NACS Supplier Board Announces Leadership Change

LAS VEGAS -- The NACS Supplier Board elected a new chairman for 2012-13 and named a chair-elect to take the lead role in 2013-14.

Lucia Romanello Crater, vice president of retail sales for Cardtronics Inc., was named 2012-13 chairman during the board's meeting held at the 2012 NACS Show in Las Vegas yesterday. Bob Sears, director of trade and state relations for Altria Group Distribution Co., was named chair-elect and will succeed Crater as 2013-14 chairman.

Crater joined Cardtronics in April 2011. Before that, she spent nine years at US Nutrition, the last three years as director of sales. She has been active in NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, since 1989, and was a founding member and executive committee member of the Network of Executive Women.

  Sears joined Philip Morris USA in 1996 as its director of trade marketing for national accounts. He held a number of positions for Philip Morris and Altria before being named to his current position earlier this year. Sears is a member of the board of directors of the American Wholesale Marketers Association, the National Association of Tobacco Outlets and the Virginia Capitol Region of the American Red Cross.

The NACS Supplier Board is comprised of individuals from NACS supplier member companies that represent different product and service categories in the convenience store industry. 

Three vice chairmen also were elected to the five-member Supplier Board leadership team:

• Kevin Martello, director of convenience, Dr Pepper Snapple Group;
• Wendy Redmond, director of sales -- convenience format, Snyder’s-Lance Inc.; and
• Joseph Vonder Haar, managing partner, iSEE Store Innovations Inc.

  In addition, six new members were elected to the NACS Supplier Board:

• Stephen Brady, vice president of convenience & military, McLane Co. Inc.;
• Shultz Hartgrove III, senior vice president of development for convenience and non-traditional, Quiznos Sub;
• Drew Mize, chief operating officer, The Pinnacle Corp.;
• Tim Quinn, vice president of trade development, Mars Chocolate North America LLC;
• Michael Stipetic, sales manager, West, BIC Corp.; and
• Terry Thomas, general manager and vice president of PepsiCo sales, drug, dollar and convenience, PepsiCo Inc.