ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y. -- The New York Association of Convenience Stores honored its co-founding fathers Bob Seng, John MacDougall and Dick Warrender during its 20th Anniversary Dinner on Sept. 26 in Alexandria Bay, N.Y.
In 1986, the visionary trio recognized the need for a trade organization dedicated to upstate New York's fledgling convenience store industry and took the bold steps to make it a reality. MacDougall had just founded Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes. Seng was growing a chain called Busy Bee. And Warrender, who had worked for a number of [image-nocss] c-store retailers and suppliers, was chosen to staff the new group. Together they spread the word, recruited members, organized events and began lobbying industry issues in Albany, N.Y.
Twenty years later, NYACS has evolved into a thriving statewide association known for strong leadership, aggressive advocacy, abundant information, successful events and a family atmosphere. MacDougall remains president and CEO of Nice N Easy, Canastota, N.Y. Seng, who holds the title of NYACS chairman emeritus, resides in Florida, retired but still involved in a number of business ventures. And Warrender, NYACS president emeritus, later became New York State Advocate for Persons With Disabilities in the Pataki administration, and is now retired and residing in North Pownal, Vt.
On behalf of NYACS, emcee Kevin Noon of K&K Food Marts presented each of the co-founders with a framed caricature titled The Spirit of '86, depicting the three of them side-by-side at the dawn of the new association MacDougall carrying the NYACS flag, Warrender playing the drum, and Seng playing the fife.
Noon and the co-founders opened the dinner at Joey's Restaurant at the Thousand Islands Club by leading a champagne toast to the anniversary, and things pretty much went downhill from there, reported NYACS president Jim Calvin, noting that the ensuing NYACS' Got Talent variety show could have gotten us sued for false advertising.
Dan Finkle of Finkle Distributors Inc. portrayed Shortie Mulligan, a vertically challenged Scottish golfer. Having just arrived from New York City, where they threw me a Scotch tape parade, Shortie shared some rules of the game in Scotland, such as Please refrain from picking up lost balls until they have stopped rolling.
Lorraine Mikutel, wife of NYACS chairman Gary Mikutel of Xtra Mart Convenience Stores, wowed the audience with her karaoke rendition of We Are Family. Zack Kaplan of Xtra Mart narrated a slide presentation previewing NYACS' 2007 Hollywood-theme Trade Show and Convention, featuring NYACS members inserted into starring roles in some of the greatest movies of all time.
Seng, a former nightclub singer, charmed the crowd with a ditty called The Baptist Sunday School. A host of Hawaiian-shirt-clad Nice N Easy colleagues sang Surfin' USA with their own lyrics about NYACS. A magician-wannabe named El Zippo performed forgettable feats of illusion. Mark Sidebottom of MWS Enterprises paid tribute to outgoing Gov. George Pataki. Calvin did a medley of song parodies about supplier members.
Bagpipe music filled the room as Noon and MacDougall took the stage in traditional Irish garb while extending some non-traditional greetings. They also honored NYACS volunteer extraordinaire Sherry Wright of Lorillard Tobacco Co., who is retiring this fall.
Contributing to the success of the variety show production were musical director Mike Purcell of A-1 Entertainment, technical director Case Marshall of Pit Stop Convenience Stores, costume designer Mindy Marshall of Pit Stop, stage manager Ann Ammann of Nice N Easy, photographer Herb Sliter of HJH Associates, archivist Sherry Wright of Lorillard, and production assistants Amy Baldovin and Vicki Morrell of the NYACS staff.
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