ATLANTA -- NACS recognized 10 convenience store employees who earned scholarships through the NACS Scholarship Program in Memory of Jim Yates at a reception during the NACS Show in Atlanta. The annual scholarships recognize convenience store employees for their dedication to achieving excellence in retailing, strong leadership skills and persistence in the pursuit of education.
The 2010 scholarship winners are: Allen Bizjak, store manager, Racetrac Petroleum Inc., St. Petersburg, Fla. Carrie Castille, manager of petroleum marketing, Tom Thumb Food Stores Inc., Crestview, [image-nocss] Fla. Alexander Gunaka, detail assistant manager II, Delta Sonic Car Wash Systems, Crestwood, Ill. Pamela Kienast, director of human resources, Wayne Oil Co. Inc., Kinston, N.C. Amanda Richert, marketing category analyst, Thorntons Inc., Clarksville, Ind. Luis Rodriguez, district manager, Murphy Oil USA Inc., Pharr, Texas. Jacqueline Renee Rutherford, assistant fuel integration coordinator, Houchens Industries Inc., Bowling Green, Ky. Pamela Dianne Stanford, store manager, Triangle Stop Food Stores, Hendersonville, N.C. Kyle Strese, shift leader, Kwik Trip Inc., Rosemount, Minn. Kerry Susan Thurlow, area training manager/store manager, Honey Farms Inc., Webster, Mass. NACS established the program in 1999 in memory of Jim Yates, founder of E-Z Mart Stores Inc. and 1992-1993 NACS chairman.
Each scholarship winner receives $3,000 for costs of career education (community college or a four-year college) and complimentary registration and travel to the NACS Show.
"NACS is pleased to be able to award scholarships to this group of outstanding people who are working hard to achieve excellence in retailing while persistently pursuing education," said Selection Committee chairman Sonja Hubbard, CEO of E-Z Mart Stores. "These scholarships recognize excellence in the industry and assist valued employees in advancing."
Through its Convenience Store Foundation for Education and Research, NACS is helping its retail members recognize and develop future convenience store industry leaders through the NACS Scholarship Program in Memory of Jim Yates, and most recently the NACS Internship Program in Memory of Teri Richman, a self-sustaining internship program that is open to deserving undergraduate or graduate students, with a particular emphasis on advocacy and research.
Investment in these programs supports the journey that today's c-store employees are taking to become tomorrow's bright and promising industry innovators and entrepreneurs. More information on the programs can be found at www.nacsonline.com/nacsfoundation.
Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS is the international association for convenience and petroleum retailing, representing more than 2,100 retail and 1,500 supplier member companies. The U.S. convenience store industry, with nearly 145,000 stores across the country, posted $511 billion in total sales in 2009, with $328 billion in motor fuels sales.
Separately, Lisle, Ill.-based Royal Buying Group Inc. (RBG) has announced that its ninth annual scholarship program is now open for applications. The Royal Buying Group Scholarship Program is available to eligible candidates that are high school seniors or graduates who are planning to or are enrolled at an accredited two or four-year college or university in the United States that will lead to an academic degree. Eligible candidates include Royal Buying Group members and their children.All RBG affiliations are eligible, including STARZ Buying Club, Sinclair Rebate Program, LukOil Buying Club, Getty Buying Club, KwikFarms Buying Club, Gulf Advantage, Tesoro VIP Club, TETCO Advantage, Lavigne Baker VIP Club, Connect-2-One, Club, Smoker Friendly, Pace Alliance and NATSO participating locations.
To date, RBG has given out 16 scholarships to children of its membership. This year's winners included Alexandra Park who is attending The University of Illinois. Alex's parents, William and Mary Park, own WJP Citgo Inc. in Mt. Prospect, Ill., and have been part of RBG since 2004. The second winner, Brittany Kurtenbach, is attending the University of Sioux Falls and is currently double majoring in music and theatre. Brittany's father, Joel Kurtenbach, owns Gastop LLC and Gastop Two LLC location in Gillette, Wyo., and has been part of RBG since 2004.
Applications are available at www.royalbuying.com. All applicants must fax or mail their complete information by December 31, 2010, in order to be considered for this year's scholarship program.
RBG, headquartered in Lisle, Ill., is a national organization dedicated to maximizing sales and profitability of convenience stores, petroleum locations, college book stores, truckstops/travel plaza centers, auto repair facilities, drug stores, tobacco outlets and liquor stores. It now represents more than 6,000 locations nationwide. Core service capabilities include negotiating with regional and national suppliers for impactful and competitive sales and marketing programs and providing category management expertise, marketing support and customer service support.
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