WAYCROSS, Ga. -- Jenny Bullard, CIO of Waycross, Ga.-based Flash Foods Inc., assumed the chair of the Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) at its board of directors meeting held on Jan. 24, 2008, in conjunction with the 2008 PCATS Winter Meetings. She has been a strong supporter of technology standards, said PCATS.
At the meeting, the gavel passed from Chairperson Devin Bates of Susser Holdings Corp. 's Stripes Convenience Stores, San Angelo, Texas, to the newly elected Bullard. Bates will continue to serve on the board as immediate past chair.
Bullard [image-nocss] has served on the PCATS Board of Directors since 2004. She served as Vice Chair in 2007 and as Chair of the Implementation Committee in prior years. In addition, Bullard has implemented various PCATS standards such as PCATS-NAXML EB2B invoicing.
"Receiving electronic invoices from our suppliers utilizing the PCATS standards has improved efficiencies at store level with more accurate information and reduced the manager's time spent doing data entry," said Bullard. "It is on Flash Foods' roadmap to expand this process to other suppliers in 2008. Over the past years as Flash Foods moved forward with different technology initiatives the need for industry standards became very evident. I am honored to have been appointed as Chair of PCATS and have the opportunity to be an integral part of the important work this organization is doing."
For the last four years, Bullard has also served as Track Chair of NACStech Shows where the benefits of PCATS standards are demonstrated. In 2005, Bullard was one of five retailers who participated in an industry eXtensible Markup Language (XML) standards benchmarking study, "Boosting Your Bottom Line: Driving Business Value Through PCATS-NAXML EB2B," to document the value companies were realizing by invoicing and managing data electronically.
In her role as chair of PCATS, Bullard will continue to educate retailers, suppliers and solution providers about the advantages of implementing PCATS-NAXML technology standards.
Bullard brings a solid background of more than 35 years' experience in the convenience store business including involvement in the design, development or purchase of all software applications used at Flash Foods, a 176-store chain operating in Georgia and northern Florida. She is responsible for all technology information systems for other corporations owned by The Jones Co., the holding company for Flash Foods. Those include Fuel South, a petroleum company; Distribution South, a wholesale distributor for grocery products and health and beauty aids; and Walker/Jones Chevrolet, a local car dealership.
Retailers who previously served as chairperson on the PCATS board include Richard D. Oneslager Jr. owner of Balmar Management Group LLC, in Denver (2006) and president and CEO Scott Hartman of CHR Corp. (dba Rutter's Farm Stores) in York, Pa. (2004-2005).
Also at the meeting, director of MIS Gabriel Olives of Turkey Hill Minit Markets, Lancaster, Pa., who served as Chair of the Retailer Business Requirements Committee in 2007, was elected Vice Chair of the board. Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Ann Dozier of the Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, was reelected to a two year term as Secretary and Lisa Stewart, president of Impact 21 Group, Lexington, Ky., was reelected to a similar term as Technology Advisory Committee Chair.
Other PCATS members serving on the board include:
Gregg Peele, president and CEO of CMi Solutions, Charlotte, N.C., Certification Committee Chair. James Maxey, senior manager of store systems development and maintenance of Valero Retail Holdings Inc., San Antonio, Texas, Implementation Committee Chair. Scott Rockafellow, senior manager of e-business solutions of Anheuser-Busch Inc., St. Louis, Membership & Marketing. Patrick J. Lewis, partner and CEO of Oasis Stop 'N Go LLC Convenience Stores and KickBack Points Rewards Systems, Twin Falls, Idaho, Retailer Business Requirements Committee Chair. Kenneth Ringeman, system architect of Gilbarco Veeder-Root, Greensboro, N.C., Device Integration/OSA Committee Chair. Bill Wade, senior systems analyst of PDI, Temple, Texas, Point of Sale (POS)/Back Office Integration Committee Vice-Chair. Brad McGuinness, vice president of product development of VeriFone Inc. Clearwater, Fla., Retail Financial Transactions Committee Chair. Hank Armour, president and CEO of NACS, Alexandria, Va., NACS Representative.PCATS was founded in September 2003 to continue the development and maintenance for standards work initiated under the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Technology Standards Project. With more than 170 members, the group's membership represents more than 22,000 c-stores.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.