Episodes
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Technology is vital for adapting to rapid changes. We're breaking down what it means and what you need to do.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Gray Taylor, Executive Director, Conexxus
Gray has been involved with a variety of projects, including heading global product management for three of the worldâs largest retail petroleum equipment and systems suppliers, and as vice president of research and technology at NACS. Gray managed product portfolios that included payment platforms for EMV migration markets from Malaysia to Canada, as well as mobile/RFID payments initiatives.
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Tobacco theft is the new face of organized crime. Flavor bans, higher taxes, and raising the legal purchase age to 21 have all contributed to a thriving black market for tobacco and vape products. Hear how you can protect your staff and business against tobacco and vape theft.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky
About our Guest:
Rich Marianos, Assistant Director (Retired), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Professor, Georgetown University
Rich is a senior law enforcement consultant, having served more than 27 years at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives fighting violent crime. He most recently served as Assistant Director in the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs, and as Special Agent in Charge ATF's Washington Field Division.
He began his career with ATF in September 1987 in the Chicago Field Division where he worked on complex-gang investigations. and was recognized as a national expert using the continuing criminal enterprise and RICO statues to dismantle some of the most dangerous street gangs and organized crimes groups in America.
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Missing episodes?
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We're sharing some of the insights and takeaways from the latest Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on credit card swipe fees, and talk about what it means to retailers.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Doug Kantor, NACS General Counsel
Doug has served as legal counsel for NACS for more than 20 years, originally as a partner with the law firms Collier Shannon Scott PLLC and Steptoe & Johnson LLP. He has been NACS in-house counsel since 2021. Doug also served as special counsel and deputy chief of staff in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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In November, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the need for competition in the credit card market. Hear what NACS General Counsel Doug Kantor told committee members on behalf of the c-store industry.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Doug Kantor, NACS General Counsel
Doug has served as legal counsel for NACS for more than 20 years, originally as a partner with the law firms Collier Shannon Scott PLLC and Steptoe & Johnson LLP. He has been NACS in-house counsel since 2021. Doug also served as special counsel and deputy chief of staff in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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EVs arenât the only option to reduce carbon emissions. E-fuels could close potential emission reduction gaps in the U.S. or accelerate emission reduction efforts for road transportation.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
John Eichberger, Executive Director, Transportation Energy Institute
John has more than 20 years of experience in the fuels industry, including more than a decade leading the Transportation Energy Institute. Prior to that, he served for 15 years as vice president of government relations at NACS, with a focus on fuels- and energy-related issues.
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Before the AMBER Alert system, there was the Milk Carton Kids campaign in the 1980s. Today, technology is further enhancing the search for missing childrenâand retailers can help.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Gavin Portnoy, Vice President, Communications & Brand, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Gavin builds strategies to elevate NCMECâs brand, which include creating new partnerships, bolstering existing relationships and working positively and efficiently with NCMECâs departments and stakeholders to support programs and goals. He joined NCMEC in 2014 after more than 15 years helping organizations build brand awareness and effectively tell their story using the latest business, digital, social and media channels.
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A recent poll suggests that public confidence regarding food safety is eroding. To better connect with their customers, companies can do more to communicate their policies and procedures.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky
About our Guest:
Benjamin Chapman, Professor, Food Safety Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University
Through reality-based research, Ben investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers and organizational decision-makers. He co-hosts the podcasts âFood Safety Talkâ and âRisky or Notâ and further engages folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.
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Chefs Andrew Zimmern and David Chang are big fans of convenience stores and their food offers. At the NACS Show, they shared their passion for food and how c-stores can continue to elevate their foodservice to stand out among the competition. And they loved visiting the Expo!
Hosted by:
Andrew Kintigh, Corporate Chef, Casey's
About our Guests:
Chef Andrew Zimmern
Andrew is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning chef, TV personality, writer and social justice advocate. A star of cooking shows on Travel Channel and The Food Network and currently the host of two shows on the Magnolia Network, Zimmern has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food.
Chef David Chang
David is founder of the Momofuku restaurant group and Majordomo Media. Since opening his first restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar, in 2004, he has been recognized as GQâs Man of the Year and a Time 100 honoree. David also is the host of The Dave Chang Show podcast and three documentary series: âUgly Delicious,â âBreakfast, Lunch, and Dinner,â and âThe Next Thing You Eat.â His cookbooks and memoir are New York Times bestsellers. In 2019, he opened a convenience store called Peach Mart in New York City.
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Visa has used fees and strong-arm tactics to bend the U.S. payments system to its liking, leading to higher fees and less innovation than many other countries.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Doug Kantor, General Counsel, NACS
Doug has served as legal counsel for NACS for more than 20 years, originally as a partner with the law firms Collier Shannon Scott PLLC and Steptoe & Johnson LLP. He has been NACS in-house counsel since 2021. Doug also served as special counsel and deputy chief of staff in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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Artificial Intelligence is already changing how businesses operate. At the 2024 NACS Show, a panel discussed what retailers can do now to enhance their business operations with AI.
Hosted by:
Henry Armour
About our Guests:
Brian Gray, Global Mobility Retail Lead, Accenture
Brian leads Accentureâs Global and North America Fuels & Convenience Retail practice and helps clients solve challenges and discover opportunities through digital transformation. Over the past two decades, he has worked with 20-plus convenience retailers around the world on customer experience, mobility, artificial intelligence, loyalty, payments and large-scale complex deployments.
Victor Paterno, President and CEO, Philippine Seven Corp., and 2023-24 NACS Chairman
Victor is president and CEO of Mandaluyong, Philippines-based Philippine Seven Corporation (dba 7-Eleven Convenience Store), which operates approximately 4,000 stores. At the invitation of his father, Victor joined the company as the construction and maintenance manager in 1993. He was appointed president and CEO in 2005. Victor also serves on the Board of Trustees and is the director for foreign franchises at the Philippine Franchise Association.
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During his 2024 NACS Show presentation, Juan energized the audience with ideas to ignite their confidence.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky
About our Guest:
Juan Bendaña, motivational speaker
Juan is an internationally recognized speaker who helps leaders navigate uncertainty and exponential change by developing the unwavering confidence to thrive in any environment.
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Chip payment cards for SNAP transactions are coming, starting in two states in early 2025. Hear what you need to do now to prepare, whether you do business in those states or others.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Margaret Mannion, NACS Government Relations Manager
Margaret focuses on issues including SNAP, food traceability and retail crime. She joined the NACS government relations team in 2019, originally overseeing grassroots initiatives, including issue-focused fly-ins, NACS Day on the Hill and dozens of visits by members of Congress to convenience stores as part of the NACS In Store program.
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Itâs no secret that great team members are the reason behind the success of the Disney experience. Weâll get a preview from NACS Show speaker Doug Lipp on how to create a unique experience in your stores.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Doug Lipp, NACS Show speaker, consultant, former head of training at Disney
Doug is a distinguished consultant, business keynote speaker, eight-time business author and world authority on building esteemed organizational cultures.
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Convenience retail continues to be reinvented by more than 1.5 million c-store operators around the world. Hear how trends around the customer journey, loyalty and EVs are evolving.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guests:
Roy Strasburger, CEO, StrasGlobal
Roy is a 4th generation retailer and is currently CEO of StrasGlobal, a retail support and consulting company. He co-founded the Vision Group Network, where top level executives discuss current and future issues and share their perspective with the industry. Roy also is a is a founding member of the NACS International Board.
Barbara Stoyko, Senior Vice President of Shell Mobility Americas
Barbara has more than 30 years of experience providing strategic, commercial and operational leadership across energy and retail value chains. In her current role, she oversees the financial, strategic and organizational delivery of the consumer mobility and retail business in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This includes thousands of Shell-branded gas stations, a growing footprint of company owned and operated convenience stores, and an expanding network of public electric vehicle charging stations.
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Rutterâs has redefined its customer experience so its foodservice offer can best resonate with customers, whether they are refueling or shopping inside the store.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guests:
Phil Santini, Senior Director of Advertising & Food Service, The Rutterâs Companies
Phil oversees the York, Pennsylvania-based convenience-store chainâs foodservice program and is also in charge of the companyâs advertising department. Prior to joining Rutterâs, he played a pivotal role in launching the QSR program at the Tin Building in New York City with world-renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Phil also served as the general manager for Eataly, overseeing operations across nine locations and contributing to the development of QSR concepts.
Rick Sales, President, Abierto Networks
Rick is founder and president of Abierto Networks, a leading digital engagement solutions provider focused on the convenience store and convenience foodservice retail industries and used in more than 4,000 locations across the country.
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We're breaking down two of the biggest questions fuel retailers have faced in decades: Will installing EV chargers be good for my business, and how do I launch a program?
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Karl Doenges, Executive Director, Charging Analytics Program
Karl represents NACS on the coming disruption in mobility and how that affects convenience retailers. In this role, Karl focuses on the NACS EV charging infrastructure program, monitoring and engaging the EV industry and the Fuels Institute Electric Vehicle Council.
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Convenience store design has come a long way from the standard 40x60 box. Today, design involves many new elements, including brand strategy.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Amanda Baltazar, Retail & Hospitality Journalist
Amanda is a journalist with 20+ years of experience and expertise in foodservice, beverages, restaurants/bars and overall retail. She covers everything from operations to how to staff a c-suite.
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How do you revitalize and reimagine a nearly 90-year-old family brand? Stephanie Stuckey shares the lessons she's learned during her 5-year journey at the helm of Stuckey's.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Stephanie Stuckey, Chair, Stuckeyâs
Stephanie is chair of Stuckeyâs. She worked as a trial lawyer a state representative in Georgia and Atlantaâs director of sustainability before purchasing Stuckeyâs in 2019 and assuming the role of CEO. When sheâs not running Stuckeyâs, she enjoys travelling by car to explore the back roads of America.
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In rural areas, locals know the best meals come from gas stations. In this episode, Stafford Shurden shares his tips for finding great c-store and gas station food.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard
About our Guest:
Stafford Shurden, Creator, Gas Station Tailgate Review
Stafford is a restaurant owner and farmer from Drew, MS. Over the past four years, between managing his farm and restaurant, Stafford has traveled the southern United States in search of the best gas station food and filming it from the tailgate of his pickup truck. His popular show "Gas Station Tailgate Reviewâ has amassed millions of views on social media.
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Foodservice in c-stores accounts for nearly 40% of in-store profits. We're breaking down how you can ensure that food safety remains top of mind.
Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky
About our Guest:
David McIntyre, Senior Health & Safety Specialist, EG America
David has more than 30 years of experience in culinary, retail and noncommercial/contract foodservice management environments. His team was instrumental in developing and rolling out a risk-based internal assessment of food and workplace safety standards at EG America. He currently works with the Fastrac and Cumberland Farms banners in New York and oversees a field team in the Midwest and Western regions.
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