Convenience Matters – Details, episodes & analysis

Henry shares the biggest focus areas that were top of mind for NACS during the past two decades.

Hosted by:
Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:
Henry Armour, NACS President and CEO
Henry has served as NACS president and CEO since 2005 after spending his entire career in the convenience and fuel retailing industry. Beginning January 1, 2026, he will shift roles and lead international activities at NACS.

What separates a successful snack from the pack? Storytelling can be effective and important to sustaining a brand.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Jason Liebig, Brand History Expert, Television Host

Jason is a noted brand historian, consultant, television personality and speaker, known for his deep knowledge of consumer brands and behavior. In demand for his unique perspective and captivating storytelling, he's often referred to as "The Indiana Jones of Brands" due to his extensive archive and collection of vintage brand packaging, numbering at over 100,000 pieces.

The U.S. Mint stopped producing the penny earlier this year, which has triggered a penny shortage. Find out what's happening behind the scenes and what retailers can do.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Anna Ready Blom, NACS Strategic Advisor, Government Relations

Anna serves as a policy advisor to the NACS government relations team. During her 10-plus years at NACS, she led numerous advocacy campaigns and has been recognized as one of "The Hill's Top Lobbyists" for three years in a row. Anna previously worked on Capitol Hill for members of Congress from her home state of South Carolina.

The early forecasts of the convenience retailing industry's 2023 performance are positive. Which trends stood out and what do preliminary numbers tell us about where the industry is heading in 2024?

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Chris Rapanick, Managing Director, NACS Research

Chris oversees the day-to-day operations of NACS Research, manages and directs departmental financial and operational performance, and drives strategic development of NACS long-term research capabilities and offerings for the convenience industry.

Electric vehicles may be the future, but that doesn't mean they don't have challenges today. Hear how Plaid Pantry is redefining EV charging at convenience stores.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Jonathan Polonsky, CEO, Plaid Pantry

As the CEO of Plaid Pantry, a chain of convenience stores in the Pacific Northwest, Jonathan leads a team of over 700 employees across 106 locations, serving more than 50,000 customers daily.

Over the past year, we visited more than 100 convenience stores. We'll share what we saw at c-stores and what it might mean to your business in 2024.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

Our top-downloaded episode of 2023: Store managers have a significant impact on hiring and retaining great people. Hear how one retailer is coaching her team so they can be at their best.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Annie Gauthier, CFO & Co-CEO, St. Romain Oil Company (dba Y-Not Stop)

Annie is CFO/Co-CEO of St. Romain Oil Company (dba Y-Not Stop), based in Mansura, Louisiana. A third-generation co-owner, she works with her two brothers and 300-plus team members to refuel and refresh the Louisiana communities where they operate.

What's fact or fiction related to how quickly electric vehicles will grow sales? How today's market evolves is dependent upon economics and politics, and both are highly unpredictable.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

John Eichberger, Executive Director, Transportation Energy Institute

John has more than 20 years of experience in the fuels industry, including more than a decade leading the Transportation Energy Institute (formerly known as the Fuels Institute). Prior to that, he served for 15 years as vice president of government relations at NACS, with a focus on fuels- and energy-related issues.

Wages and benefits are the largest expense to your business, but can also have the greatest ROI. Competitive hiring practices can help you get and keep great people who advance your business from the front line. Find out if your offer is competitive and learn about the data and resources NACS has to help.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Jayme Gough, Market Research Manager, NACS

Jayme has been at NACS since 2017 and loves "geeking out" on industry data collected and analyzed by NACS. In her current role, she oversees the NACS suite of HR-focused research projects, most notably the annual NACS Compensation Survey.

Convenience stores are in the relationships business. Over the past two decades, Michael Davis has played a central role in connecting retailers. Listen as he shares ideas on how to connect with industry peers.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Michael Davis, NACS Vice President of Member Services

Michael has spent the past 18 years at NACS and even longer in the industry, always taking that extra step to connect retailers to solutions and each other. His background includes owning and operating a small c-store and coffee bar, website design, online publishing and trendspotting.