The Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 19, session of the 2020 National Advisory Group (NAG)/Young Executives Organization (YEO) Virtual Conference featured what has become a hallmark of the annual conference — its InfoExchange Breakout Sessions.

As in years past, the small-group meetings attended by convenience industry retail executives provided a truly rare opportunity for direct networking and frank discussion about real-world obstacles and experience-based solutions.

Conference attendees of small, mid-sized and family-owned c-store businesses had a range of six topics from which to choose to listen in as well as contribute to open discussion based on actual experience in running a convenience operation.

Breakout Topics

Breakout session topics included: Fuels; Technology/Loyalty Programs; Tobacco and the Legislative Process; Foodservice; Human Resources; and Leadership for Young Executives (YEO).

Each session was moderated by at least one veteran c-store executive with depth of experience to help guide the conversation and maximize the value of the peer interaction for the other executives attending.

The virtual format broke new ground in bringing together six rooms via Zoom conferencing. While virtual discussions via computer screen can’t match the personal interaction of an actual gathering, plenty of operators, category managers and, this year, even suppliers were able to exchange views, concerns and expertise. They also shared contact information, so they could continue the conversations outside of the conference and establish business relationships that, for many, often turn into lasting friendships.

The 2020 NAG/YEO Virtual Conference continues on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with Employee Recruiting and Retention Strategies. For the entire eight-session agenda, visit https://nagconvenience.com/virtual-series-agenda/. To register click here: NAG/YEO Virtual 2020 Registration. For on-demand access to past sessions visit the NAG/YEO Virtual 2020 On Demand page.