SOVG ALLY SUPPORTERS
Small and Mighty
SOVG was established to represent convenience retailers operating fifteen or fewer stores, a segment that accounts for seventy-five to eighty percent of all convenience retailing in the United States. While the group name includes the word “small,” it refers to company footprint and operational scale, not significance, as these operators face distinct challenges, including limited financial and personnel resources, compared to larger companies. SOVG will virtually meet once a quarter, bringing together top operators, including award winners and those recognized for outstanding store performance, to create a cohesive community where members can share ideas, strategies, and solutions specific to their unique demands
The Fragile Resilience of Today's Consumer
An income divide has emerged as a significant influence on consumer spending. Weinandy noted that while national spending data suggests consumers, overall, are spending more (even after adjusting for inflation), the survey results from Upside’s annual consumer spend report tell a more complicated story. Lower-income households, defined as those earning $75,000 or less annually, reported cutting back across fuel, convenience, grocery, and restaurant categories, while higher-income households reported spending more (economists are calling this a K-shaped economy). Consumer sentiment, he added, recently hit its lowest recorded point in 50 years.
Weinandy closed with a look at loyalty programs which he identified as a big opportunity gap. While 86% of shoppers said loyalty programs are important to them, only 38% of convenience store shoppers and 49% of fuel shoppers reported regularly using one. “For whatever reason, either they’re not being offered [sufficient incentives to use the program] or there’s enough friction to using that loyalty program [to inhibit use]. Whether it’s a difficult sign up or a consumer not wanting to have 20 apps on their phone,” Weinandy said the gap is a significant opportunity that operators should focus on.
The Income Divide: Higher-Income Spending Masks a Deeper Fragility
Strasburger kicked off the discussion asking whether higher-income spending gains were organic or the result of channel shifting. Weinandy said he had not directly measured that but noted that rising asset prices and disproportionate income growth among wealthier households had left higher-income consumers “flush with money,” spending more across all retail categories simultaneously. Jonathan Tang, president of Tang Mart, LLC, wondered how long that trend could hold, given that lower-income consumers were already pulling back. Weinandy acknowledged that there was no clear endpoint but suggested the divergence would likely persist through 2026, absent a meaningful labor market recovery, an expansion of entitlement programs, or a reversal in equity markets.
Dennis McCartney, director of operations at Landhope Farms, offered direct confirmation of the income divide at the store level, noting that his two Chester County (Pennsylvania) locations tell markedly different stories. Shoppers near his “blue-collar” location have stopped buying at his c-store and instead shop for lower prices at the nearby Walmart, while his more affluent location is seeing sales rise proportionately. Tammy Gathright, VGN’s director of ally supporter relations, added that SNAP benefit disruptions were a compounding factor for lower-income shoppers, and Weinandy agreed it was a meaningful contributor. He further noted that as fuel prices remain elevated, lower-income households, who spend a larger share of their income on gasoline, will see the income divide widen further.
Steve McKinley, CEO and founder of Urban Value Corner Store, described that the average ticket is up year over year, but average units per transaction have declined from roughly 2.5 to 2.6 items down to 2.4 to 2.5. Inflation, he said, is the singular driver, with wholesale pricing having spiked again since the war began, much as it did during COVID when pricing cycles compressed from quarterly to weekly. Weinandy echoed what McKinley described where premium and value-priced products are performing well while the middle of the assortment struggles.
GLP-1 Drugs and the Shifting In-Store Basket
Additional Reading
The impact of GLP-1 drugs has been a topic at many VGN meetings in the past 18 months. Check out these Vision Reports to hear what other retailers and experts are saying on the subject.
Standing Out in a Sea of Sameness With Food and Products
Several members shared desires and strategies to stock new, interesting, niche products but many find their distributors were unable to carry such products without them having to order in large quantities. Scott Sawant, vice president of convenience retail at HRA Group, spoke about the obstacles small operators face in accessing trending products through broadline distributors (foodservice distribution companies with a wide range of food products from manufacturers), describing the current process that favors large chains and often kills emerging products before they can reach independent stores. His preferred alternative is building relationships with smaller direct-store-delivery operators. 
Gathright asked whether there were ways to expedite that process for small operators, and Sawant acknowledged the broadliner system has created a significant barrier, citing slotting fees, trade show obligations, and multi-tier approval processes.
McKinley described a system of collecting weekly customer requests from store staff, then working directly with smaller distributors and even going direct-to-vendor to source trending products faster than traditional distribution allows. Eva Strasburger, CEO of Compliance Safe, president of StrasGlobal, and VGN co-founder, shared that an Austin store in her neighborhood, managed by a Gen Z employee, maintains a dedicated “TikTok table” refreshed monthly by local influencers to showcase trending items. McCartney also cited success sourcing product ideas from Tik Tok and Facebook trends and influencers. Strasburger also noted that the platform Faire, which aggregates small and independent product makers, is a resource already being used by boutique retailers and could be a useful sourcing tool for c-store operators.
Lonnie McQuirter, director of operations at 36 Lyn Refuel Station, said his focus is on value-priced products that really affect the customer. His example was locally sourced cage-free eggs priced at $3.99 a dozen, a product that resonates deeply with his price-sensitive customer base and has generated significant community goodwill.
“Pizza for us has been doing well from a value perspective. You can still feed a small family for a $20 pizza, whereas going to the grocery store to feed that same family might be more than that plus gas.”
The THC Trend
On the category front, Sawant noted that, where legally permitted, THC beverages are showing strong growth and help offset declining beer, wine, and liquor sales, with younger consumers gravitating toward the category. Bambury said he is a strong believer in the opportunity but noted that his state has already temporarily banned THC beverages and that federal action could come by year’s end. “We’re being regulated and legislated out of a lot of our business,” Bambury said. Sawant also raised the vape category as worthy of deeper group discussion, noting that while flavor bans exist in several states, other states offer full autonomy, and the category is helping offset cigarette declines.
A Significant Opportunity for Loyalty Programs
As Weinandy pointed out in his presentation, loyalty programs present a huge opportunity for small operators to compete. Roughly half of attendees said they operate one, and results were mixed. Michael Lipton, CEO of Lipton Inc, noted that only about 30% of his unlimited car wash subscribers are enrolled in the company’s loyalty program, even though the savings on fuel alone represent significant value. He attributed the gap partly to under-marketing and partly to the user friction Weinandy had described. Christian King, president and owner of KNC Holdings, Inc., said that as a Mobil-branded operator, loyalty rewards flow through the oil company’s app and his stores have not seen a meaningful uptick in usage.
McCartney added that his stores are on their fourth loyalty platform in 15 years and that some older customers still prefer a simple punch card, underscoring the challenge of serving a broad customer demographic simultaneously. Kimmes noted that he was interested in loyalty but said that “it can be a pretty big hurdle, maybe it is for large operators too, and it’s just one of those necessary evils.”
Thomas Rebain, vice president of strategy and business operations at Verifone, reported a genuine uptick in loyalty interest among his customers. He also noted a rising interest among his customers in technology-driven cost reduction, including lower processing costs, IT back-office efficiencies, and point-of-sale upselling tools designed to match product recommendations to a customer’s purchase behavior.
Myra Kressner, CEO Kressner Strategy Group and Co-Founder VGN asked about the potential for retail media networks for smaller operators, specifically, citing the growing engagement among large convenience chains. Bambury noted that Big Picture Networks, a retail media company, is targeting independent operators with a point-of-sale upselling platform and Rebain confirmed that his team is currently piloting a similar upselling capability.
Charting the Road Ahead
When Weinandy asked the group for its single largest concern, the economy was the consistent answer. McQuirter described the widening K-shaped economy and watching customers make increasingly difficult trade-offs. McKinley cited relentless inflation, particularly in tobacco, which has seen four price increases in five months. Tang echoed that concern, noting that rising sticker prices inflate revenue figures while gross margin tells a more troubling story. Kimmes raised the issue of cost shifting, noting that the decline in availability of guaranteed products.
“There was a time I remember when just about everything in the store was guaranteed and now it’s like almost nothing is guaranteed anymore. And that’s just one example of a cost shift that has been occurring across our industry especially since the start of COVID. So how do we make up for that because it just keeps adding up.”
Final Reflection
The convenience retail industry is navigating a consumer landscape where the familiar metrics of foot traffic and revenue growth no longer tell the full story. Beneath the surface, a widening economic divide, persistent inflation, and shifting consumption habits driven by both financial stress and cultural forces like GLP-1 adoption are quietly reshaping what customers buy, how much they spend, and whether they walk through the door at all. Independent operators who move quickly, stay close to their customers, and entertain alternate merchandising models will be best positioned to capture opportunities.
Dr. Thomas Weinandy Video Presentation
SOVVG Meeting Presentation (PDF)
SOVG Member Introductions
(3 stores)
[I’m] a fourth-generation retail operator out of Sonoma Valley (California). We've got three stores, been branded from Associated (Oil Company) in the 1920’s all the way through Shell, 76, bp, and then in 2021 launched our own fuel brand and have been doing that ever since and that's been a great change. Embracing that.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Foot traffic is no longer a reliable performance indicator. More visits do not mean more volume. Customers come in more often but buy fewer gallons and fewer items per trip.
- The K-shaped income divide is reshaping convenience retail from the inside out. Higher-income consumers are spending freely while lower-income households are actively cutting back.
- Rising prices are inflating ticket averages while unit counts per transaction decline. Gross margin is the only number that tells the real story.
- GLP-1 medications are permanently shifting category demand. Salty snacks are flat to negative for the first time in industry history, alcohol is down and protein, premium, and better-for-you products are winning.
- Consumers are getting creative with their money and are trading down on fuel grade, cross-shopping more locations, and using promotions at higher rates.
- Loyalty programs are underleveraged. 86% of shoppers say loyalty programs matter, but only 38-49% of convenience and fuel shoppers regularly use them. The gap shows one of the most actionable opportunities in the industry.
- Retailers who go direct-to-vendor or lean on smaller DSD partners are getting trending products to shelves faster and cheaper than broadline distribution allows.
- THC beverages and vape are generating real growth where permitted, but legislative action at the state and federal level could eliminate those opportunities.
Contact info@vgnsharing.com if you’d like the meeting transcript.
Notable and Quotable
“It would be great if the voice of the SOVG could help influence the way things have been done for years with the big boys,, i.e. Frito-Lay, Dr. Pepper, Coke. And what they do today is they treat their business model like they treated it ten years ago and twenty years ago for small operators and they’ll bend over backwards for the large chains and give them just about anything. But for the small operators, it’s take it or leave it.”
“Higher income consumers are just flush with money right now, and they’re choosing to spend it in a variety of different categories.”
“It’s how steep that K-shaped economy is turning out to be right now. I mean, there’s people who have a ton of disposable income and they have one reality. But a lot of our customers are definitely going through a lot of changes and having to rationalize and justify things or make sacrifices to afford one thing versus the other.”
“For us, it’s just keeping up with inflation. It’s constant and I don’t want a category or high velocity SKU to be creeping up on us, and we didn’t catch it in time.”
“We’re seeing a significant number of store closures due to not being able to meet their financial demands. But at the same time, we’re seeing a lot more investors and our small operators deciding to open up new builds and ground-ups because they’re seeing the value of foodservice to offset some of the challenges with pumping fuel.”
SOVG Members
Chris Bambury, President
Bambury, Inc. dba Bonneau Markets
Chris is the President of Bambury, Inc., a fourth-generation fuel and convenience business rooted in Northern California’s wine country. Founded in 1922, the company has grown under Chris’s leadership from a legacy family business into a modern, tech-forward enterprise. He has driven expansion, embraced innovation, and launched the successful BONNEAU fuel brand in 2021, carrying on the entrepreneurial spirit of company founders August & Catherine Bonneau.
Chris began his career in information technology with a national internet service provider before joining the family business as an entry-level c-store employee—a hands-on experience that continues to shape his leadership philosophy.
He is an active industry leader. In 2023, Chris served as President of the California Fuels & Convenience Alliance (CFCA), the state association representing over 10,000 fuel and convenience locations. In 2017, he chaired the Pacific Fuels & Convenience Summit (PFCS), an event that draws over 1,500 attendees annually and achieved a record net profit that stood until 2024. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and chairs its Retail Engagement Committee.
Chris is committed to innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence. He continues to focus on sustainable growth, industry advocacy, and delivering long-term value to partners, customers, and the communities he serves.
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Rahim Budhwani, CEO
Encore
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Ben Burds, Managing Partner
Kunoco Food Mart
Ben Burds, Managing Partner of Kunoco Food Marts (a four store c-store chain in St. Lawrence County, NY). Our company also includes a fuel delivery business for wholesale and retail clients.
Rachel Eickert, Operator
The Corner Store
Rachel Eickert is a convenience store operator and entrepreneur from Southeastern Ohio. She operates The Corner Store, where she focuses on strong foodservice, excellent customer experience, and community connection. Rachel is passionate about the future of independent convenience retail and enjoys collaborating with other operators to share ideas and grow the industry
Steve Estepp, President
Estepp Energy|Estepp's
Steve Estepp grew up in the gas station business while working for his dad and has witnessed firsthand many of the changes that have occurred in the industry over the past 30 years. He attended the University of Richmond (Va.), where he received his undergraduate degree in Accounting in 1998. (Side note he worked weekends at a Shell service station there his freshman year.) While completing his degree, Steve worked part time his senior year for the public accounting firm KPMG and two more years after graduation, specializing in auditing. In 2000, Steve returned to the family business, during which time he obtained his MBA from the University of Kentucky with a concentration in accounting and finance. In 2010, Steve became 100% owner of Estepp's Friendly Shell and set the company on a path toward strategic growth and diversification. In 2012, Steve founded Estepp Energy which acquired an existing Shell wholesale distributor. Since then, Steve has grown both the retail and wholesale sides of the business. Estepp's Friendly Shell operates 11 convenience stores and is a franchise with Subway, Little Caesars, The UPS Store, and Hot Head Burritos. Estepp Energy supplies fuel to about 100 branded locations and operates its own fleet of trucks to transport the fuel.
Peter Juzenas, Vice President
fireside MARKET
I’m a proven leader that is known in the industry as a Customer, Strategy, Loyalty, Marketing, Operations and Change Management Expert. In all previous roles I’ve shown a consistent track record of great results by making data-led decisions and using my ability to creatively and dynamically solve problems. My entire career has been based around understanding and elevating the customer experience (internal & external) to drive KPIs. A key to those results has been my ability to develop top talent, leverage strong cross functional partnerships and influence across various levels of leadership.
In my role with fireside MARKET at Potawatomi Ventures I am leading their newest business. Fireside MARKET is the newest convenience store brand in the WI area, and it's ready to rapidly grow. We opened our first location in Slinger, WI in Fall, 2025, and now we are preparing to open other locations. Fireside MARKET is a food first convenience store that provides the ultimate guest experience while making everything easier for your busy life. From the premium, made to order food, to the "best in class" guest service to an incredible building to the best team members around...you will love the experience at fireside. I'm beyond honored to be leading this business and can't wait to see where we take it!
Prior to this role I was with Kohl's for 15 years. I loved my time at Kohl's and the career challenges it always presented. In my last role, I successfully led the acquisition and execution of the Kohl’s Card and Rewards programs, ensuring alignment and consistent communication across all levels of Store, Marketing, and Corporate leadership. I spearheaded the testing and launch of several new versions of the Loyalty program. This included launching the latest version of the Rewards program, Loyalty in Sephora shops, a new value prop of the private label credit card, and launching the co-branded credit card. Since 2021, I increased loyalty enrollments by over 400% year over year and increased Rewards transactions at POC from 55% to 80%. This was testament to my strategic vision and execution capability. All this was accomplished while always meeting financial goals and budgets.
I was able to accomplish all this because of the way I built and developed my teams. From 2021-2024, my org had the top engagement results in the company because I always delivered an experience for my teams where development, inclusion, idea sharing, fun and diversity were always paramount. Nobody builds and engages teams better than I do.
Christian King, President - Owner
KNC Holdings, Inc.
Christian P. King is a New York–based business owner, real estate investor, and executive, best known as the President and CEO of KNC Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Albany, New York.
With a career spanning more than three decades, King has played a central role in building KNC Holdings into a diversified holding and operating company with interests in retail, real estate, and automotive services. Under his leadership, the company has developed and operates a network of convenience retail locations and service businesses across New York’s Capital Region, including partnerships with major national brands such as Mobil, Subway, Dunkin’, and Pizza Hut. The company also owns and operates its proprietary Clean2o Touch-Free Car Wash brand and maintains a wholesale distribution operation focused on car wash products and related supplies.
In addition to his corporate leadership, King has been actively involved in real estate investment, with a portfolio focused primarily on commercial and industrial properties throughout the Albany–Schenectady–Troy region. Public records indicate long-standing activity in property acquisition, development, and financing, often through affiliated entities.
King’s business footprint extends across multiple corporations and ventures, many headquartered at KNC’s Albany offices, reflecting a vertically integrated approach to operations, real estate, and retail services.
Known for his entrepreneurial approach and regional focus, Christian P. King has established a strong presence in the Capital Region’s retail and service economy, combining operational management with strategic investment to drive long-term growth.
Michael Lipton, CEO
Lipton Inc.
Michael Lipton graduated from Boston University in 1996 & moved back to Pittsfield, MA in 1998 to work in his family business. He is now CEO of Lipton Inc & has taken over as the 4th generation. Lipton Inc owns & operates 10 convenience & gas stations, 2 car washes, a propane rail terminal, & an oil/propane business delivering to homes/businesses. Lipton Inc was started my Michael's great grandfather in 1910.
Dennis McCartney, Director of Operations
Landhope Farms
Dennis McCartney is a seasoned operations, marketing, and community relations professional with more than two decades of leadership experience in retail convenience, foodservice, and organizational development. He currently serves as Director of Operations for Landhope Farms, where he oversees multi-location operations, strategic initiatives, employee development, branding, and customer experience across one of Southern Chester County’s most recognizable independent convenience retailers. His background combines hands-on operational leadership with a strong passion for creative marketing, team culture, and community engagement.
Throughout his career, Dennis has built a reputation for driving innovation while maintaining a strong focus on customer service and operational excellence. He has led numerous successful marketing campaigns, foodservice initiatives, and business growth strategies, while also mentoring management teams and fostering workplace cultures centered on accountability, positivity, and continuous improvement.
Dennis began his career at a small Sunoco Mini Market in Berea, Ohio as a third shift cashier. Through perseverance and continuing education, he worked this way through store management, district management, regional merchandising management and finally into the corporate marketing department at Sunoco Aplus as the Category Manager for retail and prepared foods. He has now been the Director of Operations at Landhope Farms for nearly 14 years, where he is a change agent, rainmaker and firefighter (not literally).
Dennis wears many hats in the organization and likes it that way. Overseeing the finance department and project manager, Dennis also solely manages the marketing, procurement, category management, vendor relationship management and overall stewardship of the brand. Dennis finds great enjoyment in the autonomy given him by ownership to make Landhope Farms the best it can be. That effort, and that of his team, recently earned Landhope Farms the title of Grand Prize Winner in the 2026 Outstanding Independent Operators Award from Convenience Store News.
In addition to his corporate leadership role, Dennis serves as President of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce, where he advocates for local businesses and community collaboration throughout the region. Under his leadership, the Chamber has expanded member engagement and launched successful community-focused events, including the Oxford Harvest Festival, which quickly became a signature regional attraction.
Dennis is especially passionate about building strong community partnerships and supporting local nonprofit organizations. He has helped spearhead charitable initiatives involving food insecurity relief, local fundraising campaigns, and business-community collaboration efforts. Known for his high-energy leadership style, creativity, and relationship-building abilities, Dennis is committed to creating positive experiences for customers, employees, businesses, and the broader community alike.
Steve McKinley, CEO/Founder
Urban Value Corner Store
Steve McKinley is the CEO and Founder of Urban Value Corner Store (UVCS), a Dallas-based company redefining how convenience retail integrates into residential communities. Since launching UVCS, Steve has led the development of a new amenity category—bringing full-service corner stores and autonomous SMART Store Coolers directly into multifamily and single-family environments to enhance the resident experience. With a clear focus on the belief that “Convenience Is the Amenity®,” Steve has guided UVCS through steady growth, building a portfolio of innovative retail solutions that serve both developers and residents. His approach combines operational discipline, curated product assortments, and technology-driven insights to create a daily-use amenity that drives occupancy, retention, and overall community value. A recognized voice in the convenience and multifamily industries, Steve has spoken at national conferences, including the NACS Show, where he emphasized the role of purpose-driven culture in operational performance. Under his leadership, UVCS was named a 2025 Outstanding Independents Award winner by Convenience Store News. Steve continues to lead UVCS with a forward-looking vision—building scalable retail platforms that meet the evolving expectations of modern communities while delivering measurable impact for property owners and residents alike.
Lonnie McQuirter, Director of Operations
36 Lyn Refuel Station
Lonnie McQuirter is the owner and operator of 36 Lyn Refuel Station, a small independent convenience and fuel retailer in South Minneapolis. Lonnie didn't inherit a playbook, he wrote one, turning a generic branded gas station into one of the most recognized independent retailers in the country. Lonnie has never waited for the industry to tell him what's next, from installing one of Minneapolis's first EV fast charging stations to running the store entirely on renewable energy since 2015.
36 Lyn is a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree and an NRF America's Retail Champion. The store carries a wide variety of locally sourced and better-for-you items, a deliberate commitment, not a marketing angle. McQuirter has been featured in *Kiplinger* and named to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal's Fast 50.
Lonnie's industry involvement runs deep, from the store level all the way to national policy. He serves on both the NACS Board of Directors and the Conexxus Board of Directors and holds the Vice Chairman role on NACS's Legislative Committee. He's recognized as a go-to voice for legislative advocacy representing the convenience channel. He chaired the Minnesota Retailers Association in 2018.
What Lonnie brings to SOVG is the perspective of an operator who has had to solve every problem himself: technology, energy, hiring, community relations, vendor negotiations, all of it without the safety net of a larger chain. His view is simple: small operators can't afford to be complacent, and the challenges facing independent c-stores are as much political and regulatory as they are operational.
Ryan Razowsky, President
Rmarts LLC
VP of Convenience Retail, Horizon Group
Ryan is President of Rmarts LLC, a company that specializes in operating fuel and convenience stores throughout the Chicagoland area. As a third-generation owner/operator, he has focused his attention on efficient day-to-day operations, forward-thinking leadership and the acquisition of new business. Ryan has thirteen years of experience in the field of successful property and personnel management for a portfolio of Shell, Mobil and Citgo branded locations. Ryan spearheaded the acquisition of 10 high-volume fuel and convenience stores from World Fuels Services in 2017. Ryan graduated from the University of Kansas in 2008 with a degree in Economics. He is an active member in the YPO Chicagoland chapter and is on the executive committee of the Ravinia Festival Associates Board.
Tom Rebain, VP - Strategy and Business Operations
Verifone
Reformed Finance and Accounting Executive of 25 years now leading Strategy and Operations for our Commander Payments growth initiative serving the Unbranded Fuel and Convenience Market.
Scott Sawant, V.P. of Convenience Retail
HRA Group
VP of Convenience Retail, Horizon Group
Scott Sawant is a seasoned convenience retail executive known for building powerful vendor partnerships, accelerating sales growth, and leading high performing teams across the Southeast. As VP of Convenience Retail at Horizon Group—part of the Horizon Retailers Association supporting thousands of independent and multi unit convenience stores across the region—Scott plays a central role in driving value for retailers through strong supplier alignment, operational execution, and strategic program development. [hraga.com]
With deep expertise in vendor relationships, contract negotiation, logistics, distribution management, and P&L analysis, Scott has a proven track record of turning category insights into actionable growth strategies. He leads large, cross functional Foodservice and Grocery teams, overseeing everything from merchandising and marketing initiatives to full scale retail program execution.
Scott excels in client management, serving as the primary point of contact for key partners, strengthening long term relationships, addressing operational needs, and delivering solutions that increase in store sales performance. His ability to identify revenue opportunities, pitch new products and services, negotiate agreements, and shift market share from competitors has made him a trusted leader among both retailers and major CPG partners.
A strong driver of new business development, Scott consistently prospects, networks, and engages new customers—leveraging tradeshows, industry events, and direct outreach to generate high value leads. He coordinates complex projects with internal teams, provides actionable reporting on market trends and sales performance, and ensures flawless execution of client programs from concept to rollout.
Scott’s hands on leadership extends to team development, where he trains and supports new sales professionals while fostering a culture of accountability and customer first service. His disciplined approach to operational reporting—including GAP and backorder management—ensures stores receive the right products at the right time, helping retailers optimize assortment and maintain strong inventory health.
Driven, strategic, and relentlessly relationship focused, Scott continues to advance HRA Group’s mission of empowering convenience retailers through innovative solutions, stronger vendor connections, and meaningful marketplace support,
Jared Scheeler, CEO
The Hub Convenience Stores, Inc
Jared Scheeler is the CEO of Dickinson, ND based The Hub Convenience Stores. The Hub consists of five locations in the energy-rich Bakken Oil Region of western North Dakota. Established in 2015, The Hub is a future-focused retailer with an emphasis on foodservice and technology. Boasting large store footprints and a unique branding package, The Hub is poised for accelerated growth.
Scheeler was born and raised in Dickinson, ND. Upon graduating high school he attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. While attending college, he took a part-time job at Bobby & Steve's Auto World's flagship convenience supercenter in downtown Minneapolis and fell in love with convenience retailing. Jared worked for Bobby & Steve's for fifteen years before he and his family moved back home to start The Hub.
Jared and his wife, DeAnn, are in an active stage of their lives as their four children (Abby, Annabel, Jack, and Molly) are working their way through the busy years of their schooling. DeAnn serves as the Director of Mission Advancement for Trinity Catholic Schools in Dickinson, while Jared moonlights as the head coach of the girls basketball team at Trinity High School.
Jonathan Tang, President
Tang Mart, LLC
Jonathan Tang is the owner and operator of Tang Mart. Tang Mart founded in 2013, operates 5 stores in Northeast Alabama. Jonathan also works with Ira Phillips, Inc a small fuel distributor/wholesaler founded in 1938 that serves customers in the commercial, agricultural and cardlock space.
Jonathan is married to his lovely wife Kate since 2007 and has one teenage son Xavier. He enjoys coaching soccer, grilling on the Big Green Egg, Craft Beer (Possibly while Grilling) and watching Auburn / Atlanta Sports Teams.
SOVG Facilitator
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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