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

Like I always say, c-store stands for community stores, and convenience stores play an integral part in society. They serve the food deserts in rural areas, and they are the meeting point or social gathering point for many. I think convenience stores have come a long way from the regular “smokes and Cokes” lingo. They are now part of every society, with c-stores embracing programs such as the Partnership for a Healthier America campaign, the DHS Blue Campaign and a host of other community programs. We are moving the needle in the right direction, but there is much more to do.

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

I think political engagement should be important to everyone in the industry—whether you have one store or multiple. We need to let our elected representatives know that the decisions they make affect the way we run our businesses. If we don’t tell them, then they just have one side of the story. Also, we want to join hands with them on issues that are important to us both. For example, I worked with Congressman Gary Palmer (R, AL-6) to help launch the Blue Campaign to stop human trafficking. Programs like these can only happen when we engage with our representatives on a regular basis.

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

Sales of e-cigarettes, SNAP, sugar tax … and the list goes on.

What c-store product could you not live without?

Hard to point to just one, there are so many!