CLVG ALLY SUPPORTERS
A New Industry Leader
Gleeson became the NACS President and CEO on January 1, 2026, succeeding Henry O. Armour who had previously held the role since 2005. Irish native Gleeson is only the fourth NACS CEO since its inception in 1961. Gleeson previously served as 2018-2019 NACS Chairman and has been involved with various NACS committees and working groups since being introduced to the organization in the early 2000’s. Gleeson most recently led Aramark Northern Europe after holding leadership roles within the convenience and oil industry at Topaz Energy Group and Statoil. When introduced at the virtual meeting, members glowed about his new role and the future of NACS, Donald Rhoads, president/CEO of The Convenience Group, LLC said: “What I love about Frank, he’s hands-on, he’s approachable, and he moves very quickly.” In this interactive meeting, Gleeson shared his vision for the association and the industry while drawing from his extensive food and retail history.
Fuel is Still Critical, But No Longer a Growth Engine
In this CLVG meeting, Kressner and Gleeson engaged in an interactive question, answer, and discussion session. Kressner opened asking Gleeson about the impact of fuel price volatility on consumer sentiment, traffic, and sales. “Fuel still remains a critical traffic generator for our business today, but really it’s no longer a reliable growth engine,” he said, noting that winning operators are decoupling inside sales from outside gallons. He said short-term price spikes risk fewer discretionary trips and smaller basket sizes, while the longer-term structural decline will be slow and gradual. He also commented that EV adoption will not happen too quickly in the U.S. as once predicted, nor as fast as European countries are seeing.
Roy Strasburger, VGN co-founder, CEO of StrasGlobal, and president of Compliance Safe, called fuel volume decline one of the existential issues facing the industry over the next 20 to 25 years. He added concern about oil companies re-entering direct retail, citing BP’s return to truck stops and Shell acquiring stations in Texas. Mark Samuels, EVP of convenience retailing at Dash In/The Wills Group, contributed that every operator should be actively building a model capable of being fully profitable without fuel. A different perspective came from Hal Adams, former managing director of OXXO USA, who cautioned against what he saw as an outsized focus on the threat, drawing a historical parallel to the decline of cigarettes. Just as the industry had adapted its model when tobacco volume fell sharply, he argued, fuel’s decline presents an opportunity to differentiate, reallocate capital, and strengthen the overall value proposition.
“I look at fuel like cigarettes 20 years ago when they began declining in volume dramatically and we had to look at cigarettes differently for the inside of the store.”
“I look at fuel like cigarettes 20 years ago when they began declining in volume dramatically and we had to look at cigarettes differently for the inside of the store.”
Tracey Hughes, CEO of Wallis Companies, raised Costco as a competitive challenge outside of the convenience channel. Hughes, Gleeson, and Samuels called out Costco’s subscription model, wealthier customer base, expanded operating hours, and indifference to fuel margins, making the company difficult to fight on price. Don McKenzie, CEO of The Imagine Group, asked whether grocers adding fuel and convenience formats represent a new competitive front. Gleeson said convenience format remains highly attractive to grocers and large format operators even where fuel has not worked for them, citing the history in his homeland Ireland. Strasburger supported that, citing HEB, Walmart, and Buc-ee’s have been successful on the fuel-front in his home state of Texas.
Gleeson and several others concurred that expanding prepared food items will be the key to sustained success, regardless of fuel outcomes. Gleeson pointed to European retailer successes, and Eva Strasburger, VGN co-founder, CEO of Compliance Safe, and president of StrasGlobal, drew a parallel to compact village stores across Italy and France, noting that the discovery of quality items in an intimate format is part of what draws consumers to an elevated convenience store experience.
Legislation Troubles on Credit Cards, SNAP, Tobacco, and THC
Kressner led the conversation into legislative matters and Gleeson outlined four legislative priorities central to NACS’s work.
First, he cited the twenty-year fight on credit card interchange fees. U.S. retailers pay 2.3% while European counterparts pay 0.3%, a gap he described as having no legitimate justification. With White House backing secured, and debit card reform serving as an established precedent, NACS is actively working to attach credit card legislation to a viable legislative vehicle.
Second, SNAP program changes represent a meaningful threat, not only to the roughly 2% of sales the program represents directly but to the broader traffic and basket implications of losing that customer. NACS intends to fight the proposed restrictions while simultaneously pushing to expand eligibility to include hot food.
Third, the FDA’s backlog of vape product authorizations has created an opening for illicit products, with organized criminal supply chains flooding the market. Targeted multi-agency enforcement has already produced measurable gains for compliant operators.
And fourth, THC and hemp products represent a growth opportunity NACS is pursuing at both the state and federal levels, even as individual states move to restrict sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries only.
At the January 2026 CLVG meeting, NACS’ Margaret Mannion presented SNAP program changes, sharing program definitions and implications they may have for the industry. Read the full Vision Report, “Snap Decisions and Human Digital Twins” to hear what experts and retailers discussed on the topic.
Jonathan Polonsky, chief executive officer of Plaid Pantry, said the SNAP rules as written would make his 2,400-square-foot stores entirely ineligible. Kevin Senn, chief executive officer of AisleAI, and James Hervey, head of petro at Verifone, both noted that developing complying technology is a challenge because guidelines vary across fifty states and price book accuracy is a prerequisite for POS-level eligibility compliance.
Regarding tobacco products, Samuels observed that a significant majority of vapes currently sold are illicit and that meaningful enforcement was necessary. Hervey pointed to the industry’s long-standing investment in age verification, and Gleeson described NACS’s TrueAge program as a recognized global benchmark available at no cost to retail members. Eva Strasburger raised the United Kingdom’s recent generational tobacco ban, which carries bipartisan support and appears headed toward enactment. Gleeson said NACS would mount a vigorous opposition to any similar initiative in the U.S.
Regarding THC, Scott Minton, director of OnCue Marketing LLC and guest of OnCue Marketing LLC’s President Laura Aufleger, described active state-level THC legislation in Oklahoma and asked for a federal update. Gleeson confirmed a simultaneous state and federal strategy. Hughes noted that Missouri had just enacted a law restricting THC and hemp sales exclusively to licensed cannabis dispensaries, and Samuels confirmed Maryland had done the same.
Food Service is the Global Playbook
Foodservice is the clear winner when considering life after fuel. When Kressner addressed foodservice globally, Gleeson agreed that the global direction is unmistakable. “The shift from fuel first to food first is actually the playbook…you fuel your car once a week, you fuel your body three, four times a day,” he said. For regional chains, the challenge is maintaining food program consistency while scaling into new markets. For smaller operators, the barriers are capital and physical space, and his recommendation was to begin with coffee and bakery before layering in more complex food offerings over time. Efficient operations and effective food safety are key to successful programs, he continued.
Gleeson also pointed to afternoons and evenings as untapped dayparts, noting that most U.S. operators have invested heavily in morning and midday but left the later day parts underdeveloped. He noted that leading Irish convenience retailers have already moved into small supermarket-style formats offering ready-made meals of genuine restaurant quality, and that those operators are actively taking share from traditional grocery.
Mark Hawthorne, chief innovation and strategy officer at Upshop, asked whether food regulation is on the NACS radar, citing the FSMA (FDA Food Safety Modernization Act) Food Traceability rule. preventing contamination in food production. In addition to the NACS Food Safety Forum held in April, Gleeson referenced offsite, centralized production as his preferred method for larger operators to encourage consistency for the bulk of the product, finishing at site-level. Adams extended that line of thinking by describing his recent work with some of the largest food banks in Texas, which are packaging heat-and-eat meals at a quality level comparable to what a customer would buy at the grocer HEB. Partnering with organizations already doing this at scale, he suggested, could give smaller operators without full kitchen infrastructure an entry point into food service that solves both the logistics and the freshness challenge.
Eva Strasburger and McKenzie both questioned QSR competition due to their abundance and value offers from dark kitchens. Gleeson countered that QSRs seem to be focused on their own channel and not heavily pushing back on the convenience channel.
GLP-1 Drugs and Shifting Consumer Habits
Gleeson brought up GLP-1 drugs and the behavior shift it is causing during the foodservice discussion. Roy Strasburger jumped in to ask his thoughts on the magnitude of the shift and what NACS may be doing to help members navigate the changes. Strasburger said his personal belief is that once the drugs become more affordable and more widely prescribed or available over the counter, the impact on eating habits will be major and lasting. Gleeson agreed, drawing on Ireland’s role as a leading GLP-1 manufacturer and the country’s largest export, said growth projections suggest this could be a permanent trend rather than a passing one.
The Convenience Foodservice Vision Group (CFVG) discussed the impact of GLP-1s on consumer trends during its’ February 2026 meeting. Read the full Vision Report, “Convenient Health Trends: Meeting Consumer Demands in Modern Eating,” to hear what experts and retailers discussed about the topic and opportunities.
Global Trends
When Kressner pointedly turned the conversation in the global direction, Gleeson’s global framing rested on a single organizing idea: food as a destination rather than an afterthought. He also commented that the most successful operators worldwide are building loyalty programs that account for a substantial share of their total transactions. Leading retailers realize nearly 50% of their sales coming from loyalty transactions with the industry average at about half that (25%). He said that “food and convenience is becoming more about loyalty and driving repeat customer transactions and upselling and additional purchases” and that fuel is less about discounts and more about loyalty.
SALES FROM LOYALTY TRANSACTIONS
Leading Retailers
Industry Average
Hervey observed that the sheer variety of formats, ownership models, and consumer behaviors across global convenience markets makes international learning uniquely valuable for U.S. operators. He pointed to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Thailand, even more so than the usually discussed Nordics and Europe, for differentiation and innovative ideas. Gleeson agreed and also pointed to the speed of China’s unmanned retail and EV infrastructure buildout as signals worth paying closer attention to. Eva Strasburger mentioned a Chinese operator they recently witnessed running tens of thousands of unstaffed locations. Gleeson acknowledged the positive labor cost implications but said the more compelling opportunity for U.S. operators remains in building daily food and convenience habits.
M&A and the Independent Operators
On consolidation, Gleeson said the pace of mid-market deal activity will continue, though with more disciplined investment than the industry saw in the low interest rate era. He noted that recent public market activity has validated the sector’s investment attractiveness, and that the anticipated attrition among family-owned independents has not materialized at the pace many predicted. He also offered that his focus in the near future is to embrace independent operators, describing his ambition to put the same quality of tools, category playbooks, and operational guidance that large chains can develop internally within reach of single-site and small-chain operators at little or no cost. He cited the NACS TruAge and couponing products that already exist as available, affordable tools for independent operators. Kressner noted the formation of VGN’s Small Operators Vision Group that will begin meeting in May 2026.
Technology, AI and Delivery
The Convenience Technology Vision Group (CTVG) discussed technology challenges during its March 2026 meeting. Read the full Vision Report, “System Integration: Driving Store-Level Efficiency and Simplicity,” to hear what experts and retailers discussed about the topic and opportunities.
A few other topics surfaced. On technology, Kressner noted that a recent Convenience Technology Vision Group (CTVG) meeting identified system integration, not AI, as the industry’s top technology priority, with outdated and siloed platforms remaining the central obstacle. Gleeson agreed that the legacy tech stack is a genuine constraint but said the economics of modernization have improved significantly, with cloud-based and subscription models removing the large upfront capital requirements that previously slowed adoption. He described AI applications across assortment planning, inventory management, loss prevention, and operational efficiency as delivering meaningful returns relative to the investment required and encouraged operators at every scale to begin experimenting.
During the global discussion, Eva Strasburger drew on observations from a retail conference in Mumbai and subsequent travel to Shanghai to ask how operators should think about food delivery. Following up on a similar thought from Roy Strasburger, Gleeson agreed that third-party platforms represent the most accessible entry point today, even with difficult margin economics, and he noted that consumers in delivery-active markets have shown a consistent willingness to pay a meaningful premium for the service. Gleeson also speculated that drone or automated delivery may present a meaningful opportunity in the next five to ten years.
Final Reflection
The pressures reshaping convenience retail from fuel decline to shifting consumer habits demand near-term decisions, not future planning. Operators who treat food as a destination, loyalty as infrastructure, and technology as a prerequisite will capture the value that fuel once delivered. The stores that evolve their offerings to match how consumers live will define what the industry becomes.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Fuel remains a traffic driver but is no longer a reliable growth engine. Operators that have built their profit model beyond fuel into food are best positioned for the fuel volume decline ahead.
- Building profitability without fuel is now an imperative, not a future exercise. Every operator should be building that model today.
- Food first is the global playbook. Food must be treated as a destination, not an add-on, and later day parts remain a largely untapped opportunity across U.S. convenience retail.
- GLP-1 adoption is a permanent trend shifting demand toward protein-forward snacking and functional beverages.
- SNAP changes represent an outsized risk to convenience store traffic and profitability beyond the 2% of sales figure, and the technology compliance burden compounds the business risk.
- Credit card interchange reform has remained one of NACS's highest legislative priorities, with debit card reform as the established precedent.
- Illicit vapes represent a significant market distortion driven by FDA inaction, and cross-agency enforcement has proven its value where applied.
- Technology modernization is accelerating, driven by both operational need and the improved affordability of cloud-based and SaaS solutions that allow pay-as-you-play adoption.
- Loyalty programs are the connective tissue between food, fuel, and repeat customer transactions, with the best global operators driving up to 50% of their business through loyalty.
- NACS is developing an independent operator mission to provide playbooks, tools, training, and network access at low or no cost to the largest and most underserved segment of the industry.
Contact info@vgnsharing.com if you’d like the meeting transcript.
Notable and Quotable
“The interesting thing about fuel is it’s the only product that we sell that is priced on the street in front of all our competitors. So, as we drive down the street it becomes a very emotional product to sell.”
“Everyone needs to plan now for being able to be profitable without fuel at all.”
“You don’t have to have 60,000 square feet to get what Buc-ee’s is doing right. And they have a lot that all operators – large operators, small operators, everybody in the industry – can pull from to help better the entire offering for convenience retail”
“There is just so much to learn, I think that’s the interesting thing. This is one of the least homogeneous industries when it comes to how it is structured in different places around the world. You go into a grocery store anywhere in the world, it looks pretty much like a grocery store anywhere in the world. There’ll be some regional variations… but this industry has an immense diversity of format, of form, of function for both petroleum retail and convenience retail globally.”
“With AI combing the internet and giving financial analysts tools, if they’re only pulling that top line, that gross profit and not the net profit that we have, we will likely see new entrants into our industry, which is not something that I think three years ago I would have been concerned about.”
“U.S. retailers are paying 2.3% and your equivalent in Europe is paying 0.3% credit card interchange fees. No justification whatsoever.”
“It is clearly the smart and the right way to go for the market to add more prepared food services and clearly take market share for the QSRs. How are they going to fight back? Because you always have to look for competitive blunting.”
“You can’t differentiate with price. You can’t sell the same stuff everyone else has and expect people to come to you. So, differentiation is the key.”
CLVG Members
Hal Adams, Former Director
OXXO USA
Throughout Hal’s 40 year career in the convenience and fuel retailing sector he has had Significant experience in all aspects of developing and operating best in class retailn organizations. Having started his retail career on the graveyard shift in a Stop n Go store in Ventura, California and subsequently assigned to various store and field management positions, he has kept an operator’s perspective throughout the years. After serving as the Chief Marketing Officer for Valero Energy’s retail holding company, he was key to taking that group to the public market in the spin to CST Brands and serving as President, Retail. Hal subsequently served as CEO for MAPCO Express.
Hal earned a BA degree in Business Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA with a concentration in Leadership at the University of Texas, San Antonio. He also completed the Stanford Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University.
He lives with his wife, Carolyn in San Antonio, Texas. Hal and Carolyn have two adult children and two granddogs, but are looking forward to being grandparents (to a human) for the first time this spring.
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.
Y-Not Stop – St. Romain Oil
CFO/Co-CEO
Annie Gauthier is the CFO/Co-CEO at St. Romain Oil Company in Mansura, Louisiana. She is responsible for the company's finance and accounting, risk management, HR and strategic and culture development. A third-generation co-owner, she works with her 2 brothers, 2 uncles, 2 aunts, and 350 other team members to refuel & refresh the Louisiana communities where they operate.
Annie earned her BA in British history at LSU, then discovered that law school was not for her. She worked for the Louisiana Oil Marketers & Convenience Store Association (LOMCSA) for 3 years before joining the family business in 2005. She has served in various leadership roles with LOMCSA, culminating with President in 2017. Annie is also a founding member of Corporate Works of Mercy Foundation, a private 501(c)3 focused on helping neighbors in need by living the biblical corporal works of mercy. Her purpose is to chart tomorrow's course from yesterday's lessons.
Married to her high school sweetheart, Adam, and mother to 3 young children, Samuel, Ellen and Henry, Annie lives in her small hometown of Mansura. She enjoys cooking, reading, traveling and planning trips (especially to Britain, Ireland and France).
Frank Gleeson, President and CEO
NACS
Highly experienced international business leader, CEO, Chairman and Board Level Senior Executive. A proven track record in driving outstanding performance for both turnaround and growth strategies within complex and high-paced organizations.
Strategic leader and entrepreneur with a successful background in building and leading top performing teams focused on exceeding goals in the key areas of sales, marketing and sector/product development.
Joe Hamza, COO
Nouria Energy
Joe Hamza is a seasoned convenience and fuel retail executive with over 30 years of leadership experience. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at Nouria Energy, where he has been instrumental in driving the company’s multi-regional expansion, operational excellence, and brand evolution since joining in 2015. Under his leadership, Nouria has emerged as one of the most recognized and respected brands in the industry, known for its customer experience, innovation, and people-first culture.
Before joining Nouria, Joe was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tedeschi Food Shops. There, he led the company’s retail and foodservice divisions and spearheaded innovative sales and branding strategies that helped position the brand as a regional leader.
Joe’s influence in the industry extends beyond his executive roles. He has contributed to a wide range of industry and non-industry publications and is a frequent speaker at NACS events and government forums on key issues impacting the convenience, fuel, and foodservice sectors. He previously chaired the Education Committee for NACS and has served in advisory roles with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), NACS-United Fresh, and Kraft Foods.
He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the New England Convenience Store & Energy Marketer Association (NECSEMA) and the National Advisory Group (NAG), where he continues to advocate for the advancement of the convenience and energy sectors.
Scott Hartman, CEO
Rutter's
Scott is President/CEO of Rutter’s Holdings, operating 82 Rutter’s convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia; Rutter’s Dairy, selling products in five states; and M&G Realty a commercial real estate holding company. Rutter’s is the oldest vertically integrated food company in the U.S. dating back 11 generations, 275 years to 1747. In 2022, Rutter’s was listed as the 77th largest convenience store chain in the US. Rutter’s convenience stores celebrated 50 years in convenience in 2018 and the dairy celebrated 100 years in business in 2021. Rutter’s was recently listed as the second largest privately held company in Central Pennsylvania.
Scott started in the family business at the age of 12 working summers. He received his Accounting Degree from George Washington University and MBA from Duke University. He was employed by Price Waterhouse as Senior Manager in Consulting from 1983-1990 and is a CPA.
Scott is past Chairman of National Association of Convenience Stores, Petroleum Convenience Association for Technology Standards, the Pennsylvania Convenience Store Council and Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association. Scott has served on Advisory Boards to companies including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. He has served on many local charity boards including York Memorial Hospital, The American Red Cross and Easter Seals. Scott has also been a guest lecturer at Boston University and national & international presenter at numerous food industry conferences.
Scott has been inducted into the Convenience Store Hall of Fame, Food Industry Hall of Fame, Convenience Store Technology Hall of Fame and Candy Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was also recognized by Convenience Store News as “One of the 50 Most Influential People in C-Store History”. In 2015, Scott was awarded the AJC National Human Relations Award.
Rutter’s is the only U.S. based convenience store chain to win the coveted International Convenience Retailer of the Year awarded in London each year. Rutter’s has also been the U.S. chain of the year, has been the industry Food Innovator of the Year winner 3 of the last 10 years, was ranked one of the 500 best mid-sized employers to work for by Forbes in 2021, has ranked #1, #1, #3, #2, #1 nationally for customer mystery shop experience the last 5 years by an independent survey company and was ranked the #4 gasoline brand in the U.S. in 2022 by the USA Today customer poll.
Scott resides in York, Pennsylvania with his wife, Cathy, and has two adult children, Sara who teaches public school in Brooklyn, NY and Christopher, who is Sr. Director of Fuels and Forecourt at Rutter’s.
Scott loves playing golf and has played 131 of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in the World. There are 204 courses that have ever been listed on the Golf Magazine list. He and his son, Chris, have played 122 of the top 100 courses together and 91 from the 2009 list. No parent/child has ever played one of the year’s list together.
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.
James Hervey, Head of Petro
Verifone
James is a 20+ year veteran of the petroleum and convenience store industry. In his career James has managed convenience stores, worked for NACS, the global trade association representing the industry, and for the last 13 years has led product management and marketing for the petroleum and convenience store vertical inside of Verifone.
Don McKenzie, CEO
The Imagine Group
Don McKenzie is a seasoned chief executive and board member with a track record of building, transforming, and scaling marketing and communications businesses through organic growth, operational improvement, and strategic acquisitions. His leadership experience spans privately held, private-equity-backed, and public companies, with a consistent focus on value creation, technology-enabled transformation, and talent development.
Don currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of The Imagine Group, a national provider of visual communications, print production, and experiential marketing solutions serving the retail, convenience store, grocery, QSR and entertainment industries. Under his leadership, the company has focused on operational excellence, technology-driven capabilities, and strategic growth initiatives designed to strengthen market leadership and long-term enterprise value.
In addition to his executive role, Don serves on the Board of Directors of OSG Connect, a leader in Customer Communications Management, where he contributes expertise in corporate strategy, industry transformation, and growth initiatives.
Throughout his career, Don has held senior leadership roles at several prominent organizations, including President & Chief Growth Officer of Innovairre, and previously President and CEO of SourceLink, Direct Group, Petsky Prunier, CC3, and SuperCoups. In these roles he led large-scale business transformations, executed acquisition and integration strategies, and drove sustained operational and revenue growth.
Don has also advised leading organizations and investors on strategy and competitiveness. His advisory experience includes service on the Competitiveness Council at Cerberus Capital Management, as well as advisory roles with HomeValet and Azimuth GRC.
An active contributor to the marketing and communications industry, Don previously served two terms as Vice Chairman of the Direct Marketing Association, the world’s largest trade association supporting nonprofit and commercial direct marketers. He is also a frequent speaker at domestic and international conferences on topics including M&A strategy, data-driven marketing, leadership during transformation, and integrated communications.
Drayton McLane Jr., Businessman, Philanthropist
McLane Group
DRAYTON MCLANE, JR. serves as chairman of the McLane Group and is the former CEO of the Houston Astros Baseball Club. A native Texan, this acclaimed businessman, leader, and generous philanthropist, ensures the focus of all his endeavors are based upon strong Christian values and moral ethics.
The grandson of a successful entrepreneur, Drayton experienced firsthand the hard work and dedication it takes to successfully thrive in industry. He began developing his tireless work ethic at age nine by working for his father at the family’s wholesale grocery business, the McLane Company. Mr. McLane received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baylor University in 1958 and his Master of Business Administration degree from Michigan State University in 1959. Upon completion of his formal education, Drayton came back to begin working at the family business loading trucks on the second shift. He worked his way up and by earning the respect and admiration of his co-workers, he became president and CEO of the company in 1964 and held these positions for thirty years.
During his tenure, he propelled the McLane Company into a nineteen billion dollar company, achieving an average growth rate of thirty percent per year. Following the McLane Company’s merger with Wal-Mart, Inc. in 1990, he became vice-chairman of Wal-Mart while maintaining his position at the McLane Company. After playing key roles in each of these companies’ growth and productivity, he resigned in order to devote more time to the McLane Group, a parent company consisting of family owned companies operating throughout the world, which until November of 2011 included the Houston Astros where he served as Chairman and CEO. Drayton McLane completed his nineteenth season with the Astros in 2011 when he sold the team. Over the years, their philosophy remained consistent – bring home a World Series championship to Houston and make a positive difference in the community. They were unable to bring home a championship, but they were the first Texas team to make it to the World Series and they also made a very positive difference in the community.
Current Activities:
- George and Barbara Bush Foundation Trustee 2017 (George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation)
- Board of Trustees, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare (2013 – present)
- Baylor Scott & White Assurance Board
- Member, National Board of Governors, Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research
- Advisory Board, The Bush School of Government & Public Service - Texas A&M University
- Board of Trustees, Baylor College of Medicine (Emeritus)
- Board of Visitors, The University Cancer Foundation, M.D. Anderson
- MD Anderson Cancer Prevention Committee - 2021
Past Activities:
- Board Director, Happy State Bank
- Chairman, Texas Economic Development Corporation (TxEDC) 2019 – 2021
- Chairman, Texas Central Partners (High Speed Rail) 2017 - 2021
- Baylor University Board of Regents, Chairman Emeritus 2010 to 2020
- Chairman, Board of Trustees, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare
- Chairman, Scott & White Healthcare Board of Trustees
- Chairman of the Board, Temple Chamber of Commerce, 1978
- President, Baylor University Development Council, 1981
- Chairman, United Way Campaign, Temple, Texas, 1983-1984
- Member Texas State Board, Mental Health and Mental Retardation, 1985-1989
- Chairman, United Way, Temple, Texas, 1987
- Trustee, Baylor University, 1988-1990
- Member, Baylor Board of Regents, 1991-2006
- Honorary Campaign Chairman, United Way, Temple, Texas, 1991
- Vice-Chairman & Director, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, 1990-1994
- Vice President at Large, Boy Scouts of America National Board
- Chairman of the Board, Children’s Miracle Network 1993-1994
- Chairman, Pacesetter Campaign – United Way, Gulf Coast-Houston, 1994-1997
- Chairman of the Board of Regents, Baylor University, 2002-2004
- Executive Committee Member, Major League Baseball, 1995-2011
Board Director, Greater Houston Partnership, 1994-2000 & 2002-2008 - Chairman, Board of Trustees, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, 2001-2013
- Chairman, Opportunity Houston 1.0 and 2.0
- Board member Heart of Texas Defense Alliance, 2013 – 2019
Honors:
- Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award Recipient, 1985
- Management Excellence & Achievement Award-University of Georgia, School of Business, 1985
- Arthur Young/VENTURE Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year, 1987
- Boy Scouts of America Silver Antelope Award, 1988
- Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award, H.O.T. Council, 1989
- American Achiever Award, National American Wholesale Grocers Assoc, 1990
- Baylor University, Distinguished Alumni Award, 1990
- Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith Food Distributor, Man of the Year, New York City, 1990
- Baylor University, W.R. White Meritorious Service Award, 1991
- Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation Honoree, 1992
- Texas A&M University, College of Business Administration and Graduate School of Business, Master Entrepreneur of the Year, 1993
- Michigan State University, Honorary Doctorate Degree, 1997
- American Academy of Achievement – Golden Plate Award, 1997
- Distributors International Herbert Hoover Food Industry Award, 1998
- Houston Community Partners, Father of the Year Award, 2000
- Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award Recipient, 2004
- NASA’s Public Service Award, 2005
- The International Society of Logistics (SOLE) Field Award for Supply Chain Mgmt, 2006
- Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, 2008
- University of St. Thomas, Ethical Leadership Award, 2008
- Dallas Baptist University, Russell H. Perry Free Enterprise Award, 2008
- Baylor University Regent Emeritus, 2010
- Austin College, Honorary Doctorate Degree, 2011
- Texas Transportation Hall of Honor Inductee, 2011
- Central Texas Association of Fundraising Professional's Lifetime Achievement Award, 2012
- Baylor University Founders Award, 2013
- Mirabeau B. Lamar Award – For Higher Education, 2013
- Texas Healthcare Trustees Founders Award, 2013
- Sports Hall of Fame, Lamar Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award, 2014
- Cooper Institute, Legacy Award, 2017
Drayton and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Temple, Texas. They are proud parents and grandparents. They have two sons, Drayton McLane, III and Denton McLane. Drayton III and wife Amy have three sons, and Denton and his wife Amy, have two sons. They are members of the First Baptist Church of Belton..
Greg Parker, Executive Chairman
Parker’s
Greg Parker, the founder and CEO of Parker’s and Parker’s Kitchen, opened his first convenience store in Midway, Ga. in 1976. Today, he leads a nationally acclaimed company that was named the 2020 Convenience Store Chain of the Year and is widely known for high-quality foodservice, the cleanest stores in the industry and cutting-edge technology. Inducted into the Convenience Store Hall of Fame, Parker has been recognized as the Foodservice Leader of the Year, Tech Executive of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and Savannah Morning News Entrepreneur of the Year and Georgia Trend Legacy Leader.
A steadfast advocate of giving back to the community, Parker has donated more than $30 million to charitable causes across coastal Georgia and South Carolina and received the 2022 Georgia Southern University Parker College of Business Corporate Partner Award. Parker is a longtime member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and is active in the Petroleum Marketers Study Group. He previously served as the Vice Chairman of Research for the National Association of Convenience Stores, Chairman of the BPAmoco Marketers Association and a member of the Pepsi Retail Advisory Council as well as the Coca-Cola Retail Advisory Committee.
Parker currently serves on the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) board and previously chaired the Mayor’s Business Roundtable and the Keep Savannah Clean anti-litter campaign. He is the proud father of Olivia, Bennett and Lily Parker.
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Jonathan Polonsky, CEO
Plaid Pantry
Jonathan Polonsky is the current Chairman and CEO of Plaid Pantry, a regional convenience store company headquartered in Portland, OR. Plaid Pantry owns and operates 107 stores in Oregon and Washington. Mr. Polonsky joined Plaid Pantry in July 2012 as COO, was promoted to President in 2016 and to CEO in 2018. Prior to his experience at Plaid, Mr. Polonsky spent 12 years with a NW packaging distributer as a sales executive. His other career experience includes 7 years as an executive with May Company Department Stores and 4 years as a co-owner of a regional retail store safety & sanitation distribution company. Mr. Polonsky has a Bachelor Degree from the University of Washington.
Outside of work, Mr. Polonsky enjoys spending time outdoors across the Pacific Northwest, cycling, playing handball, and exploring hard to get to locations courtesy of his private pilot’s license. Mr. Polonsky lives in Portland, OR with his wife, Jessica.
Darren Rebelez, Chairman, President and CEO
Casey's General Stores
Darren Rebelez is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Casey’s (NASDAQ: CASY), a FORTUNE 500 company operating over 2,600 convenience stores throughout the Midwest and South. As CEO of the third largest convenience retailer and fifth largest pizza chain in the United States, Rebelez offers a wealth of experience from his career as a senior executive in the convenience, restaurant and fuel industries.
Under Rebelez’ leadership, Casey’s has undergone a remarkable transformation, including several significant milestones: a brand modernization/reimaging, closing several significant acquisitions (including the largest in the company’s history), a digital transformation including the first rewards platform that currently boasts over 7.5 million members, launching a new e-commerce platform, relaunching the company's private brand business, and
publishing the company’s first ESG report.
Prior to Casey’s, Rebelez served as the President of IHOP Restaurants, a unit of Dine Brands Global, Inc.. While leading IHOP, the company grew to become the largest full service restaurant brand in the USA. Previous to IHOP, Rebelez worked at 7-Eleven, the world’s largest convenience store chain, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Before 7-Eleven, Darren held numerous leadership roles within ExxonMobil Corporation.
Preceding his civilian career, Darren was an Army Ranger and Gulf War veteran. A native of San Diego, he is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Area Studies. He went on to also earn an MBA from the University of Houston.
In addition to his role at Casey’s, Darren serves on the board of directors of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), and as an advisory board member for the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation.
Donald Rhoads, President/CEO
The Convenience Group, LLC
COMPANY: The Convenience Group, LLC owns and operates 6 convenience stores and franchises 3 convenience stores in Southwest Washington state. The chain was awarded 2018 and 2024 Washington State Retailer of the Year by the Washington Food Industry and Independent Grocers Association.
DON’S BACKGROUND BUSINESS: Don is the owner and CEO of The Convenience Group, LLC and has led the company in strategic growth, planning and establishment of long-term goals and policies, and building the company’s asset portfolio. Don began his convenience store career in 1989 as President of the Quick Shop Minit Mart, a 65-unit convenience store chain located in Vancouver, Washington. Don is past Chairman of National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), Chairman of NACS Political Engagement Committee and serves on the NACS Executive Committee, which provides strategic direction and financial oversight to the association. Don is past President and founding member of Washington Association of Neighborhood Stores.
EDUCATION: St. Mary’s College; Western Washington University; National Development Council; NACS Financial Leadership Program, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania; NACS Marketing Leadership Program, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, NACS Innovation Leadership Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and NACS Executive Leadership Program at Dyson Cornell College of Business.
FAMILY: Don and Jennifer have two children.
ACTIVITIES: Family, travel and outdoor activities.
Mark Samuels, EVP of Convenience Retailing
Dash In/The Wills Group
Mark Samuels is a Retail Executive with over 35 years of experience in the Foodservice, Convenience, and Retail industries. Mark currently serves as Executive Vice President of Convenience Retailing for the Wills Group and leads the Company’s customer facing businesses that include Dash In Food Stores and Splash In Eco Car Wash.
During Mark’s 26-year career at the Wills Group, he held several key leadership roles within the organization. Over the past decade, the Wills Group has been focused on transforming its portfolio of Brands. Dash In, under Mark’s leadership, has focused on creating a disruptive convenience concept based on a standardized building design, restaurant quality food and beverage, and a new visual identity; all of which will enable rapid growth. Additionally, Splash In has focused on delivering a superior wash experience for our guests that exists as part of an integrated offering with Dash In Fuel and Convenience, as well as stand-alone Express Exterior wash facilities.
Mark Holds an Executive MBA from Loyola College of Maryland and undergraduate degrees in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Business Management, and Psychology.
Joe Sheetz, Executive Vice Chairman
Sheetz, Inc
Joseph S. Sheetz was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania where he grew up working with his father, Joseph M. Sheetz, at the family-owned Harshbarger Dairy. Once the dairy was sold, the elder Joe began working for the other family business founded by his brother, Sheetz, Inc. The younger Joe later worked for Sheetz in various accounting and operations functions during high school and college. Sheetz, Inc. is a family owned business with approximately 25,000 employees operating over 660 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Known for its award winning proprietary food service program, the Company has annual revenues of over $9 billion and is currently ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 75th largest private company in the United States. Sheetz has also been ranked in the Fortune best 100 companies to work for list during 7 of the last 8 years, currently coming in at #33.
Joe graduated from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in economics in 1989. After graduation, Joe worked as an employee benefit and pension plan consultant for CGI Consulting in the suburban Philadelphia area, specializing in designing benefit and retirement plans for major corporations. In 1995, Joe returned to Sheetz as Director of Personnel and later became Executive Vice President of Finance in June of 1996. In this position, he led all finance, accounting, technology, real estate, and risk management functions and was an active member of the executive committee. He served as both President & CEO of Sheetz from 2013 thru 2018, CEO from 2018 thru 2021, and is currently Executive Vice Chairman.
Joe currently serves on the Economic and Community Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the Advisory Board for the Baker Retailing School at the Wharton School of Business, and as an Advisory Board Member for M&T Bank. He is former Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Convenience Stores and serves on the Executive Committee of the Altoona Blair County Development Corporation where he was Chairman from 2009-2011. He is also former Chairman of Mount Aloysius College. Joe is a frequent guest speaker at business schools and family business conferences. He resides in Altoona, Pennsylvania with wife Wendy.
Keith Slater, Chief Financial Officer
Family Express Corp
Successful executive finance and operations leader with over 30 years’ experience leading organizations in the retail, energy, transportation, and restaurant industries. Extraordinary cross-functional leadership roles over budgeting, financial planning and analysis, operations, accounting, category management, procurement, supply chain, transportation, real estate, and information technology. A strategic, customer-focused, and change-oriented executive with a proven track record of driving sales, operational improvement, operating income, process enhancement, simplification, and best-in-class operations. Strong expertise in leadership, financial management, organizational structure, capital management, team development, and mergers & acquisitions.
Kevin Smartt, CEO
TXB Stores
COMPANY:
TXB, previously Kwik Chek Food Stores, Inc., is a chain of 50 convenience stores across Texas and Oklahoma, offering unique, fresh-made food and a robust line of TXB private label products. Kwik Chek’s rebrand to TXB (short for Texas Born) emphasizes the Texan roots and values the brand was built upon – authenticity, hospitality and integrity. Kevin is also the managing member of Taylor-Smartt, LLC., and an investment company that owns a variety of companies in industries ranging from fuel, propane, technology, banks, real estate and food production.
KEVIN’S BACKGROUND BUSINESS:
Beyond serving as the CEO of TXB for more than two decades, Smartt also serves as Chairman for Conexxus, Chairman of the Coca-Cola National Retailing Research Council, serves on the Board of Directors for P97 Networks, Inc., a technology company, and was the 2020-2021 NACS Chairman. Smartt continues to widen his professional board involvement, and has an interest in serving on boards involved in the banking, technology and healthcare industries.
Eva Strasburger
President, StrasGlobal
CEO, Compliance Safe
Born in Tanzania, brought up in Vanuatu, Hong Kong and the Caribbean and educated in England, Eva Strasburger, brings an international perspective to everything she does. After graduating from Cambridge University, and a stint at Chase Manhattan Bank in London, she co-founded a publishing company with Roy Strasburger in Southern England before moving to the States in 1988. For fifteen years, she served as VP of International Client Relationships for Strasburger Enterprises, where she helped manage their convenience retailing clients in over thirty countries.
Eva is currently President of StrasGlobal. StrasGlobal had its own retail outlets until June 2022 and, for the last thirty years, has provided operational and infrastructure support and management consulting to retail operators. Eva is also CEO of Compliance Safe, a SaaS product that manages business-critical documents, and alerts retailers when permits should be renewed. Compliance Safe won CSP’s Retailer Choice Best New Technology Product in 2020.
Eva is co-founder of the Vision Group Network – where industry leaders meet to discuss current and future issues and share their perspective with the rest of the industry.
In 2020, Eva spearheaded the StrasGlobal COVID Task Force Team and the development of the COVID-19 Response Plan. Shared with retailers, the plan was featured by NACS, Convenience Store News, CSP and numerous state associations. Eva then headed up Resources for Retailers, a new initiative that provides information, support and, most importantly actionable plans for small retailers.
Eva is a member of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), and the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS), and a past member of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) and the Consumer Goods Forum (formerly CIES).
Convenience Store News named Eva as a senior-level leader in their 2021 Top Women in Convenience Awards.
Eva, is an Officer on the Board of Directors of the Caius Foundation of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University, an Officer of the Priory in the USA of The Order of St John and Vice-President of The American Friends of St George’s and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter. She is based in Austin, Texas with her husband, Roy, and they have four daughters: Selina, Chantal, Lorelei and Danielle. Along with other charitable endeavors, Eva and Roy focus on supporting global cultural and heritage projects.
The context: A unique Anglo-Goan background and perspective from a bygone era; a love of the exotic in design and beauty; a connoisseur of boutique hotels and travel itineraries; an aficionado of late-night dinner debates; a passion for collecting artifacts and their stories; a collector, connector, and disseminator of information; an initiator of creative experiences and an enthusiastic participator in any cultural ventures.
Joris Van Brussel, CEO
Shell Mobility and Convenience
Joris van Brussel is the CEO of Shell Mobility and Convenience USA, the company that operates all the company owned stores in the USA. A Dutch national and international Shell veteran of some 20 years, Joris has visited service stations over 50 countries and has led businesses all over the world having been based in the USA, Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland and the Netherlands. A retailer at heart, Joris has spent the majority of his career with Shell in Mobility working in local, regional and global roles across sales, operations, marketing and convenience retail in direct and indirect operations. This included leading one of the largest convenience retail businesses for Shell globally and being on the global convenience retail team as well as overseeing 58 Shell license markets and more recently serving as the head of Downstream and President of Shell Mexico.
CLVG Facilitators
Myra Kressner, Founder
Kressner Strategy Group
With over 40 years knowledge and experience cultivated by strong relationships, Myra Kressner brings value to the marketplace by developing and facilitating strategic engagement for suppliers and retailers in the consumable retail industries.
Myra Kressner co-founded Retail Insights, the food retail industry’s first b-b video publishing company in 1983, which was sold to Progressive Grocer in 1987.
From 1984-1994 Myra led account management for The Retail Marketing Group, a niche B-B trade advertising agency.
In 1994, Myra co-founded CSP Business Media, well know for CSP Magazine, CSP Daily News, Retail Leader of the Year, Convenience Retailing University, Outlook Leadership Conference, CSP’s Edu-Networking series, and even more.
In June 2012 CSP Business Media sold to Winsight Media, which sold to Informa Connect in 2023.
Myra founded Kressner Strategy Group in April 2016, bringing her expertise, deep relationships and thought-leadership to strategic and tactical planning in food retail industries.
Myra was SUNY New Paltz Foundation Board Executive Committee member and Chair of the Foundation Development Committee from 2016-2024, a frequent speaker at New Paltz Women’s Leadership Summit, and speaker and mentor at the Hudson Valley Venture Hub.
In 2018 Myra created the Kressner Autism Spectrum Program (KASP) Fund and Endowment.
Myra co-Founded the Vision Group Network with Eva Strasburger and Roy Strasburger in 2020, hosting quarterly virtual Vision Group meetings with convenience retail and fuel/energy/mobility leaders to debate issues, share experiences and brainstorm solutions. Vision Reports are shared throughout the industry at no charge, dedicated to the mission of “Sharing Today to Shape Tomorrow.”
Myra is the recipient of 2021 Top Women in Convenience and 2021 SUNY New Paltz Heritage awards.
Myra was SUNY New Paltz 2024 Commencement speaker.
Roy Strasburger
CEO, StrasGlobal
President, Compliance Safe
Roy Strasburger is an expert in convenience retailing and a thought leader in the retail industry. He is a frequent columnist, conference presenter, and webinar and podcast participant.
Roy is a fourth-generation retailer and is currently CEO of StrasGlobal, a retail support and consulting company based in Austin, Texas, USA. In this capacity, he oversees StrasGlobal’s retail, tech, and consulting businesses. He also serves as President for Compliance Safe – a business document management software solution that won the CSP Retailer Choice Best New Technology Product in 2020.
Roy attended Baylor University graduating with degrees in Marketing and Computer Information Systems. He obtained his JD degree from Baylor University Law School in 1984 and joined a British law firm based in the Caribbean.
After moving to England, where he started a publication company, Roy returned to the US to join Strasburger Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) as General Counsel. He later became President of SEI’s fuel division then, in 1994, he was named President of the International Division. From 2009 Roy ran SEI’s US and international convenience retailing businesses as well as heading up Cambridge-Myers, its consulting division. During his time with SEI, Roy was responsible for the development and/or operation of over 6,000 retail sites in 33 countries through the licensing of its systems and management agreements.
In 2012 Roy bought SEI’s retail business and continues to provide retail related services to multinational oil companies, financial institutions, investors, and independent operators under the StrasGlobal banner.
Roy is a co-founder of the Vision Group Network, where top level executives discuss current and future issues and share their perspective with the rest of the industry, and a co-founder of Resources for Retailers (RfR), an initiative that provides information, support and, most importantly, actionable plans for small retailers.
Roy is a member of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) where he served as Vice-Chairman on its Executive Board and Board of Directors and was a founding member of the NACS International Board. Roy is also a member of the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS), and a past member of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) where he participated on the Legislative Committee, the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), and the Tribal Convenience Store Association (TCSA). He has also been a member of The Coca-Cola Research Council, the Consumer Goods Forum (formerly CIES), and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT).
Roy is the recipient of Convenience Store News inaugural 2021 Special Service award.
Roy is an Officer in the Priory in the USA of The Order of St John and is a member of The American Friends of St George and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter. Roy and Eva are based in Austin, Texas and they have four daughters, Selina, Chantal, Lorelei and Danielle. Along with other charitable endeavors, Roy and Eva focus on supporting global cultural and heritage projects.
The context: Dreaming of new ventures, exploring foreign markets, early mornings watching cities come alive, G&Ts at Bali sunsets, reading The Economist, long road trips with rock’n roll on the radio, or Texas two-stepping with his four daughters. Enjoying the moment.
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