Rocky Sickmann, who retired from Anheuser-Busch in 2016 and is a survivor of the Iran Hostage Crisis, understands the dangers facing our military servicemen and women. That’s why Sickmann joined Folds of Honor in 2016 as a senior vice president. With his involvement in Folds of Honor, Sickmann has been able to educate and encourage…

The National Advisory Group (NAG) is proud to announce that Rocky Sickmann, a former executive with Anheuser-Busch and survivor of the Iran Hostage Crisis, now a vice president with Folds of Honor, will deliver the keynote address at NAG on Sept. 9. Rocky Sickmann, who retired from Anheuser-Busch in 2016 and is a survivor of…

By John Lofstock Honesty, integrity, respect, humility and innovation. These are the words that define Kwik Trip…and it shows. The La Crosse, Wis. convenience store chain exemplifies what it means to be a “people company.” It is fully committed to customers, employees and its vendor partners, not as a strategy to grow the business, but…

By John Lofstock, Editor. The convenience store industry’s young executives face unique challenges as they grow their businesses in the competitive c-store market. The National Advisory Group’s (NAG) Young Executives Organization (YEO) was formed specifically to addresses these challenges and help the industry’s leaders of tomorrow identify solutions with others in their age group. Last…

While lighters and cigarette papers have been the traditional backbone of the tobacco accessories category, the vaping segment offers new opportunities to grow sales. By John Lofstock, Editor The tobacco accessories category continues evolving thanks to new products and a renewed willingness by convenience store owners to carry these new products, specifically items associated with…

By John Lofstock. 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 increases across the board, savvy retailers are learning to take costs out of their operations to run lean, efficient top-quartile businesses. The…

By John Lofstock, Editor Industries everywhere are being shaken up by the rise of the “Membership Economy,” a business strategy that has organizations working to build long-term, formal relationships with their customers. To do this, some companies charge their members a subscription fee. Others simply charge on a per-usage basis. This brings us to the…

M-PACT 2018 addresses pressing issue of finding workers for a tight market. The U.S. employment rate continues to sink, hitting a 17-year low last November with 4.1%, and job seekers are finding work more easily than at any time since the mid-1990s. On the flip side, the battle for available workers is becoming a critical…

The convenience store industry continues to evolve and where it ends up as robotics and personalized delivery gain traction is anyone’s guess. But one thing for sure is that how customers feel about your brand and your services will likely determine where they make their purchases. Robbie Kellman Baxter, a business consultant focused on how…

By John Lofstock, Editor From great corners, clean restrooms and modern facilities to fresh food and a wide selection of popular snacks, convenience stores are committed to delivering outstanding service. This commitment is evident in the industry’s growing sales numbers at a time when other retail channels are struggling to break even. This service-driven culture…