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Event
July
2026
19-24

NACS Marketing Leadership Program at Kellogg

Evanston, IL, United States
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Date & Time

Jul 19-24, 2026

Location:

Evanston, IL, United States
Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Countdown:

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Know Your Customer. Be More Effective.

When you deeply understand and connect with your customer, you excel. When you don’t, you decline. Marketing is about building connections that create loyalty and showing customers that you understand them and you have what they need.

Designed for senior-level convenience industry executives looking to hone in on branding, consumer experience, and analytics, this program will help you make your company more customer-centric and gain a competitive edge. 

The NACS Marketing Leadership Program helps convenience leaders:

  • Determine the most attractive targets for your company’s offerings to drive organizational growth
  • Build and strengthen company brand positioning
  • Optimize the customer experience and influence customer choices
  • Gain and translate insights about consumers’ goals, beliefs and behaviors into an effective marketing strategy
  • Learn how to lead modern marketing-driven organizations

This program has been customized for the convenience and fuel retailing industry, and is administered by faculty in the Kellogg School of Management, ranked No. 3 (tie) in Best Business Schools by US News and World Report – providing a once-a-year chance for high-potential executives to get immersive industry-specific training from world-class marketing experts. 


Kellogg_MLP_Logo


Endowed byKDP
McLane
NIQ

The program was outstanding and provided new ways of thinking about problems. I enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone and flexing into areas I don’t normally swim in.”
Past Participant

Who Should Attend?

Ideal for senior marketing professionals and rising leaders in any role, this program equips you with the insights and tools to navigate branding, analytics, and customer strategy—helping you stand out as a versatile and forward-thinking leader. 

Participant Roles

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Participating Companies Include

  • Casey’s
  • Circle K Stores Inc.
  • OXXO, Inc.
  • Love’s
  • Sheetz
It was a great experience! The course exceeded my expectations, as well as the Kellogg campus and facilities. It was interesting to meet industry peers from different parts of the world.”
Mariano Arzubi Borda, Operations Manager, YPF

The NACS Marketing Leadership Program will take place on Northwestern’s campus Sunday, July 19 through Friday, July 24, 2026.

Check out the program schedule (PDF) for an idea of what to expect. Attendees should plan to arrive no later than 1 PM CT on Sunday, July 19 and depart after 1 PM CT on Friday, July 24. Flight departures should start after 3:00 PM CT.

The program kicks off on Sunday afternoon with introductory sessions from academic director, Julie Hennessy, followed by an industry update from NACS CEO and President, Frank Gleeson. Top Kellogg professors will guide the participants through the rest of the week with topics ranging from AI and Digital Strategy to Customer Loyalty Programs and so much more. In addition to the sessions, attendees will work on a group project and case study to apply the concepts learned throughout the week.

Attendees will also attend a live-virtual kick-off webinar scheduled for July 8, 2026 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT. An invite with login instructions will be sent by the Kellogg team as the program approaches. During that time, attendees will receive an introduction on what to expect onsite and an overview of any pre-work assignments.

The NACS Marketing Leadership Program is administered by faculty in the Kellogg School of Management, ranked the 2024 Best Business School for marketing MBA programs by US News and World Report. 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 program.


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Classroom

Kellogg-Global-HubKellogg Global Hub
2211 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208

Located in the heart of Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus, the Kellogg Global Hub is a modern, light-filled building on the shores of Lake Michigan. The goal is to create a special environment for learning that anticipates all educational and logistical needs in a seamless fashion, minimizing distractions from the learning experience. Participants are met with technologically advanced classrooms and collaboration spaces, as well as private dining room and break areas.

Hotel-OrringtonLodging

Hilton Orrington Hotel
1710 Orrington Avenue
Evanston, Illinois, 60201

Overnight accommodations will be at the Hilton Orrington Hotel and are included as part of the program with check-in after 3pm on Sunday, July 19, and check-out before class begins on your final morning of Friday, July 24.  Shuttle transportation and meals are included and will be at the Hotel, the Global Hub or a nearby restaurant. If you need to reserve additional nights before or after the program, please contact the hotel directly.

As the program begins at 1:00 PM CT (before hotel check-in), participants are welcome to go directly to the Global Hub, where luggage storage will be available until rooms are ready after the group dinner that evening. For return travel, we recommend booking flights departing after 3:00 PM CT on Friday, July 24.

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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 1 will be charged a $250 administrative fee. After June 1, the full amount of the registration fee will be forfeited. Registration cancellations or transfer requests must be emailed to [email protected] by June 1, 2026.

Your hotel is reserved when you register for the Marketing Leadership Program. If you are unable to attend the program, need to cancel, and have alerted Brandi Mauro ([email protected]) of your cancellation request, then NACS will handle the cancellation of your hotel. However, if you made a reservation for nights outside of the program dates, then you will need to notify the hotel directly.

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.

Yes, the Kellogg team will share the pre-work assignments prior to the onsite program. Pre-work assignments include pre-readings and an AD submission of your choosing (i.e. an AD that your company has produced). More details will be shared during the virtual pre-program orientation.

Classes are conducted in an informal setting; business casual attire is recommended. Layering is the best idea for our climate and temperature variances in the building.

Participants will have access to NU’s Henry Crown Sports Facility and Norris Aquatics Center. More information about the facilities can be found: https://nurecreation.com/facilities

Overnight accommodations will be at the Hilton Orrington Hotel and are included as part of the program with check-in after 3pm on Sunday, July 19, and check-out before class begins on your final morning of Friday, July 24. If you need to reserve additional nights before or after the program, please contact the hotel directly ( +1 847-866-8700).

There is not a dedicated shuttle from the airports to campus. There are public transportation (bus and train) options if participants wish to utilize Chicago’s transit system (more information here: https://www.transitchicago.com/.) Otherwise, taxis or shared ride services (Lyft, Uber) are recommended options.

MoC-logo_770x320

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: [email protected] or (703) 518-4223.

Now Open

Registration

NACS Member Pricing - $4,995

A tuition endowment from Keurig Dr Pepper, McLane, and NIQ makes this program most affordable for all NACS retail member companies. With financial support from the endowers, program tuition is $4,995, which includes instruction, course materials, assessments, lodging, scheduled meals, and entertainment. A portion of the registration fee supports NACS Alumni Network activities.



Please note: Registration is limited to retailer, distributor, and state association member companies only. State Associations, please contact Brandi Mauro at [email protected] to register.

Contact

Brandi Mauro

Program Manager, Executive Education

NACS

(703) 518-4223

Brandi Mauro combines her project management expertise with a passion for building meaningful relationships and creating opportunities for growth. She leads the development and execution of NACS education programs, including five Executive Education programs, the HR Forum, and the Food Safety Forum, and supports educational programming for the NACS Show. She oversees program design, production, and delivery, while cultivating strategic partnerships that enhance key events and create meaningful experiences for attendees.

In her free time, she enjoys family time with her husband, Chris, and their three active boys, Alex, Sam, and Teddy.

Not sure which program to attend?

Please contact NACS Education to schedule an advising session.

Schedule Consultation >

(703) 518-4223

NACS serves the global convenience and fuel retailing industry by providing industry knowledge, connections and issues leadership to ensure the competitive viability of its members’ businesses.

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