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

To me, politically engaged means being involved in as much as possible, as often as possible, because every voice matters. Despite all issues not directly being related to our business (ATMs), anything that positively or negatively impacts foot traffic in convenience stores, impacts our business, as well as every retailer and supplier. That is very important, and something that I always keep in the back of my head. I’ve benefited not only from being involved in the positive results of our industry’s efforts, but I’ve made some long-lasting relationships with retailers, who see the time, effort and true concern that I have in the issues that impact their businesses.

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

EV charging infrastructure is something that concerns me, and the industry’s opinion is highly misunderstood. Bottom line, we desire to sell any source of legal transportation energy, and whether that is motor fuels or electricity, we should be able to have the option, be considered and receive the same benefits as other industries. Our industry has spent the last century working with all levels of government to provide the best locations, products and services to motor vehicle drivers. That will only continue in our great industry, and I’m optimistic that we will get the same opportunities and benefits as other industries as this infrastructure is built out in the future.

What c-store product could you not live without?

My wife and I have two young girls, and our family is 1,000 miles away, so we often use babysitters. With cash still being king and being the preferred method of payment for our babysitters, we know we can always rely on a convenience store to have an operational ATM so we can get cash before we head home.