CTVG ALLY SUPPORTERS
For Roy Strasburger, CEO of StrasGlobal, president of Compliance Safe, and VGN co-founder, the biggest change is agentic AI, which has made it far easier to pinpoint specific problems. He pointed to a Small Operators Vision Group (SOVG) member who shared in a recent SOVG meeting that he is using AI to fix small issues in his stores rather than pursuing big holistic programs.
Three years ago, many employees would have asked what AI even stood for, observed Anthony Raimato, store technology engineering lead at Wawa Inc. Today it is inescapable and polarizing. Companies have worked to show that the tools are there to handle mundane tasks, not to replace the people in their stores. As for controlling the pace, Raimato said AI features now arrive through search engines and office software whether companies want them or not, which he described as “they’re getting you to adopt without you knowing you’re adopting.” Jeffrey Carpenter, director at Cliff’s Local Market, agreed that AI is now coming to retailers. Trusted brands embedding it into everyday tools have built greater trust and adoption, he said, which requires companies to get granular about how it can be used.
“I just want you to spend 20 minutes a week going after the thing you like doing the least or the task that takes you the longest for no good reason.”
Ed Collupy has been the CTVG meeting facilitator since the group’s founding in 2023 and announced that he was stepping down after this meeting in what he termed as “another step in unwiring from my rewirement.” As the theme for this meeting, he took CTVG members on a journey through the most impactful topics, in his opinion, that the group has explored to see where things stand today. With the first topic, AI Grew Up Fast, he revisited 2024 research from Randy Allen, senior lecturer at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management that found 54% of convenience retailers surveyed were still experimenting with or piloting AI, even as 88% said AI investment was essential. As Collupy quoted Allen, “There is more usage, but it is still not clear what the benefits are and if they justify the investment.” He also looked back on the topic with 2024 presenter Greg Buzek, president of IHL Group, who, in a recorded statement, reflected on how dramatically the AI landscape has changed since his original CTVG appearance. What was largely a conversation about generative AI and experimentation two years ago has expanded considerably, with AI now able to create and analyze images, support agentic customer service, operate in the physical store, and make much greater use of voice. Despite that progress, Buzek noted that convenience retailers still lag behind other retail, pointing out inventory problems and dirty data as the main sticking points.
For Roy Strasburger, CEO of StrasGlobal, president of Compliance Safe, and VGN co-founder, the biggest change is agentic AI, which has made it far easier to pinpoint specific problems. He pointed to a Small Operators Vision Group (SOVG) member who shared in a recent SOVG meeting that he is using AI to fix small issues in his stores rather than pursuing big holistic programs.
Three years ago, many employees would have asked what AI even stood for, observed Anthony Raimato, store technology engineering lead at Wawa Inc. Today it is inescapable and polarizing. Companies have worked to show that the tools are there to handle mundane tasks, not to replace the people in their stores. As for controlling the pace, Raimato said AI features now arrive through search engines and office software whether companies want them or not, which he described as “they’re getting you to adopt without you knowing you’re adopting.” Jeffrey Carpenter, director at Cliff’s Local Market, agreed that AI is now coming to retailers. Trusted brands embedding it into everyday tools have built greater trust and adoption, he said, which requires companies to get granular about how it can be used.
“I just want you to spend 20 minutes a week going after the thing you like doing the least or the task that takes you the longest for no good reason.”
Some operators are still getting their feet wet. Donnie Rhoads, director of business development at The Convenience Group, LLC, said his company has had its fun with AI image generation for marketing but is wary of “AI slop,” generic content that customers might notice in stores. The company is now moving into automated back-office and register processes.
Revisiting From Signal to System – Turning Data Into Operational Intelligence
Collupy led a lightning round revisiting the June CTVG meeting topic, reminding the group that they explored turning useful insights from AI and data into repeatable systems. In June, CTVG Members shared examples of AI tools returning insights from years of transaction and market basket data in a fraction of the time an analyst might need. They also raised concerns about clean data, trusted answers, and whether the right people and processes are in place. Collupy’s lasting takeaway was that getting an interesting answer may be the easy part, while trusting it and acting on it may be much harder.
When asked who had followed through on their “summer homework,” Erin Graziosi, president of Robinson Oil, offered an honest assessment: “I give myself a C- so, barely passing.” Still, she confessed her company put a minimal AI policy in place outlining how employees can use data, and she signed up for classes on more effective prompting. Policies are only the start, she noted. Her team is now considering guardrails that give people the confidence to dig in, such as offering two tools with different pros and cons and asking employees to spend 20 minutes a week solving for the task they like least.
Following a similar path, Steve Evans, chief technology officer at Haffner’s, admitted his “June hustle” to learn more AI did not hustle as much as he had hoped. Even so, the company ironed out a governance policy, settled on which tools it will and will not use, and expanded its internal users, including a few power users whose big ideas are hard to keep up with. AI has not been turned loose on the company’s ERP system beyond small, controlled circumstances. Evans said the company has moved from deep suspicion to a much higher level of comfort, helped by the dramatic improvement in tool quality over just six months.
Even a technology company is feeling growing pains. Mark Hawthorne, chief innovation and strategy officer at Upshop, explained that while policies are in place, governance over employees solving the same problems in different ways is not. He suggested a committee may be needed to prioritize the work, because “as much as we’re saving time, we’re now wasting time because we’re all doing the same thing.”
Toot’n Totum Food Stores Vice President of IT Rance Wells said his team’s biggest summer AI assignment, now nearly complete, was purchasing tools that keep employees from putting proprietary data or personally identifiable information into AI engines. With AI built into nearly every software-as-a-service product, those features cannot be avoided entirely, he acknowledged, but the safeguards limit where sensitive information can go.
“As a company, we need to own the integration layer. POS providers are going to do something, ERP providers are going to do something, AI people are going to do something else. So, I’ve moved to a place of acceptance. And the idea is, I want to be able to own the integration layer and I want to be able to own the ability to move data and publish it in a way that I can plug anybody into it […] We’re going to take that on, and because it’s the only way to really solve it, you have got to own the integration layer yourself.”
What Will Change and What We Have to Get Better At
To close, Collupy asked members what will look different three years from now and what retailers must improve. Erin Graziosi, president of Robinson Oil, said companies must learn to adapt faster. Wells predicted AI is “going to be shoved down our throats,” but he said business will still happen between people and that loyalty programs will grow. Clean data topped Egan’s list, and Carpenter added that retailers must keep asking what is true and reliable.
“The biggest thing from maybe this time last year to now is I thought we were okay with data. And as we just continue down the AI journey and look at all the different systems and make sure that we’ve got clean data that we can point these things at that we need to get a lot better.”
The human side drew several responses. Evans expects the next generation of store workers to be even harder to train, and he said staff will need to provide authenticity amid hyper-personalized technology. Kern agreed that human interaction will only grow in value as automation spreads. Pereira offered a different perspective, saying technology will look increasingly similar from chain to chain, so retailers must learn store by store what works and spread it.
Build versus buy surfaced as well. Hawthorne foresees more build decisions, with failures where companies lack the staff to maintain what they build. He also expects agentic infrastructure that lets companies’ agents work with their suppliers’ agents. Evans said he builds only what gives Haffner’s a unique advantage, now including its data, and buys everything else.
Drawing on conversations across VGN groups, Strasburger warned that shared AI tools could create a “sea of sameness.” He urged retailers to plan for an AI-fueled social media disaster just as they plan for fires or data breaches. Kressner added cybersecurity, legislation affecting SNAP and tobacco, and the growing benchmark that stores deliver profit without fuel or tobacco.
Final Reflection
Four years of CTVG conversations show that technology can change in a matter of months while the business questions behind it endure. AI grew up fast and integration is still hard, but the retailers who gain the most will be those who own their data, engage their people, and give customers a reason to walk through the door. The next advantage may come less from predicting which technology comes next than from building organizations — with the data, people, and ability to adapt — that are ready to take advantage of whatever does.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- AI has moved from experiment to everyday tool, often arriving embedded in everything whether retailers ask for it or not.
- Policies are a start, but guardrails, prioritization, and data protection must keep pace with AI adoption.
- Clean, trusted data is the foundation for getting real value from AI.
- Retailers are taking ownership of the integration layer and requiring vendors to provide APIs.
- The store must earn the visit, as shoppers will abandon a branch after just two bad experiences.
- Store associates are the biggest differentiator, especially at older locations with loyal daily customers.
- As technology looks more alike across chains, execution, authenticity, and human connection will set retailers apart.
Contact info@vgnsharing.com if you’d like the meeting transcript.
Revisiting From Signal to System – Turning Data Into Operational Intelligence
Collupy led a lightning round revisiting the June CTVG meeting topic, reminding the group that they explored turning useful insights from AI and data into repeatable systems. In June, CTVG Members shared examples of AI tools returning insights from years of transaction and market basket data in a fraction of the time an analyst might need. They also raised concerns about clean data, trusted answers, and whether the right people and processes are in place. Collupy’s lasting takeaway was that getting an interesting answer may be the easy part, while trusting it and acting on it may be much harder.
When asked who had followed through on their “summer homework,” Erin Graziosi offered an honest assessment: “I give myself a C- so, barely passing.” Still, she confessed her company put a minimal AI policy in place outlining how employees can use data, and she signed up for classes on more effective prompting. Policies are only the start, she noted. Her team is now considering guardrails that give people the confidence to dig in, such as offering two tools with different pros and cons and asking employees to spend 20 minutes a week solving for the task they like least.
Following a similar path, Steve Evans admitted his “June hustle” to learn more AI did not hustle as much as he had hoped. Even so, the company ironed out a governance policy, settled on which tools it will and will not use, and expanded its internal users, including a few power users whose big ideas are hard to keep up with. AI has not been turned loose on the company’s ERP system beyond small, controlled circumstances. Evans said the company has moved from deep suspicion to a much higher level of comfort, helped by the dramatic improvement in tool quality over just six months.
Even a technology company is feeling growing pains. Mark Hawthorne explained that while policies are in place, governance over employees solving the same problems in different ways is not. He suggested a committee may be needed to prioritize the work, because “as much as we’re saving time, we’re now wasting time because we’re all doing the same thing.”
Rance Wells said his team’s biggest summer AI assignment, now nearly complete, was purchasing tools that keep employees from putting proprietary data or personally identifiable information into AI engines. With AI built into nearly every software-as-a-service product, those features cannot be avoided entirely, he acknowledged, but the safeguards limit where sensitive information can go.
You can read the full conversation in the June CTVG Vision Report, “How C-Store IT Leaders Are Turning Data Into Operational Intelligence.”
Notable and Quotable
“The technologies underneath those questions changed dramatically. The business questions changed much less.”
“I think cyber threats, cyber security and cyber terrorism are very real threats that we need to collectively be better prepared for.”
“Especially in this age of AI, he who can clean his data and prep it the best will get the greatest use out of AI tooling. And then he who can secure it the best gets to keep his job for the rest of the year.”
“You try to make the technology sort of blend into the background and just enable what the folks are doing. You don’t necessarily want it to be the sole focus of what’s happening.”
CTVG Members
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.
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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
Paul Kern, Product Leader
Invenco, powered by Vontier
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.
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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 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.
Ed Collupy has been the CTVG meeting facilitator since the group’s founding in 2023 and announced that he was stepping down after this meeting in what he termed as “another step in unwiring from my rewirement.” We sincerely thank Ed for his time and attention with CTVG over the past four years.
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