Sheila Bennett
Sheila Bennett, Founder
Sheila Bennett Consulting
Strategic business development and operations leader with 20+ years of experience in the foodservice industry and nonprofit space in driving revenue growth and organizational impact. A trusted relationship builder with a deep hospitality background and a proven track record of building and scaling programs within both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Experience working in full-service food and beverage service operations, in national accounts and purchasing in foodservice distribution, as VP Development for an e-Marketing technology and analytics company and creating national fundraising programs and leading a national nonprofit. Known for developing high-performing teams, strengthening franchise and partner performance, and delivering value for operators, buyers, sellers, and communities nationwide.
Glennie Bench
Glennie Bench, President
Southwest Georgia Oil Company, Inc
Glennie Cox Bench serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Southwest Georgia Oil Company. She oversees the company’s leadership teams and works closely with Operations, Marketing, Accounting, and Human Resources in developing and implementing the company’s strategic vision. Southwest Georgia Oil Company owns and operates 80 convenience stores and grocery stores, a petroleum hauling business and employs 1000 people across three states.
Glennie earner her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree at Valdosta State University and is also a Certified Public Accountant, receiving her CPA license in 1989.
In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations at Southwest Georgia Oil Company, Glennie shares her expertise in accounting and finance by serving her community in various capacities. She is an At-Large Council Member for The City of Bainbridge, Georgia, where she is serving her fourth term. Glennie is also Chairperson of the Bainbridge-Decatur County Hospital Authority and a past President of her local Rotary Club. Glennie is married to Steve, a retired teacher and football coach, and they have one son, Steven, who is a local business owner.
Frank Beard
Frank Beard, Head of Marketing
Rovertown
I'm a Des Moines, Iowa-based marketer, speaker, and writer who focuses on the convenience retailing industry. I'm currently the Head of Marketing at Rovertown, the leading app platform for convenience retailers. Past affiliations include Standard AI and GasBuddy.
I frequently speak at events where I focus on 1) convenience retail trends, 2) retail technology, and 3) lessons from having visited thousands of convenience stores across the United States and internationally. Past presentations include the NACS Show, National Restaurant Association Show, Summer Fancy Food Show, NACS CEO Summit DACH, Handel & Wandel, AACS Convenience Leaders Summit in Sydney, and numerous regional and corporate events.
My analyses and commentary have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Bloomberg, Grocery Dive, the Washington Post, Atlas Obscura, and more. I currently write a monthly column for C-Store Dive called "The Road Ahead."
On a personal level, I once spent a month eating at convenience stores to prove that healthy on-the-go options do exist. I'm also an active cyclist and enjoy participating in RAGBRAI—the nation’s oldest, longest, and largest organized bike ride.
Frank Beard
Frank Beard, Head of Marketing
Rovertown
I'm a Des Moines, Iowa-based marketer, speaker, and writer who focuses on the convenience retailing industry. I'm currently the Head of Marketing at Rovertown, the leading app platform for convenience retailers. Past affiliations include Standard AI and GasBuddy.
I frequently speak at events where I focus on 1) convenience retail trends, 2) retail technology, and 3) lessons from having visited thousands of convenience stores across the United States and internationally. Past presentations include the NACS Show, National Restaurant Association Show, Summer Fancy Food Show, NACS CEO Summit DACH, Handel & Wandel, AACS Convenience Leaders Summit in Sydney, and numerous regional and corporate events.
My analyses and commentary have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Bloomberg, Grocery Dive, the Washington Post, Atlas Obscura, and more. I currently write a monthly column for C-Store Dive called "The Road Ahead."
On a personal level, I once spent a month eating at convenience stores to prove that healthy on-the-go options do exist. I'm also an active cyclist and enjoy participating in RAGBRAI—the nation’s oldest, longest, and largest organized bike ride.
Chris Bambury
Chris Bambury, President
Bambury, Inc. dba Bonneau Markets
Chris is the President of Bambury, Inc., a fourth-generation fuel and convenience business rooted in Northern California’s wine country. Founded in 1922, the company has grown under Chris’s leadership from a legacy family business into a modern, tech-forward enterprise. He has driven expansion, embraced innovation, and launched the successful BONNEAU fuel brand in 2021, carrying on the entrepreneurial spirit of company founders August & Catherine Bonneau.
Chris began his career in information technology with a national internet service provider before joining the family business as an entry-level c-store employee—a hands-on experience that continues to shape his leadership philosophy.
He is an active industry leader. In 2023, Chris served as President of the California Fuels & Convenience Alliance (CFCA), the state association representing over 10,000 fuel and convenience locations. In 2017, he chaired the Pacific Fuels & Convenience Summit (PFCS), an event that draws over 1,500 attendees annually and achieved a record net profit that stood until 2024. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and chairs its Retail Engagement Committee.
Chris is committed to innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence. He continues to focus on sustainable growth, industry advocacy, and delivering long-term value to partners, customers, and the communities he serves.
Chris Bambury
Chris Bambury, President
Bambury, Inc. dba Bonneau Markets
Chris is the President of Bambury, Inc., a fourth-generation fuel and convenience business rooted in Northern California’s wine country. Founded in 1922, the company has grown under Chris’s leadership from a legacy family business into a modern, tech-forward enterprise. He has driven expansion, embraced innovation, and launched the successful BONNEAU fuel brand in 2021, carrying on the entrepreneurial spirit of company founders August & Catherine Bonneau.
Chris began his career in information technology with a national internet service provider before joining the family business as an entry-level c-store employee—a hands-on experience that continues to shape his leadership philosophy.
He is an active industry leader. In 2023, Chris served as President of the California Fuels & Convenience Alliance (CFCA), the state association representing over 10,000 fuel and convenience locations. In 2017, he chaired the Pacific Fuels & Convenience Summit (PFCS), an event that draws over 1,500 attendees annually and achieved a record net profit that stood until 2024. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and chairs its Retail Engagement Committee.
Chris is committed to innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence. He continues to focus on sustainable growth, industry advocacy, and delivering long-term value to partners, customers, and the communities he serves.
Roy Austin
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
Laura Aufleger
Laura Aufleger, President
OnCue
Laura Griffith Aufleger was born and raised in Stillwater. Laura started working in OnCue stores at 15. Laura graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma with an emphasis in advertising and a Spanish Minor. Prior to returning to OnCue, she was a Vice President at Direct Development, a commercial real estate development company in Dallas. She also worked for Ackerman McQueen in OKC and The Richards Group in Dallas.
In recognition of her hard work locally and in the industry, Laura has received the Top Women in Convenience Award, the Journal Record’s Achievers Under 40, Convenience Store Decisions 40 Under 40 Leaders to Watch and more. She is also a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma Class 34 and a member of the OKC chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
Laura's generosity and compassion for others has ushered OnCue into a new era of community engagement. In December of 2022, Laura led the way for OnCue’s record-breaking $1 million dollar donation to the Stillwater Medical Foundation. The funds brought to life the OnCue Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Stillwater, which now provides critical care for newborns while helping families stay closer to home.
Laura is an advocate for Big Brothers Big Sisters, serving as a mentor for over a decade in the Stillwater, Norman, and Dallas communities, and served on the governing board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. Laura currently serves on the Stillwater Medical Foundation Board of Directors. Laura is extremely active in her local schools, including being a member of the PTO and Homeroom Parent. Laura is also an active member of the National Association of Convenience Stores as well as the Pi Beta Phi Alumni Association, the OU Alumni Association, and Life Church Stillwater.
Laura and her husband have three children.
Laura Aufleger
Laura Aufleger, President
OnCue
Laura Griffith Aufleger was born and raised in Stillwater. Laura started working in OnCue stores at 15. Laura graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma with an emphasis in advertising and a Spanish Minor. Prior to returning to OnCue, she was a Vice President at Direct Development, a commercial real estate development company in Dallas. She also worked for Ackerman McQueen in OKC and The Richards Group in Dallas.
In recognition of her hard work locally and in the industry, Laura has received the Top Women in Convenience Award, the Journal Record’s Achievers Under 40, Convenience Store Decisions 40 Under 40 Leaders to Watch and more. She is also a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma Class 34 and a member of the OKC chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
Laura's generosity and compassion for others has ushered OnCue into a new era of community engagement. In December of 2022, Laura led the way for OnCue’s record-breaking $1 million dollar donation to the Stillwater Medical Foundation. The funds brought to life the OnCue Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Stillwater, which now provides critical care for newborns while helping families stay closer to home.
Laura is an advocate for Big Brothers Big Sisters, serving as a mentor for over a decade in the Stillwater, Norman, and Dallas communities, and served on the governing board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. Laura currently serves on the Stillwater Medical Foundation Board of Directors. Laura is extremely active in her local schools, including being a member of the PTO and Homeroom Parent. Laura is also an active member of the National Association of Convenience Stores as well as the Pi Beta Phi Alumni Association, the OU Alumni Association, and Life Church Stillwater.
Laura and her husband have three children.