
During the week-long program, NACS Executive Leadership Program attendees get to experience Cornell’s campus, in addition to immersive convenience-industry-specific classroom learning and collaboration with a network of peers.
Designed for senior-level retail management, this program will enlighten, inform and level up your leadership skills. Foster new ways of thinking, respond to the challenges of an evolved marketplace today and own your position as a visionary leader.
This program helps convenience leaders:
- Reflect on and refine their leadership skills
- Prepare for the demands of key company roles
- Access 360-degree feedback assessments and individual executive-level coaching
- Engage in group case studies that build a network of peers to help address tomorrow’s business challenges
- Hear from top industry leaders speaking to today’s biggest challenges in leadership and the workforce
The program has been customized for the convenience and fuel retailing industry, and is administered by faculty in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, recently ranked in the top 15 best business schools by U.S News and World Report – providing a once-a-year opportunity for high-potential convenience industry executives to engage in peer case studies and prepare for the demands of key company roles.
For any questions or to request more information, please contact:
Brandi Mauro
Education Program Manager
bmauro@convenience.org
(703) 518-4223

Endowed by
“The course was amazing, from start to finish. The content is top notch! The Cornell faculty did an amazing job keeping all participants fully engaged— which is not an easy task given our fast-paced and ever-changing landscape.”
-Matthew Solly, Fuel Operations Director, Circle K Stores, Inc.
Not sure which program to attend?
Please contact NACS Education to schedule an advising session.
Schedule Consultation >
(703) 518-4223
The NACS Master of Convenience designation acknowledges the hard work and investment NACS members have made in their personal leadership development. It is awarded to convenience retailers who have attended 3 or more of the 5 NACS Executive Education programs. For questions, contact Brandi Mauro, NACS Education Program Manager: bmauro@convenience.org or (703) 518-4223.
“It was one of the most educational trainings I’ve ever had. Meeting so many people from the industry, from across the globe, made the experience truly unique!”
– Kerstin Meier, Head of Key Account Management, Lekkerland SE & Co. KG
Geared towards high-potential convenience industry executives preparing to take on key leadership roles in NACS retail member companies. This program provides opportunities to supplement experience with formalized instruction on skills needed to drive long-term organizational performance. Past participants include:
- Presidents and CEOs
- CFOs and Controllers
- Vice Presidents
- Directors of Store Operations
- Operations Managers
- Territory Managers
Participant Roles

Participating Companies Include
- Circle K Stores Inc.
- Kum & Go, L.C.
- Ipiranga Produtos de Petróleo S.A.
- Shell International Oil Company Limited
The NACS Executive Leadership Program will take place on Cornell’s campus Sunday, July 30 through Thursday, August 3, 2023.
Here is a sample curriculum and schedule (PDF) for an idea of what to expect. The 2023 schedule will be posted as soon as it’s available. Attendees should plan to arrive no later than 4 PM on Sunday, July 30 and depart after 12 PM on Thursday, August 3.
During the week, attendees will spend a few hours at the Hoffman Challenge Course—one of the largest collegiate challenge courses in the country, with over 50 low and high ropes elements—to put their leadership skills around team-building, negotiation, strategy and giving/receiving feedback into practice.
Another highlight of the week is faculty author and distinguished senior lecturer, General George W. Casey, Jr., will equip attendees with the tools to lead more effectively in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world.
Attendees will also attend a live-virtual kick-off webinar scheduled for a month prior to the program. Specific date and time to be announced. During that time, attendees will receive an introduction to the Benchmark Assessments that will be an integral part of their one-on-one feedback and coaching session to take place prior to arriving to campus. Cornell will work with participants directly to schedule their individual coaching sessions.
The NACS Executive Leadership Program is administered by faculty in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, recently ranked number three in Bloomberg BusinessWeek's rankings of undergraduate business programs.
This program combines the exclusivity of an Ivy League education with world-class experts tailoring the training specifically towards the convenience industry. Meet the professors lined up to present at the 2022 program.

Show Bio...
General George W. Casey, Jr., enjoyed a 41-year career in the US Army following his graduation from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 1970. He is an accomplished soldier and an authority on strategic leadership. As the Army Chief of Staff, he led one of the nation's largest and most complex organizations during one of the most extraordinary periods in our history. He is widely credited with restoring balance to a war-weary Army and leading the transformation to keep it relevant in the 21st Century. Prior to this, from July 2004 to February 2007, he commanded the Multi-National Force – Iraq, a coalition of more than 30 countries where he guided the Iraq mission through its toughest days. Currently, he lectures internationally on leadership to the leaders of national and multinational corporations and at other business schools. He serves on corporate boards and numerous boards of organizations that support our servicemen and women, our veterans, and their families. He also teaches international relations at the Korbel School in Denver. He has published a book, Strategic Reflections, Operation Iraqi Freedom, July 2004-2007 (October 2012), about his experiences in Iraq, and two articles on leadership: "Leading in a VUCA World," Fortune Magazine (March 20, 2014), and "Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous: Leadership Lessons from Iraq," Chapter 1, Changing Mindsets to Transform Security, (December 2013). General Casey holds a master's degree in international relations from University of Denver, and served as a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council of the United States, a foreign policy think-tank. He has broad international experience. Born in Japan, he served in operational assignments in Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East.

Show Bio...
Dan is a global retail and consumer packaged goods executive with broad experience across diverse business environments and formats, leading traditional food retail operations and merchandising, as well as product development, consumer and category analytics, sourcing and procurement, global trading, national sales and ecommerce. Dan is an outstanding strategist and general manager, and he has led the successful startup of multiple diverse businesses. Known for and recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on retailers’ proprietary brands, he has shaped clients’ programs across four continents and eight classes of trade. His passion is in helping companies see their unique DNA and positioning and creating actionable marketing and sales strategies essential for their success.
After earning a degree from Cornell University in Agribusiness and Marketing, Dan plunged headlong into retail joining Aldi Foods as a District Manager. In the early 1990’s Wakefern/ShopRite was very concerned about Aldi’s expansion east and Dan jumped at the opportunity to start a business, and moved to West Springfield, MA and opened the first Price Rite Store. Today there are over 70 Price Rite stores that generate over $1 Billion in annual revenue and they are a strategic growth driver for Wakefern.
After spending two years at Arthur Andersen as a retail consultant Dan spent fourteen years at Daymon Worlwide working with manufacturers and retailers across the world. Dan’s career at Daymon progressed rapidly, and In 2011 Dan was appointed to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) as the Chief Supplier Officer (CSO). As the CSO Dan was responsible for Category Management and Analytics, Supplier Relationships, Global Sourcing and Procurement and ran Daymon’s import and export businesses. As a member of the ELT Dan was instrumental in re-inventing Daymon from consulting/brokerage company to a broader retail services company. Dan left Daymon at the end of 2013 and joined Trilliant Food and Nutrition in January of 2014 as the Vice President of Sales for national accounts and ecommerce.
For the last four years Dan has focused on the digital channel selling to ecommerce retailers and running multi-million-dollar businesses for Walmart.com and Jet.com.
And today, Dan is on the Faculty at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University where he teaches both graduates and undergraduates in Food and Consumables Marketing, Supply Chain Strategy, and he is the Director of External Education for the Food Industry Management Program.
Dan has an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

Show Bio...
Michael Hostetler is a faculty member of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Mr. Hostetler's main research and teaching interests are in strategy, decision-making, leadership, high performance teams, innovation and change management. He has taught classes in the MBA program, Executive MBA program and the Cornell-Queen's EMBA program, as well as many non-degree executive education programs.
Mr. Hostetler is also the author of on-line courses in strategic thinking, scenario planning, leadership, and team effectiveness for eCornell, Cornell’s distance learning subsidiary. These programs have been used by corporations around the world to enhance their executive development programs, including IBM, CSC, AP Moeller Maersk, the U.S. Navy, Delta Hotels and Resorts, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police among many others.
Mr. Hostetler also consults with private and non-profit organizations, both domestically and internationally. In particular, he works frequently in the health care, financial services, manufacturing and food industries. Recent clients include the Lehigh Valley Health Network, the Community Health Foundation of Buffalo, New York, the P2 Collaborative of Western New York, Northern Trust, Schwan’s, LG, United Technologies, Driscoll’s, Philip Morris International, Citigroup, Victaulic Co., Anthony Marano Co., Nunasi Corp., Ahold Delhaize, Sun World International, Samsung, LG, Sony, NACS, United Fresh, Vantage Foods, OSRAM, Baldor, NGA, and SG Cowen. Mr. Hostetler has also designed and taught a number of executive development programs and strategy consulting projects globally, including the U. S., Great Britain, Holland, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Venezuela, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, India, Dubai, and Egypt.
Also, because of his strong interests in leadership and leadership development and high performing teams, Mr. Hostetler has been an active executive coach and has worked one-on-one with hundreds of managers and executives around the world.
As associate dean at the Johnson School from1992-2003, he had P&L responsibilities for managing all public and custom executive programs. In addition, he launched and managed the Johnson School's Executive MBA program during its first two years of operation and served on the committee that developed the Cornell-Queen's EMBA Program.
Prior to joining Cornell University, Mr. Hostetler was assistant dean for executive education at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. His prior experience also includes positions with St. Mary's Medical Center, the University of Tennessee, and the Office of the Governor of Kentucky. Mr. Hostetler is an emeritus trustee of the International University Consortium for Executive Education.

Show Bio...
Barbara Mink is a Senior Lecturer of Management Communication at the Johnson Graduate School of Management. She is a management communication professional with a focus on intercultural communication, leadership, and persuasion. She teaches persuasive and informational writing for business purposes, as well as business presentations that are clear, concise, and compelling. She was news director of WHCU radio from 1978 to 1986, and taught radio journalism at Ithaca College and Cornell. Mink served on the Tompkins County Legislature for 12 years, and as its chair for five. She was also founder and director of the Light in Winter Festival of Science and the Arts from 1999-2011. Mink is a visiting lecturer at ESCP Europe in Paris, where she teaches effective leadership through communication. Mink is also an active painter with an international presence.
Registration for the 2023 NACS Executive Leadership Program is now open. Reserve your seat today!
Register Now
Registration Pricing:
NACS Member - $3,995
A tuition endowment from Reynolds makes this program most affordable for all NACS retail member companies. With financial support from Reynolds, program tuition is $3,995, which includes instruction, course materials, assessments, lodging, scheduled meals and entertainment.
Please note: Registration is limited to retailer, distributor, and state association member companies only. State Associations, please contact Brandi Mauro at bmauro@convenience.org to register.
Classroom & Lodging
Cornell University
Statler Hotel
130 Statler Drive
Ithaca, NY 14853
Lodging at Cornell’s Statler Hotel and scheduled meals are included in the total cost of the program. NACS will handle the booking of your room.
The program fee includes 4 nights (Sunday, July 30 – Wednesday, August 2). If an Early Arrival (the evening of Saturday, July 29) or Late Departure (the evening of Thursday, August 3) is needed, then please notify Brandi Mauro at bmauro@convenience.org. Evenings outside of the program dates are at the participant’s expense. Payment for the additional night is due at the time of check-in.
Classes are scheduled to take place within the Statler building.
NACS will share COVID requirements for the 2023 NACS Executive Leadership Program as they are available. However, reference the requirements in place for the 2022 NACS Executive Leadership Program:
COVID Requirements for Attendees:
Upon arrival, you will be required to provide one of the following:
- Proof of being fully vaccinated (14-days from final dose of vaccine) with a US-approved vaccine;
- Proof of being fully recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days;
- A negative PCR COVID-19 test result(s) taken no sooner than 72 hours prior to arrival
Every day you are on campus, you will be asked by the Program Administrator or a designee the following health assessment questions:
- In the last 3 days, have you been feeling any different from usual? Have you had any symptoms linked to COVID-19? (This could include being tired; having a dry cough or a fever; having a headache or a sore throat; feeling achy or being congested; losing smell or taste. Other symptoms are listed here.)
- If YES: Have you spoken with your health care professional and been cleared to participate in in-person activities?
- In the past 2 weeks, have you been around someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or someone that you think might have COVID-19?
- If YES: Have you spoken with your health care professional and been cleared to participate in in-person activities?
- Do you have any reason to think that you may have been exposed to COVID-19?
All individuals on the Cornell campus are required to wear a mask indoors and maintain 6-foot physical distance with others, regardless of vaccination status. Also, Cornell is required all staff be vaccinated.
Transfer of registration to another person within your company may be possible and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Cancellations received on or before June 18 will be charged a $250 administrative fee. After June 18, the full amount of the registration fee will be forfeited. Registration cancellations or transfer requests must be emailed to bmauro@convenience.org by June 18, 2023.
Your hotel is reserved when you register for the Executive Leadership Program. If you are unable to attend the program, need to cancel, and have alerted Brandi Mauro (bmauro@convenience.org) of your cancellation request, then NACS will handle the cancellation of your hotel.
All registered participants will be notified of updates or changes via direct email as soon as they are made. In addition, the program’s webpage will also be kept up to date.
Resources: For the latest industry information and updates, please visit our COVID-19 Resources page, which is updated regularly in consultation with government and public health officials as well as venue partners as new guidance becomes available.