NACS Names New Retailers to Board of Directors

LAS VEGAS -- The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) announced the election of eight new retailer members to its Board of Directors at the association’s board meeting on Nov. 18 during the NACS Show in Las Vegas.

A member-driven organization, NACS is led by a 42-member Board of Directors. Forty industry retailers are elected to the Board, including two retailers from non-North American countries. In addition, the chairman and chairman-elect of the NACS Supplier Board serve on the Board of Directors.

Each member of the Board also will serve on one of the association’s three board committees. Here are the new board members, listed by board committee:

Government Relations Board Committee

The NACS Government Relations Board Committee directs the association’s government relations activities, represents the industry on legislative and regulatory issues, and has ultimate responsibility for NACSPAC, the industry’s political action committee.

Jinger Duryea , president of South-Paris, Maine-based C.N. Brown Co. Duryea has been with C.N. Brown Co. since 1981, and has been president since 1995. The company operates 91 Big Apple Food Stores, 34 Red Shield Home Heating Oil offices and 16 service stations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. In addition, C.N. Brown services nearly 100 independently owned and operated dealer locations with their petroleum needs.

Gil Moore , president and CEO of Sacramento, Calif.-based New West Petroleum, a company he has owned and operated since 1986. New West began as a wholesale distribution company selling gasoline and diesel to service stations, agricultural, industrial and commercial accounts. Today, the family business buys, sells and trades gasoline and diesel through the pipeline in 18 terminals located in California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona. New West also operates 36 convenience stores and gasoline stations in California that are ExxonMobil, Shell or Chevron-branded.

Industry Relations Board Committee

The NACS Industry Relations Board Committee is responsible for setting the strategic direction for NACS with regard to retail-membership value.

David Podeschi , senior vice president of merchandising and logistics with Dallas, Texas-based 7-Eleven Inc. During his 20-plus years plus with 7-Eleven, Podeschi has gone from serving as a supervisor of eight stores to overseeing the convenience store chain’s propriety brands and maintaining supplier relationships where he is responsible for all merchandising representing $7.75 billion of product revenues. He has served as the company’s senior vice president, merchandising, since 2003.

Bruce Rosengarten , global vice president-retail marketing of Shell Eastern Petroleum in Singapore. Prior to joining Shell, Rosengarten was the executive director of Crown Ltd. from 1996 to 1998. In August 1998, he joined Shell Australia as a managing director and was named to his current position in January 2005.

Nichole Torsey , president of Redding, Calif.-based Mt. Counties Supply Co. After graduating from college, Torsey joined the family-owned Cross Petroleum, which today operates five distribution centers, seven cardlocks and 12 service stations. In 1996, Mt. Counties Supply Co. was founded to operate the company’s convenience store operations, and Torsey has served as its president since its inception. She also serves as vice president of human resources and risk management with Cross Petroleum.

Lynn Wallis , president and CEO of Cuba, Mo.-based Wallis Companies. In 1968, Lynn’s husband, Bill Wallis, founded Wallis Companies as a one store operation. Early on, Wallis signed a distributor agreement with Mobil Oil, launching the growth and customer-focused vision he had in mind for the future of Wallis Cos. Bill Wallis passed away in 2001. Today, the family-owned company operates 40 convenience stores selling motor fuels in Illinois and Missouri. Its other businesses include the Hen House, Wallis Lubricants and Great River Wash.

Jerry Westgate , co-president of Muskegon, Mich.-based WESCO, Inc. The company was initially founded by his father in 1952 as Westgate Refinery Outlet. It opened its first convenience store in 1978 a few years after Westgate and his brother, Jim, joined the company. Today, the company operates 52 stores and a “Dancin’ Donuts” production bakery.

Research and Development Board Committee

The NACS Research and Development Committee directs the association’s research and development initiatives and programs to promote the ongoing competitive viability of the channel.

Patrick J. Lewis , partner of Twin Falls, Idaho-based Oasis Stop ’N Go Convenience Stores. In 1995, Lewis became a partner of Oasis Stop ’N Go Convenience Stores, a company serving customers at 11 Twin Falls-area locations. He is also the CEO of KickBack Points LLC, a customer rewards program provider founded in 2000 that is built around the convenience store industry. Today, retailers in Idaho, Indiana, Nevada, North Dakota and Utah participate in the program.


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