- Get a first-look at the consumer, financial and operational data months before the SOI Report is released.
- Benchmark your business against competitors in your region and across the country.
- Get ahead of trends before they get ahead of you with the latest economic, consumer, convenience and adjacent channel trends that impact your business.
- Retailers and industry experts share insights that will help you capitalize on trends, avoid pitfalls and optimize the performance of your business.
Leading retailers and industry partners who want to stay ahead of emerging trends and appreciate the value of using data-driven benchmarking to improve their businesses.
• Chief executives, presidents, & owners
• Senior leadership across the organization
• Staff from key functions:
• Analytics/Data/Insights
• Category Management
• Development
• Finance
• Marketing
• Merchandising
• Operations
• Real Estate
• Sales
• Strategy
With 50 years of convenience industry data, analysis and strategic insights behind it, NACS State of the Industry (SOI) Summit provides the data-powered answers you need to help set the course forward for your business. Each spring, we bring together business professors, economists and top-performing c-store retailers to help break down the latest consumer, financial and operational data across the convenience channel—live from the stage. Historically held over two fast-paced days, this year’s virtual event is the industry’s only event where convenience retailers gain access to the newest metrics—as well as industry trends, opportunities and ‘watch-outs’—in essential topic areas such as finance, labor, store operations, merchandising and fuel sales.
NEW! Collaboration and Q/A Discussion:
In this virtual experience format, we realize one of the most powerful benefits of the live, in-person State of the Industry Summit – networking with industry friends and peers – cannot be replicated. We’re excited to bring new virtual collaboration, interactive questions and discussions to the 2020 SOI Summit Virtual Experience. Each session will be accompanied by interactive discussion boards, an “ask the presenter” question and answer forum and opportunities to engage with other attendees on your thoughts and ideas for each presentation.
The complete on-demand, virtual program will be available for viewing beginning April 14, 2020 at 9:00am EDT. All session presentations will be released simultaneously and can be viewed individually—at your own pace, on your own time—but we recommend following the proposed agenda we’ve outlined below. (additional details can be found under our FAQ tab.)
Welcome
Andy Jones, Program Host & President and CEO, Sprint Food Stores Inc
The State of the Industry Part One: Key Operational and Financial Lessons from 2019
Charlie McIlvaine, Chairman/CEO, Coen Markets Inc.
Charlie McIlvaine will share part one of the State of the Industry preliminary data, highlighting critical lessons and perspectives from the 2019 data. Focus will be on the operational and financial insights gleaned from the data and recommendations on key industry priorities for 2020 and beyond.
The Return of the Economist
Anirban Basu, Chairman and CEO, Sage Policy Group Inc.
Anirban Basu will present detailed discussions on global, national and regional economic performance using the most current data available. Special attention will be devoted to certain aspects of economic life, including the performance of the financial, labor, real estate and construction markets. He also will provide an outlook regarding the impact of elections and the current policy making environment and likely economic outcomes.
The Convenience Consumer
Larry Levin, Executive Vice President, Market and Shopper Intelligence, Information Resources Inc.
The convenience channel is among the fastest, most vibrant growing channels in the U.S. Consumer Packaged Goods market. The channel enjoys a 19% share of dollars but an astounding 28% of industry growth. Understanding the impact of consumer perceptions will continue to fuel growth for manufacturers and retailers alike. Join IRi’s Larry Levin as he uncovers key opportunities and challenges for our channel in the eyes of our shoppers.
The State of the Industry Part Two: Understanding Categories and the Need States That Drive Growth
Chuck Maggelet, Chief Adventure Guide, Maverik Inc.
As changing shopper behavior, lifestyle demands and innovation accelerate in all corners of the store, Chuck Maggelet will dig deep into the 2019 State of the Industry data to breakdown the categories that are generating store excitement. He also will share deep insights on ways retailers can capitalize on new shopper demands through assortment, merchandising and customer experience strategies.
Pivoting to Meet Communication Expectations in a New Normal
Moderator/Lead:
Jeff Lenard, Vice President, Strategic Industry Initiatives, NACS
Panelists:
Chris Jones, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Casey’s General Stores
Nick Ruffner, Public Relations Manager with Sheetz
Stephanie Sikorski, Vice President of Marketing at NACS and Executive Director of the NACS Foundation
Join Lenard and these three industry leaders as they discuss how retailers can find opportunities to target their messaging around new consumer expectations while building out their strategic communication plans. Panelists will also relay results from national NACS-led consumer focus groups and a March NACS retailer member survey on how convenience stores are responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The insights and evocative conversation provide important insight into the role values, consistency and transparency can play in effectively messaging to your employees, customers and communities in the midst of a crisis.
Transforming Convenience Through Food Experiences
Chris Wolf, Senior Vice President, Strategic Insights & Planning, The Marlin Network
Chef Thomas Talbert, Vice President, Culinary Marketing, CSSI
Chris Wolf and Chef Thomas Talbert will tag-team on the strategies and levers that convenience retailers can use to transform their foodservice business. From dayparts and menus to technology and touchless retail, this session will provide the keys needed to unlock powerful growth.
The Voice of the Convenience Customer: Winning Their Preference
Jose Gomes, President, North America, dunnhumby
What drives customer preference? The dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index (RPI) for Convenience Study sought to answer this question and surveyed nearly 7,000 U.S. consumers to discover not only what they think about c-stores and how consumers shop, but also to understand how they perceive quality, convenience and price, and how these perceptions affect both emotional bond and market performance. Jose Gomes will share insights from the RPI on how retailers can deliver a compelling value proposition and retail experience that aligns with customers’ needs.
Market Implications Emerging from Future Mobility
Denton Cinquegrana, Chief Oil Analyst, Oil Price Information Service (OPIS)
What does the future hold for alternative and fossil fuels? Denton Cinquegrana will recap the factors that affected motor fuel performance in 2019, as well as provide a look at what to expect in motor fuels markets in the next 12 months. He will discuss the longer-term outlook into the future of alternative fuels from an oil expert’s vantage point.
How Coronavirus is Reshaping Consumer Demands for Convenience
Caitlyn Battaglia, Associate Client Director, Nielsen
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads around the globe, understanding how consumers, retailers and their supply chain partners are responding to this pandemic is an urgent and timely topic for us all. Challenges arising from the spread of COVID-19 are reshaping consumer behavior as they grapple with the unknowns of this pandemic. Nielsen brings their global expertise to help bring clarity to how consumers are changing their shopping behavior in ways that could shape long term buying patterns. The patterns and behaviors of communities impacted in the early days of the virus provide learnings for markets in less impacted areas. We will share critical insight into how retailers and suppliers can navigate the continuing evolution of this pandemic in your own markets.
The Future of Last Mile Fulfillment in Convenience Retail
Lori Buss Stillman, Vice President, Research, NACS
In today’s increasingly digital world, the demand for ease of access to the products and services shoppers seek is increasingly measured by the time it takes to connect with consumers. With options for same day, next day, and 2-hour delivery windows; locker, curbside and drive-thru fulfillment, the landscape is increasingly cluttered with potential solutions. Convenience – anytime, anywhere convenience – is putting increased pressure on retailers to develop and partner with last mile fulfillment solutions to close the gap of time. Lori Stillman, NACS Vice President of Research, will look at the future of last mile fulfillment in the convenience channel and provide important insight on the ways in which retailers can win trips, grow baskets and reinforce convenience leadership in today’s marketplace. Lori will also preview the NACS Last Mile in Convenience study to be released in May 2020 and highlight the vision for this new research initiative.
Conversation: Navigating the Current Pandemic
Moderator:
Britt Brewer, Marketing Manager, NACS
Speakers:
Charlie McIlvaine, Chairman/CEO, Coen Markets Inc.
Chuck Maggelet, Chief Adventure Guide, Maverik Inc.
The SOI Virtual Experience was born out of a need to react to the here and now. We all have had to learn and react to changes on every front. We would be remiss to have industry retail leaders share insights about industry performance in 2019 and not discuss the current crisis in America. With that said, join Charlie McIlvaine and Chuck Maggelet as they share what their company and leadership teams learned in the early days of the pandemic, and how their companies prepared and are coping with the uncertainty facing us all.
It remains our commitment to deliver you timely, valuable industry content in a manner which does not jeopardize the personal safety of our members and employees. Therefore, the 2020 NACS State of the Industry Summit has transformed into the 2020 NACS State of the Industry Summit Virtual Experience. While this event is being produced out of an abundance of caution, we’re looking forward to delivering you the forward-looking thought leadership that is the hallmark of this event regardless of physical location.
Be the first to know for next year. Sign up below to be notified when registration opens for the 2021 NACS State of the Industry Summit.
Show Bio...
Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with offices in Pennsylvania and Cambodia. The firm provides strategic analytical services to energy suppliers, law firms, medical systems, government agencies, and real estate developers among others.
In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed him Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission. He also serves as chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee. He is also the Chief Economist to Associated Builders and Contractors and Chief Economic Advisor to the Construction Financial Management Association. He serves similar functions for Visit Baltimore, the Maryland Association of Realtors, and Marcum, LLC.
He lectures at Johns Hopkins University in Global Strategy and has also taught international economics, urban economics, micro- and macroeconomics at Hopkins. His radio show can be heard weekdays on 88.1FM, WYPR, Baltimore.
In both 2007 and 2016, the Daily Record newspaper selected Mr. Basu as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.
Mr. Basu has been on many boards over time, including First Mariner Bank, the Baltimore City Public School System, Port Discovery, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Union Memorial Hospital. He is currently on the boards of St. Mary’s College, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Center for Emerging Media, the Lyric Opera House and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System.
Mr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1990. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. His Juris Doctor was earned at the University of Maryland School of Law.
Show Bio...
Caitlyn Battaglia is an Associate Client Director in Nielsen's Retail Services group. In this role, she manages a number of retail accounts across the Convenience and Bev Al channels, connecting retail partners with the resources and insights they need to thrive in a competitive environment while also supporting broader retail initiatives. Prior to this role, Battaglia was a member of Nielsen's Beverage Alcohol Practice Area where she supported Nielsen's resources and thought leadership across beer, wine, and spirits clients. She also has a background in advanced analytics, including sales and marketing effectiveness, as well as supporting category management. A current Roanoke, VA resident, she holds a B.A. from Denison University and has been with Nielsen for nearly seven years.
Show Bio...
Denton has been with OPIS since 2001 and serves as the Chief Oil Analyst, responsible for the day to day operations of OPIS’ news and analysis division. In his role, Denton also provides big picture views to OPIS subscribers on a variety of topics from supply and demand trends to anticipating price moves in the futures, spot and retail markets in North America.
During his time at OPIS, Denton has covered a variety of markets from Natural Gas Liquids to U.S. refined spot markets. Before becoming the Chief Oil Analyst, Denton was leading the OPIS refined spots team.
He has been widely quoted and interviewed as an expert forecasting the price of oil and retail gasoline and diesel explaining what moves can mean for the consumer as well as the industry as a whole. Denton is a frequent contributor for major media outlets such as Fox Business, CNBC, MSNBC and CBS News.
Denton is a graduate of Rutgers University and football letter winner.
Show Bio...
Jose currently heads up dunnhumby’s business in North America, with responsibility for leading growth and expansion journey in the region. With over 10 years in the industry, Jose brings a wealth of retail, consultancy and brand experience, and a fantastic understanding of the complex retail market.
Prior to this, he was Managing Director of Latin America and Africa, where he oversaw an explosion of growth and expansion of dunnhumby's presence to Mexico and Argentina. Before that, Jose lead the start-up of Digital Media Services in Latin America for dunnhumby by building and taking to market products developed in partnership with the likes of Facebook and Google. During that time, he was responsible for personalizing the customer experience for thousands of shoppers of major Latin American and African Retailers and FMCGs, such as Raia Drogasil, Grupo Exito, Grupo Pão de Açucar, Shoprite, Dia and AB Inbev. Before joining dunnhumby, Jose worked in Investment Banking with BPI.
Show Bio...
Andy is the third generation in the family business. He began working at the full-service gas station at the age of 10. After graduating college, he worked for Georgia Pacific in Atlanta. In 1991, Andy returned home and began learning all aspects of the family business. In 1997, Sprint Food Stores was formed. Currently, Andy is President and CEO of Sprint Food Stores, MB Jones Oil Company and Town and Country Gas. He also is on the Executive Committee of both Georgia Oilmen’s Association and Augusta Tomorrow. Andy is on the Board of Governors of Augusta Country Club. He is also Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Episcopal Day School of Augusta.
Show Bio...
Jeff Lenard oversees NACS’ industry-wide external communications campaigns to advance the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. Lenard also serves as lead spokesperson and has conducted more than 6,000 media interviews about trends and innovations at the nation’s 153,000-plus convenience stores. In addition, he is the creator and co-host of the association’s award-winning weekly podcast, “Convenience Matters,” and oversees the long-running video series “Ideas 2 Go.”
Prior to joining NACS in 1999, Lenard served in communications and marketing functions for several energy-focused associations. He earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an M.B.A. in marketing from Syracuse University.
Show Bio...
Larry Levin has spent his entire career in market research, leading engagements for many of the world’s largest manufacturers and retailers including Pepsi, Coke, Lexus, Porsche, Nissan, Infiniti, Starbucks, Audi, Microsoft, and Disney, just to name a few. The first three decades of his career were spent at Synovate (formerly Market Facts), where he held a number of positions, including head of Global Automotive, executive director of International New Business Development and leader of two global conferences—one in Beijing and one in Cairo.
Following his tenure at Synovate, Levin joined TNS as head of its Consumer Sector. He was quickly elevated to president of Client Services and Relations, where he and Bob Tomei, current president of IRI’s Consumer & Shopper Marketing, co-led its North American business.
In February 2010, Levin joined IRI to lead its Survey Solutions group and was then promoted to run its overall Consumer Insights business.He also led IRI’s Business Development – New Solutions until he was named executive vice president of Consumer & Shopper Marketing in 2017.
Levin is a frequent speaker at a number of industry events, including Sweets & Snacks Expo, Confections State of the Industry, NACS State of the Industry, Shopper Marketing, HOP—State of Mass Beauty, FMI, New Products Innovation, NFRA and CSPA and has been a guest on Bloomberg Television’s Surveillance program as well as quoted in numerous periodicals.
Show Bio...
Chuck graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1986 in Electrical Engineering and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1991. In 1993, Chuck married Crystal Call, also an HBS 1991 graduate, and moved to Salt Lake City, shortly thereafter opening their first hotel, Crystal Inn. Together, they grew the portfolio to 14 hotels. Since 2011, Chuck served in various roles including Director, Chief Operating Officer and President of FJM Management, also serving its subsidiaries as Board Chairman for Big West Oil and TAB Bank. In 2016, Chuck was named Chief Adventure Guide for Maverik, Inc., the premier regional convenience retailer operating 300 stores across the intermountain west from its base camp in Salt Lake City. Crystal and Chuck enjoy skiing, bicycling, boating and travel with their four children: Drew, 21; Lexi, 18; and twins Hailey and Erica, 16. He is an avid pilot and has been an active member of Young Presidents Organization since 1997.
Show Bio...
Charlie McIlvaine is the Chairman & CEO of Coen Oil Company, LLC, a diversified holding company. Together with his brother Andy, they manage Coen Markets (a convenience retail chain in the Tri-State region of Pittsburgh, PA) and Coen Tire (a retail tire platform). Charlie is also Managing Partner of Thomaston Capital, LLC, a private investment firm that invests in growth or later stage companies primarily in the consumer/retail sector.
Charlie was previously a member of Avista Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York with $4 billion under management, where he focused on investments in the consumer sector. Prior to working in private equity, Charlie was Co-Global Group Head and Managing Director of the Global Consumer Group for Deutsche Bank. In this capacity, he had responsibility for managing a group of 50+ professionals across three global investment banking offices which generated revenues over $300 million. DB’s Global Consumer Group advised on mergers & acquisitions and raised debt and equity capital for clients in the food/beverage, household products/personal care, retail/restaurant and business services sectors. Previous to DB, Charlie was a senior member and Managing Director of J.P. Morgan’s Global Consumer Group in investment banking. While at J.P. Morgan, he executed financings and mergers and acquisitions for a wide range of consumer companies. He began his career as an investment banking analyst for Merrill Lynch based in New York and London.
Charlie holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, attended New College of Oxford University, and earned a BA in economics from Duke University.
Show Bio...
Lori Buss Stillman is Vice President of Research for NACS, leading the association’s portfolio offerings in support of industry performance benchmarking and analysis, labor and compensation insights, consumer tracking and custom research solutions. Stillman joined NACS in September 2019, following her role as EVP of Analytics, Insights and Intelligence for Advantage Solutions. She has additionally held leadership roles with Nielsen, Information Resources and Webco General Partnership. Her passion for industry disruptive trends and expertise in the FMCG retail landscape have attracted a wide following. Stillman is a sought-after speaker, having shared her deep insights and thought leadership at key industry, trade and supplier events. Lori earned her B.A. in Business Communications from Maryville University of Saint Louis. She is a member of the Path-to-Purchase Faculty and serves on the board of both the Coca-Cola NACS Retail Research Council and Conexxus.
Show Bio...
Thomas H. Talbert, RD is the Vice President, Culinary Marketing at CSSI, Marketing + Culinary, a full-service culinary and marketing communications Marlin Network agency. He leads a team of chefs and account planners in creative culinary development and innovation for the foodservice industry.
Thomas has years of experience in the foodservice industry, with a multidimensional background in culinary arts, product development, and dietetics. He is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University with an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Nutrition as well as a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s dietetics programs.
Thomas has worked at an assortment of fine and casual dining restaurants and consulted with the industry’s leading manufacturers and operators and has led product innovation and introductions into the retail channel.
Helping food manufacturers and restaurant chain operators develop and implement successful innovation practices is Thomas’ major focus at CSSI. His depth of knowledge is firmly grounded in experience as a chef and registered dietitian—presenting new culinary concepts and menu trends that have driven innovation at many of the top restaurant chains. Coupled with his expertise in product development, sales support and marketing strategy, he has helped clients achieve foodservice success in the U.S., South America, Asia and the Caribbean.
Show Bio...
For more than 20 years, Chris Wolf has been helping marketers to anticipate and address emerging consumer opportunities through strategy, innovation and brand development for companies including Tyson Foods, PepsiCo, 7 Eleven, Campbell Soup Co., M&M/Mars, Gerber/Novartis, McDonald’s, Nestle, Yum!Brands, Brinker International, Subway, Burger King, and Starbucks.
As a professional speaker and former journalist for The Food Channel and QSR Magazine, Chris’ forecasts, recommendations and ideas have attracted the attention of the media as well, including CBS This Morning, NPR, Psychology Today, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, as well as many trade publications. Wolf has a master’s degree in strategy and marketing from Kellogg Graduate School of Management and has taught marketing at Missouri State University and Drury University.
Chris has held roles at agencies, innovation consultancies and food manufacturing companies. He now leads planning and insights for the Marlin Network, managing a team that helps inspire consumer- and customer-led strategy to drive growth for brands.
MARLIN NETWORK
The Marlin Network is a subsidiary of Advantage Sales & Marketing, and includes Marlin Co., The Alchemedia Project, CSSI, and the Halverson Group, specializing in marketing, creative and culinary services for brands focused on hospitality and the experiential consumer.
Powered by 50 years of convenience data, analysis and insights, NACS State of the Industry Summit brings together industry stakeholders for the first look at the latest benchmarking data. Hear how you can position your business for growth and prepare for the future of convenience.
Attend SOI Summit to:
- Leverage insights from the experts on transformative topics: last mile delivery, consumer behavior, food experiences, the future of mobility, and more.
- Get a fresh look at the evolved convenience shopper—and how to win them over.
- Learn how top retail performers continue to outperform the competition.
- See which categories and needs states are driving growth.
- Access to on-demand content for your entire company
- Exclusive access to collaboration forums with industry peers discussing on SOI content
A Quick Look at the 2019 Summit:
What Past Attendees are Saying about the Summit:
What date is the SOI Summit Virtual Experience?
The complete on-demand, virtual program will be available at any time for viewing beginning on Tuesday, April 14 at 9:00am EDT through September 1, 2020.
I’ve registered for the SOI Summit Virtual Experience, when will I have access to view the on-demand programming?
Beginning Tuesday, April 14, 2020, all registered attendees under the same company will receive an email by 8:00am EDT with instructions and individual access to the on-demand viewing, which will be available for starting at 9:00am EDT.
Once an Enterprise package is purchased, how many additional people can register under my company at no extra charge?
After the first person with your company pays for the registration package, your company can register as many people as you’d like at no extra charge. Everyone must register and have a NACS Login to access the virtual site on April 14, 2020, beginning at 9:00am EDT.
What platform is the event being hosted on?
All events will be hosted on the NACS convenience.org website. A link will be provided to all registered participants where they may log in and view all individual presentations on-demand. The SOI Summit Virtual Experience site will provide a recommended order to view all presentations, however users can consume any or all presentations on-demand in their own preferred order.
How long will each session last?
Each session will last approximately 50 min. The complete on-demand, virtual program will be available for viewing beginning on Tuesday, April 14 at 9:00am EDT through September 1, 2020. All session presentations will be released simultaneously and can be viewed individually—at your own pace, on your own time—but we recommend following the proposed agenda.
How can we ask questions during Q&A for each program?
Each session will be accompanied by interactive discussion boards, an “ask the presenter” question and answer forum and opportunities to engage with other attendees on your thoughts and ideas for each presentation. These offerings will be available beginning April 14th. We hope that these discussions will be valuable to members during – and beyond – the virtual summit and become a new tool to facilitate collaboration on topics of interest to all.
How can I get a copy of the slides from the virtual event?
Select slide decks will be available for download, with the approval for release by the presenter, on the respective session page. The detailed “Part One” and “Part Two” State of the Industry slides will be provided via a link upon completion of the virtual event survey which will be emailed to you/pop-up after you watch at least one of the on-demand presentations.
How many times will I be able to view the on-demand presentations?
Each registrant will have up to five views of each on-demand presentation starting on April 14 at 9:00am EDT and ending on September 1, 2020.
How long will I be able to access the on-demand presentations?
You will have access to the site and speaker presentations until September 1, 2020.
What technology is required to fully participate in this event?
An Internet connection to access the NACS convenience.org website. No other technology is required.
What is your cancellation policy for this event?
Given the nature of this event, no cancellations will be accepted. However, registered members of your organization are free to "attend" and participate in the virtual community at any time after April 14th.
Will a copy of the attendee list for the virtual event be provided?
No, we will not be providing an attendee list for this event.
Will I receive a copy of the SOI Report with my registration?
Only retail companies who submit data for the SOI Survey will receive one copy (per company) of the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2019 Data this Summer. All other attendees can purchase the SOI Report when it becomes available in our online store. Qualified Hunter Club companies will receive copies of the SOI Report (qualification is based on membership level).