TUCSON, Ariz. – At the group’s annual meeting yesterday, the Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) announced that it has been rebranded as Conexxus in order to better reflect the increasing importance of connections and technology.
The rebranding conveys how PCATS has evolved in its almost 20-year history — from the NACS Technology Initiative, then an association advocating for data interchange standards, now to a distinct organization that connects people, industries and systems, and serves as the nexus of thought leadership on future technology and related policy. As productivity, consumer technology, data security and EMV mandates continue to dominate the retail technology agenda for the convenience and fuel retailing industry, Conexxus is positioned to address all of these emerging challenges.
“While serving the convenience and fuel retailing industry well for the past decade, the PCATS brand no longer encompassed the breadth of what we do or how essential our work is to providing industry leaders greater control of their IT agendas,” said Gray Taylor, executive director of Conexxus. “Our rebranding signifies the refocus of our mission as one that touches ever-changing disciplines within our retail segment, such as enterprise productivity, data security, mobile commerce and payments.”
Margaret Akins, business analyst at Pilot Travel Centers LLC and chairman of Conexxus, added: “I first got involved in [PCATS] because I was looking for a solution and the technical standards offered made the most sense. It has provided a platform for retailers, wholesalers and solution providers to come together to discuss the needs within our industry and enable solutions. … We are an interactive community that can make things happen and it is time we move forward as Conexxus.”
“The shift in brand strategy for PCATS exemplifies changes that were well underway,” said Drew Mize, chief operating officer at The Pinnacle Corporation and chairman of the Conexxus Membership and Marketing Committee. “The Conexxus brand better describes the expanded activities and technologies innovation PCATS has been driving toward for some time, well beyond a general perception of focusing solely on data exchange standards, and best positions the organization to attract members both within and external to our specific industry that will help achieve and advocate those goals.”
Conexxus is a non-profit, member-driven technology organization dedicated to the development and implementation of standards, technology innovation and advocacy for the convenience store and motor fuels market. Conexxus membership collaborates on key present and future industry challenges and innovations. The organization’s work efforts improve profitability by reducing the cost of IT ownership and improving the competitiveness of members. The Conexxus Annual Conference is taking place this week in Tucson, Arizona, bringing together the industry’s leading technology experts for a series of educational sessions and high-level speakers.
Read a full press release about the Conexxus announcement here.