What role in the community do you think convenience stores should play? 

As a convenience store owner and operator, I’ve seen firsthand the impact we have on a community. Each year, our industry serves 99% of the American public, so we truly have our fingers on the pulse of the areas in which we operate. 

On top of that, our team members at the store level live in these communities, and we care deeply about things that affect them.

I believe that our role, as stewards of these areas, is to help provide a safe and convenient space for community members to visit and shop, along with finding ways to support them. Finding local charities that connect to the values of your organization and employees is a great way to further ingrain ourselves with the people we serve. 

What does NACS political engagement mean to you, and what benefits have you experienced from being politically engaged? 

NACS political engagement means elevating above our individual organizations and advocating for industry-wide issues. I’ve benefited from this because it helps me better understand what the politicians are thinking and how to best communicate our issues to them. I’ve been able to take this experience back to the state level, too. 

What federal legislative or regulatory issues keep you up at night?

Currently, the impact that agencies like OSHA have on our business is my biggest concern. If the current regulations on vaccination are allowed to stand, it’s hard to tell what will be mandated next and when. The entire supply chain could be thrown into flux, depending on the outcome.

What c-store product could you not live without? 

Rutter’s Chocolate Milk.