Under the slogan “One idea will change your business,” the National Association of Convenience stores is preparing for its annual NACS Show Expo, October 7-12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year the show will take up 370,000 square feet with more than 1,300 exhibiting companies.
In addition to the exhibits out on the floor, there will be a separate space, called the Cool New Products Review Room, where attendees can check out the products and use hand-held scanners to receive information about them. The following categories will be on display:
- Green (Eco-friendly)
- Health & Wellness
- New Design
- New Flavors
- New to the Industry
- New Services
- New Technology
Prior to the opening of the show, distributors, wholesalers and retailers can browse through this room. All attendees, once the show is open, are free to visit.
With still two months to go, the show’s five product areas for exhibitors are sold out. There is a waiting list, if you’re interested in squeezing in, and you can access information about that here.
Beyond the exhibitions, attendees can participate in targeted educational sessions on a wide range of topics that should be of keen interest to most convenience store owners and management. Topics are:
- Category Management Track
- Executive Leadership Track
- Foodservice Track
- Fuels Powered by OPIS Track
- Human Capital Track
- Independent Operator Track
- Marketing Track
- Operations Track
- Supplier Track
- Technology Track
The sessions will be led by a number of industry experts. Some of the names and the sessions at which they’ll speak include:
Category Management Track: David Onorato, a vice president with the Hershey Company; Mary Szarmach, a vice president with Gasamat Oil Corp./Smoker Friendly
Executive Leadership Track: Spencer Cavalier, director of Matrix Capital Markets Group Inc.; Roger Woodman, managing director of Morgan Keegan & Company Inc.
Foodservice Track: Ira Gleser, vice president with Coca-Cola Refreshments; Karen Kilday Sherwood, founder of Nourish Market
Fuels Powered by OPIS Track: Chris Ryan, Market Solutions Group member with Love’s Travel Shops; Elaine Levin, vice president with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Human Capital Track: Chris Wilson, director of Pacific Convenience & Fuels LLC; Linda McKenna-Welch, founder of and principal with Convenience Store Coaches Inc.
Independent Operator Track: Bob Swanson, director of research & statistics with NACS; Mark Gramlich, region manager with Kellogg Company
Marketing Track: Alan Beach, vice president with 7-Eleven Inc.; Allison Moran, vice president with RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.
Operations Track: Bill Meek, comptroller, Martin Eagle Oil Company Inc.; Joseph Bona, retail division president with CBX
Supplier Track: Gary Schechner, advertising and marketing manager with BP/ampm; Scott Hartman, president and CEO of Rutter’s Farm Stores
Technology Track: Brad Cyprus, senior security architect with Vendor Safe Technologies; David Ezell, principal software architect with VeriFone Inc.
You can visit the NACS show’s website and learn more about the event. We hope many of you will be able to attend and benefit greatly from the depth of industry knowledge and information that will be available.
The Glidewell Team