In response to the issues of store security, safety and loss prevention becoming more top of mind to retailers, NACS is hosting the first Loss Prevention and Safety Symposium. The event, designed specifically for the convenience channel and its unique challenges, will take place December 3 and 4 in Dallas, Texas.

“The volume of concerns being expressed by our members regarding protecting their people and managing their assets has risen to unprecedented levels, and so over the course of the last year we’ve convened research and an industry working group to understand the key pain points and where solutions and dialogue are needed. The result is this important new industry event,” said Lori Buss Stillman, vice president of research and education at NACS. “It is a timely event developed for the industry by the industry, with leading convenience industry loss prevention and asset protection leaders sharing insights because it’s a topic that they care deeply about.”

The two-day symposium is packed with educational content, peer-to-peer networking, hands-on solutions and more. Here is a look at the can’t-miss agenda.

The event will kick off on the afternoon of December 3 with an opening session on the growing threat of crime and safety in convenience retail led by the Honorable Alan Wilson, attorney general, South Carolina.

The morning of December 4 will begin with a panel discussion in which top industry leaders including Mark Stinde, vice president, asset protection, Casey’s; Art Lazo, vice president, asset protection, 7-Eleven; Britt Davidson, senior manager of asset protection, Parker’s Kitchen; and moderator Stefanie Hoover, vice president and editor-in-chief, Loss Prevention Magazine will share priorities and strategies to protect people and stores in 2025 and beyond.

The agenda is divided into three tracks: protecting people, safeguarding against loss and investing in safer communities.

In breakout sessions focused on protecting people, the agenda includes:

• Critical de-escalation tactics and strategies for mitigating violence led by Michael Loox, senior manager of store security and loss prevention at Sheetz, and Courtney Trieger, manager of retail asset support at EG America
• A fresh look at addressing vulnerable populations and leveraging community resources led by Wes Pate, VP of loss prevention and risk management at Refuel Operating Company
• Important insights on navigating new workplace violence training requirements for retailers, led by Stephanie A. Sheridan, executive committee member; chair, retail & e-commerce; San Francisco partner-in-charge Benesch, Eisenberg, DiMedio, Sheridan and Vatis

The need to develop strategies and solutions for protecting stores against loss will be covered in three important breakout sessions:

• Given the rise of fuel theft and payment fraud, Wawa’s Bryon Coleman, manager of asset protection and security, will lead a session about protecting against shimmers, skimmers and fuel pump manipulation
• Glenn Master, head of asset protection, security and crisis management at McLane and the president and board chairman of the International Supply Chain Protection Organization will share critical priorities retailers and suppliers must address to harden the supply chain against loss
• The critical approach of “Total Retail Loss” will be deconstructed by Casey’s Mark Stinde, to help retailers look beyond the fundamental areas of asset protection and ensure retailers are looking at all areas of loss that can have a significant impact on business financials and store safety

At the heart of convenience is the role stores play in the communities they call home. The final set of breakout sessions offer insights to help retailers invest in safer communities:

• Parker’s Britt Davidson will share the critical roles that technology can play to identify, predict, and more effectively mitigate threats and losses
• Stillman will join with the Loss Prevention Council to discuss the important role incident reporting and benchmarking plays in identifying systemic industry challenges and strengthening advocacy efforts at the federal, state and local levels
• Michael Junk, manager of public affairs and government at QuikTrip; TJ Tatum, principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs; and NACS’ government relations manager Margaret Hardin Mannion will discuss how retailers can build partnerships with local government, law enforcement and other retailers to strengthen their approach to combating retail crime

Following sessions in the three tracks, attendees will gather to discuss:

• Mitigating tobacco theft with Rich Marianos, assistant director (Retired), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and professor, Georgetown University; and Carlos Canino, special agent (Retired), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• Preparing for cyberthreats with Kaitlin Upchurch, SVP, Texas series cyber & technology practice leader, Lockton Companies, focusing on strategies necessary to protect sensitive data, mitigate risks and maintain customer trust in today’s digital economy
• Legislative priorities for the 119^th Congress and how to navigate store safety and loss prevention priorities under a new administration as a new president takes office and a new congressional session begins

NACS has developed resources, "Communicating During a Crisis", that provides suggestions for how to streamline communications during a crisis. In addition, NACS hosted a webinar titled “De-escalation Techniques for Retailers,” which discussed de-escalation and the challenges the industry is experiencing with violence and potentially violent situations.

See the full agenda here and register for the event here.