Executive Director, Merchandising, RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.
Moderator: Dr. Nancy Caldarola, The Food Training Group

Burning Issue #5: Why Loyalty Programs Connect with Convenience Store Customers

Speakers:
Howard Curtis, Director of Marketing and Customer Relations, MAPCO Express
Scott Leonard, Director of Loyalty Programs, Phillips 6
Fred Smith, President and CEO, Fabulous Freddy’s
Moderator: Nikhil Joseph, Analyst, Emerging Technologies Advisory Service, Mercator Advisory Group

Burning Issue #6: Consumer Insights with: Study Hall Research: For the second consecutive year, the National Advisory Group and Convenience Store Decisions have partnered with Study Hall Research to gain exclusive insight into the needs of today’s convenience store customers. The research will cover everything from what customers expect from c-store employees to how sensitive they are to price, and many points in between.

All this plus an Ideas Boot Camp featuring 10 game-changing ideas retailers can take home with them that are guaranteed to boost retail profitability. Retail expert Randy Fulkerson and NAG Executive Director John Lofstock identify best practices and opportunities from top convenience store operators around the country.

Visit www.nagconvenience.com to register for this can’t miss conference.