Registration for the 2018 NAG Conference officially opens. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to hear from more than a dozen industry-leading convenience chains Sept. 9-12. 

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) provides the convenience store industry one of the most exclusive environments for small, mid-sized and family-owned retailers to 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 2018 NAG Conference.

This year’s conference will be held at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club Sept. 9-12 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The conference includes seven can’t-miss educational sessions featuring more than a dozen of the convenience store industry’s leading chains, including:
* Family Business Planning. How to build an outstanding corporate culture from the top down.
* Foodservice: Doing More with Less. Foodservice remains a high growth category for convenience store owners.
* The Machine Revolution: Are Robotics Right for Convenience Stores?
* Foodservice: Reigniting the Dinner Daypart.
* Building a Better Car Wash: Cleaning Up in the Forecourt.
* Store Design and Layout: Identifying the Best Concepts Your Customers Will Find Appealing.
* Young Executives Organization (YEO) Breakout Session: Leading the Next Generation: How to manage effectively and with authority. 

Speakers will address some of the timeliest issues that affect all convenience store operators. The NAG retailer board, made up of your peers, helped put this content together. For more on the conference agenda, click here. Or Visit NAG Registration to register now for the 2018 NAG Conference.

Speakers at this year’s conference include: Bill Douglass, President and CEO, Douglass Distributing; Charley Jones, President and CEO, Stinker Stations; Steve Loehr, Vice President, Operations Support, Kwik Trip Inc.; Stephanie Mahoney, Food Services Development Manager, MFA Oil Co.; John Zikias, Chief Operating Officer, Holmes Oil Co.; Keith Boston, Vice President of Foodservice, Cumberland Farms; Carlos Acevedo, Culinary Innovation and Research Chef, Yesway; Bill Martin, Founder and President, Metro Express Car Wash; Michael Meyer, Facility Operations Officer, Meyer Oil Co.; Danielle Mattiussi, Vice President of Retail Operations, Maverik Inc.; Jacque Hager, Director of Operations, Big 10 Marts; Spencer Thomas, Chief Operating Officer of Southwest Georgia Oil; Bob O’Connor, President and CEO, Jetz Convenience Centers; Peter Tamburro, General Manager, Cliff’s Local Markets; John Schaninger, President, The Schaninger Group; and Jerry Weiner, Weiner Consulting Co.

This year’s conference again 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. The YEO breakout track will be led by Linda McKenna, a Principal with Employee Performance Strategies.

In addition to NAG’s Information Exchanges, this year’s NAG Conference will feature category-specific breakout sessions, which are designed to mirror intimate study group sessions. moderated by convenience store retailers.

The Information Exchanges Breakout Sessions will be:
* Benefiting from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Convenience Stores. How the new rules affect your business.
* EMV Compliance. How it affects convenience stores and what you can do to save money.
* Storm and Disaster Preparedness. Whether it’s a hurricane, an ice storm or a human emergency, c-stores and gas stations should plan on how to respond effectively.
* Private Label Product Branding. Environmentally-friendly packaging, bulk offerings, new coffee opportunities, how to maintain freshness.
* Human Resources Management. How technology and Web-based apps are helping staffing, scheduling and training employees.

This is a powerful agenda aimed at helping make you a better convenience store retailer. Click to register now for the 2018 NAG Conference.

To help retailers return home with actionable ideas to boost sales and cut costs, the 2018 NAG conference encourages an extremely educational, yet highly social environment. The multi-phase schedule encourages interactive dialogue among retailers.

To register for this can’t-miss conference or learn more about NAG, visit www.nagconvenience.com. I look forward to seeing you in Florida.