ALEXANDRIA, Va.—NACS established the NACS Master of Convenience designation in 2019 to acknowledge  the hard work and investment that NACS members have made in their personal leadership development. It is awarded to convenience retailers who have attended three or more of the five NACS Executive Education programs.

“Clearly, the COVID-19 crisis highlighted the critical need both for talented leaders and for empowering those leaders and the teams around them. Our NACS executive education programs—with Cornell, Wharton, Kellogg, Yale and MIT—are a big help in developing those leaders,” said NACS President and CEO Henry Armour.

With the support of their organizations, recipients of the NACS Master of Convenience designation have prioritized self-improvement, which in turn contributes to the growth and excellence of their company and the convenience retailing industry.

To celebrate and recognize their achievement, each year NACS Master of Convenience recipients are invited to attend the NACS Leadership Forum. At this invitation-only exclusive event, attendees learn alongside nearly 200 c-suite leaders and network at receptions and dinners. NACS recognizes recipients on the Leadership Forum stage and presents them with a special certificate and pin.

Congratulations to the 2021 NACS Masters of Convenience recipients, who were recognized at the NACS Leadership Forum this year in Kansas City in May:

• Kelly Bucher, director of product management, Casey’s
• Gary Price, executive vice president of truck care, Love’s Travel Stops
• Anne Gauthier, CFO and co-CEO, St. Romain Oil

• NACS Women’s Leadership Program at Yale endowed by Altria
• NACS Innovation Leadership Program at MIT endowed by Gilbarco, PDI, Mondelez, Shell
• NACS Executive Leadership Program at Cornell endowed by Reynolds
• NACS Financial Leadership Program at Wharton endowed by Cash Depot
• NACS Marketing Leadership Program, endowed by Keurig Dr Pepper, Nielsen, Frito-Lay