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

NACS has provided an avenue for me to become politically engaged, which has greatly enriched my understanding of the critical issues our convenience retailers face each and every day. By learning about the issues our industry faces, I’ve been able to enlist multifunctional Mondelēz International resources in order to help NACS retailers. This access to education on the issues affecting our industry has been invaluable to me.

What federal legislative or regulatory issues keep you up at night (with respect to the convenience store industry)?

Any legislative and/or regulatory issue that keeps a NACS retailer member up at night keeps me up at night. We have such a strong relationship with our retailers that whatever affects them affects me. If I can find a way to assist, I will—whether it be through making outreach to members of Congress or attending NACS Day on the Hill. I want to be a part of the conversations that help all members of our industry.

What c-store product could you not live without?

I wake up really early each morning. In order to not wake up the house, my ritual is to visit my local convenience store and buy a cup of the strongest blend of coffee they offer, a belVita breakfast biscuit and a local newspaper. So, I would have to say I can’t live without belVita breakfast biscuits (the No. 2 cookie in the U.S.!).