NACS Financial Leadership Program at Wharton

Who Should Attend?

This program is designed for leaders across the convenience industry who want to elevate their financial expertise and drive organizational success. It’s ideal for those looking to build strategic skills that go beyond the classroom, enabling them to positively impact their organization’s bottom line and lead with greater financial confidence.

Whether you're a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this program equips you with the tools to make smarter, financially strategic decisions that benefit both your career and your organization.

The NACS Financial Leadership Program is tailored for:

• CEOs of small retail chains (25-50 stores)
• Operational and financial leaders in medium-sized retail chains (51–150 stores)
• Rising executives and decision-makers in larger retail chains (151+ stores)

Participant Roles

Participating Companies Include

• Casey’s
• Circle K
• Love’s Travel Centers
• OXXO
• RaceTrac
• Sheetz

What to Expect

The NACS Financial Leadership Program at Wharton is designed to equip leaders with the strategic, financial, and operational skills needed to drive long-term business success. Throughout the week, participants will engage in a highly interactive learning experience that blends executive leadership, business strategy, customer insights, and financial decision-making tailored to the convenience industry.

Program Highlights:

• Corporate Strategy & Value Creation
  Explore how financial leaders contribute to enterprise strategy and create long-term organizational value.
• C-Suite Leadership
  Develop executive-level thinking and gain insight into the strategic mindset required to lead across functions and influence organizational direction.
• Financial Forecasting & Performance Metrics
  Learn how to build stronger forecasting capabilities, leverage key performance indicators (KPIs), and measure operational success effectively.
• Competitive Strategy & Customer Centricity
  Examine how customer behavior, positioning, and lifetime value impact competitive advantage and business growth.
• Strategic Execution & Scenario Planning
  Focus on translating strategy into action through execution planning, decision-making frameworks, and future-focused scenario analysis.
• Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Business
  Discuss the evolving role of AI in business strategy, operations, and leadership decision-making.
• Applied Learning Through the QuickDash Case Study
  Participate in an immersive multi-day case study focused on strategic assessment, prioritization, customer lifetime value, and executive-level reporting.
• Executive Insights
  Hear directly from industry and business leaders about navigating leadership challenges, strategic growth, and financial decision-making in complex environments.

This program combines high-level strategic thinking with practical financial and operational tools to help leaders confidently navigate change, drive performance, and lead with impact.

To get a better understanding of what the program offers, take a look at the course schedule (PDF). Attendees should plan to arrive by 2:30 PM ET on Sunday, July 12 and depart after 1:15 PM ET on Friday July 17.

Attendees also earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits upon completion. Aresty Institute of Executive Education, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit.

The NACS Financial Leadership Program is administered by the professors of the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania tailoring the training specifically towards the convenience industry. Meet the professors lined up to present at the program.

Classroom & Lodging
The Wharton School | University of Pennsylvania
Steinberg Conference Center
255 South 38th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104

Lodging at the Steinberg Conference Center on the University of Pennsylvania campus and scheduled meals are included in the total cost of the program. NACS will handle the booking of your room only (arrival of Sunday, July 12 and departure of Friday, July 17). For accommodations before or after your program, we suggest one of the hotels near campus in the University City area or in Center City, Philadelphia. A complete list of hotels is available through Visit Philadelphia. The staff at the SCC can also assist you if you have any additional questions after arrival. 

Classes will also take place in the Steinberg Conference Center. Visit Directions to Penn and Penn’s Facilities & Real Estate Services for directions to Wharton’s Philadelphia campus, campus maps, parking locations, and accessibility and building information.