After 20 years of leading NACS, Henry Armour officially closes out his chapter as president and CEO today, December 31. Armour will be succeeded by Frank Gleeson, who will officially step into the role on January 1, 2026.

Don’t worry—Henry isn’t going anywhere. He will remain with NACS to lead its international activities over the next several years.

Here’s a snapshot of Henry’s most transformative actions during his tenure, and more places you can read about, and listen to, a celebration of Armour’s impact on the industry.

Global Focus: Henry often quotes William Gibson, a Canadian futurist who said that “The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed.” Gibson’s quote has ultimately served as the “the driving force of our NACS global engagement” over the past two decades, said Henry.

“Look around the world. If you’re interested in better-for-you foodservice and convenience, look at Western Europe and Denmark in particular. If you want to look at payment systems today, I think India is about to pass China because its national currency is being digitized. If you want to look at natural gas as a transportation fuel, look at Argentina, where 60% of the vehicles are powered by natural gas. If you want to look at EVs, it’s Norway and China,” Henry said.

Carefully Nurtured Culture: NACS could serve as a brilliant case study for how an organization’s culture—with the right leader steering the ship—can take a 180. The culture at NACS grew into its driving force. It focuses on constructive behaviors and relishes diverse perspectives. And it goes much deeper than being nice, said Henry: “That’s not what culture is. Culture is about constructive engagement. It’s about respecting and relishing diverse perspectives so that you can see all facets of the diamond before you make decisions. It’s not squishy—it’s measurable.”

Investing in Education: Building off of the first NACS Executive Leadership Program at Cornell, Henry grew the Executive Education program into the five-course arm that it is today. “These programs are designed to help our industry not only survive but prosper and grow in a very dynamic world, a very changing world, to equip rising stars with a great foundation in management and in leadership,” said Henry.

Read more in “Celebrating 20 Years of Leadership With Henry Armour,” in the December 2025 issue of NACS Magazine.

Henry also sat down with NACS Vice President of NACS Media & Strategic Communications Jeff Lenard for a two-part conversation on NACS’ Convenience Matters podcast. Listen to part one, where Henry shared the biggest focus areas that were top of mind for NACS during the past two decades, and part two, a behind the scenes look at our industry’s biggest successes in the past 20 years, from debit swipe fee reform to enhancing the industry’s image.