WHO
Convenience Technology Leaders
An invitation-only group comprising of technology leaders in the convenience and mobility industry.
WHAT
Strategic Forum
CTVG holds quarterly virtual meetings with leaders to discuss retail technology. This group addresses the latest issues, trends and subjects facing the convenience and mobility industry.
WHY
Knowledge Sharing
CTVG is committed to sharing global learnings and key technology initiatives that advance the convenience retailing and mobility industries. Each meeting’s transcript – the collective voice of retailers and Ally Supporters – is made accessible to everyone through free CTVG Vision Reports.
Convenience TechnologyVision Group
Harnessing the power of retail technology
Established in 2023, the Convenience Technology Vision Group (CTVG) brings together invited technology and operations retailers and Ally Supporters for quarterly virtual meetings.
These gatherings aim to discuss views and perspectives that advance the convenience retailing and mobility industries. Subsequently, the transcripts are shared with the public through free CTVG Vision Reports.
What we are passionate about
These are just some of the topics CTVG has explored:
- Generative AI
- State of POS
- EV Charging
- Digital integration
- The influence of major oil companies
Meet Convenience Technology Vision Group
Luis Ackerman, Vice President of Technology
The Spinx Company
Luis Ackerman is the Vice President of Technology at The Spinx Company and has been a key member of the executive leadership team since 2017. With a focus on aligning technology with business objectives, he has led initiatives that improve operational efficiency, enhance security, and elevate the customer experience. By developing a structured technology roadmap, Luis has streamlined workflows, reduced costs by expanding in-house capabilities, and leveraged automation to optimize retail operations.
A strong advocate for cybersecurity and data-driven decision-making, Luis has assembled a world-class security posture by integrating best-in-class solutions and fostering a security-first culture. Under his leadership, Spinx is developing a next-generation data modernization strategy, that will provide advanced analytics and insights to drive smarter business decisions. His strategic vision ensures that technology remains a competitive advantage, delivering measurable value across the organization.
Before joining Spinx, Luis spent 12 years as a managing partner and customer CTO, helping businesses across industries—including medical, retail, manufacturing, distribution, consulting, e-commerce, and entertainment—transform their IT landscapes. Luis holds a degree in Computer Science, along with multiple technical certifications, and continues to expand his expertise through executive leadership training and specialized technology programs. He is committed to driving innovation through technology and believes it is essential for any business to grow and maintain long-term success.
Outside of work, Luis enjoys spending time with his wife, kids, and friends. A passionate sports fan, he loves watching and playing whenever he gets the chance. He also has a deep appreciation for cars, music, and cooking.
Kristina Anderson, Chief Service Officer
Midwest Petroleum Company
Kristina manages the Human Resources, Training and Development, Maintenance, Construction, Petroleum Construction, transportation and IT Departments for Midwest Petroleum Company.
Roy Austin, Director, Director, Information Technology
Graham Enterprise, Inc.
Roy Austin, IT Director for Graham Enterprise, Inc., is responsible for Technology applications & operations in the organization’s Corporate and Retail business units.
Graham Enterprise, Inc. was in the midst of a major rebranding campaign of their legacy convenience store and car wash brands to the newly create Trio brand when Roy joined the team, which was an intriguing challenge to jump right in the middle of. The campaign has a focus on unified branding, a great new food service program including fresh and take-and-bake pizza, tunnel car washes and of course, the fantastic customer service that the Graham family is known for.
Prior to joining Graham Enterprise, Inc. in November of 2024, Roy was Director of IT Solution Delivery for Global Retail at Calgary, Alberta-based Parkland Corporation and was responsible for POS and BOS applications across Parkland’s vast estate of retail locations in 27 countries.
Roy worked in various roles for Kroger’s Technology division for over 20 years. During those years, he supported their various convenience store chains which were sold to EG Group in 2018.
With the EG Group acquisition of Kroger’s convenience store assets, he was named Head of Applications for the newly formed EG America. Roy was responsible for helping to lead the technological decoupling efforts from Kroger’s systems, as well as integrating EG Group’s other acquisitions (from 800 to 1200 stores) before departing in 2020.
His experiences in convenience store technologies are:
- Retail POS Deployment/Support – NCR RPOS, Gilbarco Passport, Verifone Commander, Bulloch, Artisoft POS, RapidRMS
- QSR POS Deployment/Support – NCR RPOS/Aloha/KPS, Subway, Charleys Philly Steaks, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Arby’s, Burger King
- Major Oil Brand Integrations – BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Sinclair, Cenex, Arco, Marathon, Valero, Chevron
- Loyalty – PDI Excentus, P97, KRS/Ignite Retail Technology, Artisoft SpeedPay, Major Oil Proprietary
- Mobile – P97, Zipline, Photon, Artisoft
- ERP Systems – PDI Enterprise & Envoy, SSCS, Dynamics GP, Eurodata
Jeffrey Carpenter, Director
Cliff's Local Market
Starting his career in the convenience store industry, Carpenter joined the well-known Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes team, after graduating high school in 2005, while earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Syracuse University. Carpenter went on to teach publicly at a high-ranking ‘Newsweek School’ while still working with Nice N Easy, but after two years found his niche as Director of Education and Training with the well-known c-store brand.
During Carpenter’s time at Nice N Easy he grew into the role of Senior Director of Program Development overseeing multiple areas of the business. Nice N Easy was acquired by CST Brands in 2014 and Carpenter continued with the training and development team. When CST was acquired in 2017, he sustained his employment as Training Manager in the Great Lakes Business Unit of Circle K. Upon an opportunity to apply his expertise and remain local with Cliff’s Local Market in 2018, Carpenter gladly accepted a senior-level position where he has helped evolve the NY-based chain with 400+ employees.
A natural leader with a passion for his community, Jeff has also served as Trustee, as well as Deputy Mayor, in his local area. Carpenter is married and has two children.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id="115689"]
Steve Evans, Chief Technology Officer
Haffner's Energy North Group
As the Chief Technology Officer at Haffner's, I spend me days building technology solutions that move our five lines of business forward. In that capacity, I've spent time learning our car wash business and our upgrading car wash technology.
I'm a twenty plus year veteran of the Oil & Gas business and have had the good fortune to work up and down the value chain.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Janeth Falcon, VP North America Technology
Circle K
Tyler Grubbs, VP of Retail and Digital Technologies
RaceTrac, Inc.
Tyler Grubbs is currently serving as the VP of Retail and Digital Technologies where he has accountability for all the technology across the convenience store locations for the RaceTrac, RaceWay & Gulf brands. Additionally, he his teams lead efforts around web, mobile and loyalty applications across these brands. Tyler is a process focused leader with a pension for finding creative solutions to complex problems across the business through building & developing high performing teams. He has spent most of his career at RaceTrac, Inc. serving in multiple roles over the last 14 years across departments like: Project Management, Finance, Analytics & Food Programs. He holds a degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology in Finance as well as an MBA from Emory University with a concentration in Management Consulting & Analytics. Tyler was recently recognized as a 40 Under 40 by CSDecisions, RIS Top Retail Mover & Shaker, and Emerging Leader by Atlanta Technology Professionals.
Mark Hawthorne, Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer
Upshop
Mark is a senior food retail executive with nearly 20 years of experience at Safeway and Albertsons Companies, where he helped build enterprise capabilities across pricing, promotions, merchandising, loyalty, and shopper analytics.
He later served as a Partner at Nsight, advising grocery retailers and food retail technology providers on market strategy, operating models, and technology investments that deliver measurable results.
Mark is now Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Upshop, leading market strategy, growth, and value realization. He works closely with retail executives to support long-term planning and ensure technology investments translate into real business outcomes.
Sharif Jamal, Dir of Real Estate & Brand Development
Chestnut Market
Jhaddaka (JD) Leverette, I.T. Manager
PRINCE OIL
I am an IT Manager/Retail Analyst in the oil and gas industry, with over 25 years of retail operations knowledge and 15 years of experience driving digital transformation, business continuity, and operational efficiency through technology. I have strategic insight and leadership in data integration and system optimization.
Beyond my corporate role, I am the founder of Blu3tech Consulting, where I support businesses in adopting secure and scalable tech solutions. I am also a passionate advocate for youth development and STEM education, dedicating time to community mentorship and nonprofit initiatives.
Matt Pereira, CEO & Co-Founder
Seurat Analytics
Matt Pereira entered the convenience store category after 20+ years in marketing, advertising, big tech, and data science. To Matt, the consumer behavior and retail analytics problems in the convenience category are some of the most fascinating in business – that’s what inspired him to make the leap. He co-founded Seurat Analytics with Laura Simon on a shared conviction: consumer habits can and do shift, but the hard part is proving which moves actually triggered it.
Matt's turn to entrepreneurship follows a long run of intrapreneurial wins inside large companies.
At Procter & Gamble, leading North America MMM Strategy & Scale, he set common analytical standards across 88 brands spending over $1B in media, so teams stopped competing against each other for the same audiences. He pushed those teams toward long-term ROI and away from cheap media that reads well one quarter and badly the next. As a Brand Manager, he pioneered new methods for identifying how consumers navigate the tradeoff between appealing product benefits and unappealing prices.
At WebMD, he assembled cross-functional teams and brought rigorous data science to bear to create the world's first geo-symptom-targeted media product. The ad unit, triggered by rising cold and flu incidence in a specific geography, became the highest revenue generator in company history, sponsored by brands like Lysol and Kleenex, of course!
At Google, Matt led a global Insights & Analytics team working with the company's largest food and beverage advertisers, including Mars, Mondelez, and PepsiCo. He inspired his clients earned sufficient trust to co-create new go-to-market ad strategies, including the first campaigns to use dynamic ad personalization. These used Google's identity signals to customize creative in a privacy-safe way and delivered 10%+ sales lift on normally low-consideration CPG products. He went on to build a cross-Google Ad Personalization Center of Excellence to guide the adoption of these methods across 40 brands and $50M of media investment across industry verticals.
He brings the same spirit of innovation to Seurat Analytics, applying causal impact analysis to help mid-market operators in convenience, QSR, car wash, and EV charging see which of their own strategic moves actually worked.
Matt is a member of Conexxus and active in NACS. He holds a BA from Harvard and an analytics degree from NYU, speaks Mandarin, and lives in the New York area. Reach him at mattp@seuratanalytics.com.
Nick Peters, VP - IT
Campbell Oil Company
I am an IT professional with over 20 years experience in the convenience retail field. Starting off my career in operations, I then converted over to the IT side of the industry over 15 years ago.
As a strong believer in technology, I have always been forward-thinking as it comes to the application and practicality of new capabilities. I’m also a supporter of industry collaboration and standardization in an effort to assist with the adoption of new technologies.
Anthony Raimato, Store Technology Engineering Lead
Wawa Inc
Anthony Raimato has been with Wawa for 13 years and spent most of his time working with POS systems in all aspects from support to engineering deployments and enhancements. Anthony has spent time working with partners for settlement, mobile integrations, ordering applications, and operations partners to simplify store operations and provide new customer features into stores.
While Anthony is proud of the work his team has performed historically, he is most excited about the future of convenience store technology and how technology can further enhance customer and associate experience within stores.
Donnie Rhoads, Director of Business Development
The Convenience Group, LLC
Donnie Rhoads is Director of Business Development at The Convenience Group, LLC. Based in Southwest Washington, TCG is a collection of community stores that both reflect and serve their individual neighborhoods.
Donnie works to streamline store operations and oversee initiatives for growth, especially when it comes to the implementation of new technology. He is also an avid Seahawks fan and loves to cook.
Bill Ridge
Eastern Petroleum Corporation
Emily Sheetz, EVP Strategy & IT
Sheetz Inc.
Emily is the Executive Vice President of Strategy and IT at Sheetz and is responsible for the development of and execution of company strategy, information technology and business insights. Emily is a third-generation family member and one of fifteen active in the business. Emily grew the functions of strategy, innovation and business insights since 2017. She previously held the title of the Director of Talent Development, responsible for all training and leadership development across the company. Emily participated in a leadership rotation program within the company and has held positions in Real Estate, Human Resources, Operations, Store Development and Information Technology. She helped to launch the Sheetz Cafe project. She has also served on the Sheetz Family Council.
Prior to rejoining Sheetz, Emily helped to found Knightsbridge Schools International, a private, for-profit K-12 school in London, an affiliate of Knightsbridge School. She spent five years heading up business development and finance and helped to open schools in Turkey, Montenegro, Columbia and Panama. Emily previously worked for three years at Deutsche Bank in New York in Debt Capital Markets and for a year at Huron Consulting Group. She also has spent time at Sheetz since the age of fifteen, working various functions in marketing, finance and as a salesperson over the years.
Emily holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and her BS in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband Justin and their three children, Felix, Lila and Naomi.
Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America's fastest-growing, family-owned and operated convenience store chains, with more than $6.4 billion in revenue and more than 18,200 employees. The company operates more than 580 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M•T•O® sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Best Places to Work for Women, Best Workplaces for Millennials and by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers, Sheetz is committed to offering employees sustainable careers built on an inspiring culture and community engagement. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com or follow us on Twitter (@sheetz), Facebook (www.facebook.com/sheetz) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sheetz).
Scott Smith, Sr Director of IT
Parker’s
At Parker’s, Smith leads the company in all aspects of technology, including the company’s round-up for charity technology, self-checkout systems, cloud infrastructure, servers, and the efficiency of payment systems, which process more than 125,000 transactions per day. He also ensures that the Parker’s Rewards app is up-to-date and efficiently serving the loyalty program’s 300,000+ members.
Before joining Parker’s in 2021, Smith worked as the Director of Information Technology at convenience and fuel retailer Royal Farms in Baltimore, Md., where he led the IT department’s security, infrastructure, and retail operations initiatives for hundreds of stores across multiple states.
Earlier this year, Smith was named a “Future Leader in Convenience” by Convenience Store He is news for his impressive professional achievements and currently resides in Savannah, Ga.
Rance Wells, VP of IT
Toot’n Totum
Rance Wells is the Vice President of IT for Toot ‘n Totum Food Stores LLC. Toot ‘n Totum has enjoyed much growth over the last several years as one of the largest privately owned employers in the Amarillo area. The company, founded in 1950, consists of 87 convenience stores, 8 full service car washes, 11 car care centers, 6 Wendy’s Quick Service Restaurants, 3 Mitch’s Texas Style BBQ Quick Service Restaurants, and 2 Which Wich Sandwich shops with a Team Member count of over 1,300. Toot’n Totum has 63 locations in Amarillo, Texas and has expanded to 24 other locations in the Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and other towns in the Texas Panhandle.
A 2005 graduate of West Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree, Rance began his career with Toot ‘n Totum in 2001 as a store Team Member, working his way through college. He moved out of the stores and joined the IT Support Team from 2006 – 2013. Rance took over as Director of IT in 2013 and promoted to Vice President in 2022. His experience has given him a unique perspective when it comes to end user experience, speed of service, and directly engaging guests.
With 16 years of IT technology and petroleum retailing experience, he has been a part of expanding the company outside Amarillo, increasing the company’s security, and improving the technology processes for Toot ’n Totum.
He is excited to be working at such a pivotal time for the company during their expansion south of Amarillo. Rance serves on the Executive Board for Toot ‘n Totum, Verifone Petroleum Advisory Council, Acumera Client Advisory Board, and is a member of Conexxus. Other areas of interest include PCI Compliance, Data Security, Point to Point Encryption (P2PE), Internet of Things, Smart Safes, Surveillance Systems, Blockchain/Cryptocurrency, AI Applications in business, self-checkout systems, Cloud Hosting, automation, and any other technology that can help his company succeed.
Rance has been married to love of his life, Megan, for 13 years. They enjoy every minute raising their 5-year-old son Tripp. They enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, music, soccer, hockey, gardening, cooking, training their field bred Golden Retriever Poppy, and attending church with their friends and family.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id="119527"]
Nicolas Wignall, Director of Strategic Accounts
Upside
Nick Wignall is the Director of Strategic Accounts at Upside, a digital marketplace transforming how brick-and-mortar retailers drive measurable profit. With four years at Upside and over a decade of leadership in the consumer goods and energy sectors, Nick specializes in turning complex retail challenges into scalable growth opportunities.
Prior to joining Upside, Nick spent 10 years at Altria in various leadership capacities, including Southeast Region Manager for Industry Engagement. This background in sales analysis, team leadership, and industry advocacy allows him to navigate the intricate needs of enterprise stakeholders with a data-driven, merchant-centric perspective. Nick holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Iowa State and an MBA from Tennessee Tech. Nick has previously served on the Board of Directors at other CPG associations throughout the Southeast; including Florida Association of Wholesale Distributors (FAWD), Georgia Association of Convenience Stores (GACS) and Alabama Wholesale Distributors Association (AWDA).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Amy Wood, Director of Enterprise IT
Friendly Express, Inc.
Amy Wood is the Director of Enterprise IT at Friendly Express, a locally owned convenience store chain headquartered in Waycross, Georgia. With 38 locations across Southeast Georgia, Friendly Express is known for its commitment to fast, friendly service, quality food offerings, and embracing technology to enhance the customer experience.
Amy brings over 25 years of experience in retail technology and operations, previously serving in leadership roles at Flash Foods and Gate Petroleum. She holds a degree in Computer Science from Mercer University and was recognized as one of Convenience Store News’ 2025 Top Women in Convenience.
She enjoys spending time with her family and cheering on the GA Bulldogs and the Atlanta Braves! Go DAWGS! Go BRAVES!
With 16 years of IT technology and petroleum retailing experience, he has been a part of expanding the company outside Amarillo, increasing the company’s security, and improving the technology processes for Toot ’n Totum.
He is excited to be working at such a pivotal time for the company during their expansion south of Amarillo. Rance serves on the Executive Board for Toot ‘n Totum, Verifone Petroleum Advisory Council, Acumera Client Advisory Board, and is a member of Conexxus. Other areas of interest include PCI Compliance, Data Security, Point to Point Encryption (P2PE), Internet of Things, Smart Safes, Surveillance Systems, Blockchain/Cryptocurrency, AI Applications in business, self-checkout systems, Cloud Hosting, automation, and any other technology that can help his company succeed.
Rance has been married to love of his life, Megan, for 13 years. They enjoy every minute raising their 5-year-old son Tripp. They enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, music, soccer, hockey, gardening, cooking, training their field bred Golden Retriever Poppy, and attending church with their friends and family.
CTVG Advisor and Facilitator
Ed Collupy, Principal
Collupy System Solutions LLC
Ed has more than 40 years of retail systems experience in the convenience/petro (The Pantry) and grocery (Purity Supreme & Shaw’s) retail channels, including as a consultant at W. Capra Consulting Group providing strategic, operational, and project leadership to retailers, emerging businesses, and technology companies. His involvement in the industry continues as a Facilitator for various groups and as an independent consultant through Collupy System Solutions. He has served the Convenience/Petro industry as Chairman of the Board of Advisors of Conexxus and as a member of the NACS Convention Content Committee. Ed writes for trade publications, leads, and participates in on-line and in-person forums focused on retail technology. A New Englander at heart, he graduated from Suffolk University in Boston, attended Harvard’s Executive Education session, Delivering Information Services, and now living on Cape Cod he is very active in the community serving on various boards and committees.
CTVG Past Members
Lorne Brockway, Chief Operations Officer
Fikes Wholesale / CEFCO
H Lorne Brockway has served as CIO of The Fikes Companies since 2015 and was VP of Information Technology prior to that. His background includes forty years spent in retail, distribution and ecommerce. He has worked on both the technology side and the business side, which provides him a different perspective of how technology is really used versus how it was intended to be used.
Scott Burchfield, Chief Operations Officer
Impact 21
Chief Operations Officer
Strategic Planning, Organizational Leadership, Project Management, Optimization and Change Management, Revenue & Profit Improvement
With his broad experience in retail, grocery, petroleum, and convenience, Scott Burchfield, Impact 21’s Chief Operating Officer, has the tools needed to help Impact 21 clients. He utilizes his expertise and strategic vision to build and energize companies’ organizational infrastructures, product & services, processes, and sales & marketing strategies which lead to optimized results. A decisive customer and results-driven Executive, Scott applies his track record of driving revenue and profit improvements in challenging environments to client engagements. Scott builds strong teams by effectively communicating, gaining consensus, and creating/executing plans that deliver measurable results.
Scott believes in professional growth through team development. On the receiving end of this philosophy, Scott was mentored by a former District Manager (DM), developing him into the youngest DM in Eckerd history. In turn, he has guided many team members into senior leaders of highly successful companies through his various senior leadership roles. His aptitude for managing teams has served him well. As Vice President of Operations for Giant Oil, Scott was responsible for direct oversight of company operations, merchandising & Pricebook, regional and area management, store operations, dealer/tenant relationship, IT, fuels, maintenance, construction, and training. He was brought in to develop a company operated model, as well as a franchise model, for the company’s tenants. He helped develop a brand and a full assortment of product and services, developing policies and procedures, training program and materials, and a new staff of Area Managers, Category Manager, Price Book Manager, Training Manager and a Construction Manager to support the growth.
As Director of Strategy, Optimization & Acquisition Integration for Sunoco LP, Dallas, TX, Scott led the Strategy & Integration team through several other acquisition processes, including Sunoco’s Mid Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS) acquisition. His Strategy & Integration team worked with all business units on process optimization, acquisition integration and overall business strategy, identifying opportunities, assessing investment and ROI requirements, recommending strategic plans, working with the business leaders to implement projects. As Vice President of Operations Services & Process Improvement for MACS, Scott provided Executive leadership in all Field Operations Support, Strategic Operations planning and budgeting, Loss Prevention and Risk Management as well as identifying and developing process improvements for retail and wholesale operations. Scott served in executive leadership roles for The Pantry Inc., Bed Bath & Beyond, Winn-Dixie, and started out in the industry by working his way from part-time employee at Eckerd Drugs to Senior District Manager.
Scott obtained both his Bachelor of Business Administration and his Master of Business Administration from Alameda University in his state of origin, Texas. He has contributed his time and talent as Board of Director for the South Carolina Association of Convenience Stores (SCACS) and the American Widow Project (AWP) Charity. Though born in Texas and raised in Singapore, Scott has called seventeen different places home over the years. He now calls Florida home with his four children where he spends some much-valued family time.
Jason Collins, Director of IT
Englefield Oil Company
Kenneth England, VP North America Technology
Majors Management LLC
Nick Franco, SVP Sales and Customer Success
ThinkSys Inc.
Accomplished executive business and technology leader. Over 20 years experience driving revenue in the multi-site C-store, retail, and restaurant industries. Proven track record of building C-level and partner relationships, developing channel programs, and leading enterprise sales.
Experienced in custom software development, AI, networking, network security, cybers security, PCI compliance, IoT, edge computing, multi-site retail technology and operations.
Jeffry Harrison, Co-Founder & President
Rovertown
Jeffry first discovered his passion for entrepreneurship at a young age selling crafts at his father's dental office. While studying for a dual major in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the SIUE School of Business, Jeffry co-founded Rovertown. Rovertown is the convenience store industry's leading app platform powering apps for over 70 c-store retailers. Rovertown is agnostic and can integrate any loyalty, mobile ordering, mobile pay, car wash, etc. technology provider into your own branded mobile app.
Jeffry enjoys spending time with his wife and three children in Michigan and has a passion for music, golf, and bourbon.
Sorin Hilgen, Group CDO and In-country CIO
EG Group
Sorin is the Group CDO and In-country CIO for EG Group, responsible for all technology related areas of EG America and the Digital Platform for EG Group. He has been in the Retail industry for 15 years holding various IT leadership roles with Cumberland Farms and Gulf Oil. Prior to that, Sorin was part of the IT team at a leading Commodity Trading firm leading portions of the global IT strategy.
Brad Miller, Senior Director of IT
Coen Markets
With a career in technology spanning thirty years, Brad has worked in technology retail, as a Project Manager, .NET developer and Network Administrator for a software company in the field of Health Care, an Infrastructure Specialist in the state government sector, and has spent the last thirteen years working in the C-store space, first as Director of Technology for Par Mar Stores and since 2017 as the Senior Director of Technology for Coen Markets. Brad resides in Canonsburg, PA with his wife of thirty years (and their two cats) and can be reached at bmiller@coen1923.com.
Steve Morris, President
Retail Management, Inc (RMI)
Steve Morris is the President & Owner of Retail Management Inc., a retail management & marketing services provider for retailers nationwide and is an elected member of the City Council for Woodbury, MN.
Steve has served in leadership roles for over 25 years within convenience and retail sectors. He served as Director of Marketing & Merchandising for SuperAmerica stores & Speedway, where he continued the work of brand development and management and as Director of Operations Strategy and Planning, where he held oversight and responsibility for the Twin Cities and Minnesota markets for retail operations.
Steve was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022 as Councilmember for the City of Woodbury having served previously on the Planning Commission, and currently serves on the Economic Development Authority and Housing & Redevelopment Authority for the city.
Steve supports numerous organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations including: "Majority in the Middle", a 501c3 dedicated to lowering the temperature of politics and finding common ground to serve the people of Minnesota, as well, "Metro Cities", a coalition of Twin Cities metropolitan area communities working and lobbying the state capital on behalf of individual cities, counties and townships; "The United Heroes League", a non-profit military family support organization; and the "Woodbury Police K-9 Foundation", supporting the K9 program development and support for the city of Woodbury Minnesota.
Steve and his husband Justin live in Woodbury with their two dogs and enjoy softball, concert-going and walking the miles of trails in their community.
Skip Potter, Director of IT
R.L. Vallee, Inc.
Skip Potter has been in the convenience Store Industry for 30 years. Over that 30 year period, he has seen lots of changes in the industry.
For the last 24 years, Skip has been working in various roles for R.L. Vallee, Inc. In 2019, Skip was named in the top 20 forward thinkers by CSP Magazine. As the Director of Technology for Maplefields he continues to push the company and industry forward with new technologies and fostering solid industry partners.
Skip Potter was a member of CTVG in 2024.
Patrick Raycroft, Partner
W. Capra
Patrick leads W. Capra’s Convenience & Energy Retailing consulting practice as well as its Digital Technology services. Patrick and W. Capra are passionate about driving positive change in CER through innovative thinking, strong industry collaboration, and effective delivery of new initiatives. While he spends most of his time in CER, Patrick also frequently consults with merchants in adjacent verticals (QSR, high-volume retail, transportation, to name a few), which allows him to transfer best practices from those verticals into his CER consulting. In his free time, Patrick enjoys time spent outdoors, visiting more US national parks, and commiserating over the fortunes of his Chicago and Notre Dame sports teams.
Rick Sales, President
Abierto
With over 20 years of experience in the convenience store and convenience foodservice retail industries, Rick is a seasoned leader and innovator in on-premise digital engagement solutions. As the president of Abierto Networks, he is passionate about integrating cutting edge technology to address common industry issues and designing the store of the future. A pioneer in experiential marketing and digital communication, Rick and his team recently delivered transparent LED displays (OPEN.LED) that are redefining forecourt engagement. His mission is to help retailers evolve their thinking around engagement, resulting in increased sales and revisits, improved employee satisfaction and retention, and the growth of strong brands that foster loyal fans.
On a personal note, Rick loves to play golf (despite his admitted lack of skill) and practices the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do.
Cheryl Szczesniak, EVP Human Resources
The Spinx Company
Cheryl Szczesniak is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources with the Spinx Company. Cheryl has spent over 25 years in the Retail Industry, half of those in the convenience store industry. She has held various management positions in Accounting, Finance Management,
and Technology. In her current role, she is responsible for talent acquisition and development for over 1600 team members, along with employee relations, Human Resource Information Systems, and internal communication.
Before joining The Spinx Company in 2005, she was Manager of Store Accounting for Wawa in Pennsylvania.
Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Widener University in Pennsylvania, and a master’s in science degree in Human Resources from Villanova University. In addition, she holds a SHRM-CP certification.
She resides with her husband in Greenville and has two children and two stepchildren.
Mike Templeton, Director of Digital Guest Experience
Casey's
Thomas Valeri, SVP, IT
Majors Management
As SVP of IT, I bring 15 years of experience in the convenience store, fuel, and petroleum technology sector. My multidisciplinary background spans critical business functions including information technology, accounting, operations, and analytics.
Throughout my career, I have focused on leveraging technology solutions to drive business value across the convenience store ecosystem. My unique combination of technical expertise and broad business acumen enables me to bridge the gap between IT capabilities and operational needs, delivering solutions that enhance both efficiency and profitability.
Mike Weber
Upshop, CMO
Mike Weber has spent much of his career rooted in the retail experience, beginning with retail design and shopper strategy for mass merchandisers, grocers and c-stores. He transitioned from retail strategy to branding, leading strategy for leading organizations such as SAP, Microsoft, Aramco and GSK across London and NYC. After building and exiting a boutique design agency, Weber re-entered retail via technology to lead Upshop's marketing, partnership and thought leadership.
*Bio, Title and Position at the time of group membership.
CTVG Ally Supporters
Past CTVG Ally Supporters
What VGN members say:
Raymond Huff
HJB Corp.President
MORE FROM VGN
Latest Vision Reports from VGNBROWSE VISION REPORTS
From Signal to System: How C-Store IT Leaders Are Turning Data Into Operational Intelligence
The CTVG July Vision Report examines how c-store IT leaders can move beyond collecting and connecting data to building trustworthy infrastructure and leveraging AI to turn operational signals into actionable business insights. Topics include semantic layers, data governance, AI prompting best practices, hallucination risks, and real-world retailer experiments already delivering results.
System Integration: Driving Store-Level Efficiency and Simplicity
The CTVG April 2026 Vision Report examines system integration as the industry's defining technology priority, surpassing AI and automation in a member survey. The April CTVG meeting explored barriers including legacy systems and vendor fragmentation, and how AI is accelerating integration work while introducing new governance demands.
Vision Report Loyalty Across Apps, Social, and Consumer Experience
The September CTVG meeting examined loyalty program evolution beyond traditional discounts into integrated digital ecosystems combining mobile apps, social media, and gamification. Retailers discussed engagement strategies, technology integration challenges, data modernization needs, and AI applications while exploring academic partnerships and digital identity progress.
Latest VGN Lens Articles
A Local Problem, and a Local Answer
Illegal tobacco sales often stay hidden in store data until losses are already severe. Operators can build an expected sales benchmark from existing POS data to catch illicit trade intrusion early, then turn that customer loss into a foodservice growth opportunity.
NACS Convenience Summit Europe in Warsaw Poland
Myra Kressner reflects on attending the NACS Convenience Summit Europe in Warsaw, Poland, where networking with VGN members and global retailers, along with store tours across fuel stations, convenience chains, and foodservice concepts, reinforced how customer experience and destination shopping continue to shape convenience retailing worldwide.
Generation Żabka: The Next Wave of Convenience
Lonnie McQuirter recounts a visit to Żabka Group's Warsaw headquarters, examining how the Polish convenience giant built retail media, app-based loyalty, and autonomous Nano stores into new growth engines. McQuirter draws transferable lessons for independent operators, from auditing fixed assets to finding the small, unglamorous gaps in a customer's day worth closing.
