Bonnie Zaring
Bonnie Zaring, Executive Director, Food Programs and Offers
RaceTrac Inc
Bonnie has two decades of experience in retail, specializing in purchasing, merchandising, and food operations. Since 2001, she has been a leader in RaceTrac’s merchandising department, where she is responsible for driving sales and market share in food service categories, including hot foods, fresh foods, bakery, dispensed beverages, and Swirl World. Bonnie oversees the food merchandising and culinary teams, which play a pivotal role in expanding RaceTrac’s food operations.
Her previous roles include serving as Regional Director of Food with Walmart and Fresh Market Manager with Sam’s Club. Bonnie holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Public Relations from Georgia Southern University. She is passionate about mentoring future leaders and developing innovative food solutions for guests in the convenience store industry.
Fred Yonghabi
Fred Yonghabi, Sr. Specialist
Con Edison
Fred is dedicated sustainability and environmental professional with more than 10 years of experience in conservation and environmental sustainability.
Fred is passionate about energy efficiency, environmental and corporate sustainability, and this passion has contributed to his continuous interests and wish to become an actor of change to help organizations with their sustainability, ESG, and climate transition.
Kate Wright
Kate Wright, Executive Director
Climate Mayors
Kate Wright is the Executive Director of Climate Mayors. Kate is responsible for strategic direction of the network, including helping cities implement bold policies and programs, supporting equitable climate action by the Federal Administration and Congress, and building initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while advancing economic growth and environmental justice. Prior to joining Climate Mayors, Kate served as CEO of CivicWell (formerly the Local Government Commission), where she worked with city and county leaders for fifteen years spearheading environmental initiatives on climate resilience, clean mobility, sustainable water management, livable communities, renewable energy, and affordable housing.
Amy Wood
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.
Nicolas Wignall
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).
Rance Wells
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.
Will Welch
Will Welch, Director of Foodservice
Kwik Trip
I serve as the Director of Foodservice, supporting and developing Food Service District Leaders while driving consistent execution across food programs. My focus is on selling more food safely, strengthening leadership, and partnering across teams to deliver quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
Michelle Weckstein
Michelle Weckstein, Director of Food and Beverage Brands
Southwest Georgia Oil dba SunStop
Michelle Weckstein is the Director of Food and Beverage Brands at SunStop.
In Weckstein’ s role as Food and Beverage Brand Director, she mentors and fosters the development of a highly talented team of foodies with a passion for quality, and culture of excellence.
Michelle’s vast industry experience stems from a variety of roles in Human Resources and restaurant operations where she has created training and development programs, management leadership programs and operational systems for other companies that include Pizza Hut, Applebee’s, Winking Lizard Tavern, Inc., and Parker’s Kitchens.
Michelle offers diverse industry insight and is considered a subject matter expert by her peers in foodservice systems, executional efficiency and profitability, building operational consistency, understanding costs and margins, development of people, and product development.
Under Weckstein’s leadership, the “Eat’s Southern Cookin’” and “Eat’s Fresh on the Go” brands were created and implemented in 38 of the company’s locations. Weckstein is committed to continuing the growth of those brands while making the company’s non-traditional deli locations a destination for fresh, quality, grab-and-go food. She is driven to enhance the guest experience and raise the standard for exceptional food service within the convenience store industry.
Weckstein is a graduate of the University Akron and is a certified ServSafe Instructor and registered examination proctor through the National Restaurant Association.
Michelle and her husband Bob reside in Thomasville, GA and have two sons, Anthony and Alex.
SunStop is owned and operated by Southwest Georgia Oil Co Inc. based in Bainbridge, Georgia. The company employees more than 1000 people and operates 80 SunStop convenience stores in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. It is ranked the 86th largest convenience store operator in the country.
Mike Weber
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.
Christian Warning
Christian Warning, Founder and Managing Partner
The Retail Marketeers
Christian Warning is the founder and Managing Partner of The Retail Marketeers, a Hamburg (Germany) based consulting firm focused on retail convenience in its many forms. Christian, an alumni of the University of Hamburg , has for 13 years worked for Shell, eventually becoming the head of its billion-dollar non-fuel retail business in the German market. Following this, he oversaw the development of Germany’s largest convenience store franchise chain outside fuel stations at Deutsche Bahn (German railway). The Retail Marketeers are sought-after experts in the rapidly evolving roadside retail and mobility omnichannel business. The company uniquely combines a deep knowledge of daily operations with strategic insights while its boutique size guarantees focus and efficiency. Its ability to swiftly integrate retailer’s needs with vendor’s capabilities is at the core of a successful and cost-effective market-entry and transition strategy. For this, The Retail Marketeers create ideas and tailor-made processes, while putting clients in touch with just the right people to bring these ideas to life. Thirty plus years of hands-on industry best practice, together with an unprecedented network that encompasses manufacturers, wholesalers and pivotal company executives make the company a powerful ally for any convenience venture.
Christian is the chair of the Swiss Convenience Retail and forecourttech, the global leading pure tech focused matchmaking conference for the convenience & mobility industry.
Christian is the NACS Relationship Partner for German speaking markets (D-A-CH) and the proud host of the annual NACS Convenience Leaders Exchange in Hamburg. As an advisory board member to 2 global acting petrol station specialists he visits more than 1,000 gas stations and convenience stores in many different countries yearly.
Christian serves as the chairman for the mobility gastronomy vertical within the ICA Network in Germany. With more than 350 members, the ICA Executive Network is a strong community and sets standards as a networking platform where the top management levels of food service companies meet for regular events.