ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Kevin Smartt, CEO and president of Kwik Chek Food Stores, has been named the NACS chairman for 2020-2021. He began his term following the virtual NACS board of directors meeting on Oct. 13.
- Kwik Chek is No. 130 on CSP's 2020 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by number of retail outlets.
Kwik Chek Food Stores is a 47-store chain with locations across Texas and Oklahoma. Over the past 15 years, the chain has doubled in size, developed a customer loyalty program and is implementing new point-of-sale (POS) technology.
Smartt is also the owner and CEO of McCraw Oil Co., a fuel wholesale distribution company; McCraw Transport Inc., a fuel delivery company; and Texas Born, a food product company.
In early October, Kwik Chek began rebranding to Texas Born (TXB), emphasizing the company’s Texan roots and the brand’s values. The evolution of Kwik Chek stores to TXB also includes a new line of TXB private-label products, including jerky, trail mix, bottled water and coffee.
Under Smartt’s leadership, Kwik Chek has become a leader in charitable giving programs. During the pandemic, efforts included the donation of 400 thank-you bags totaling $12,500 to frontline hospital workers, its partnership with United Way to support Texans Helping Texans with company-matched contributions up to $5,000, and giving food and labor to feed 340 families through Feeding Fannin County. Over the last several years, Kwik Chek has also donated more than $600,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Central Texas.
Smartt also leads the NACS Executive Committee, which provides strategic direction and financial oversight to the association.
Committee members are:
- Vice Chairman, Treasurer: Jared Scheeler, The Hub Convenience Stores Inc., Dickinson, N.D.
- Vice Chairman, Strategic Communications: Ken Parent, Pilot Flying J LLC, Knoxville, Tenn.
- Vice Chairman, Legislative: Don Rhoads, The Convenience Group LLC, Vancouver, Wash.
- Vice Chairman, Member Services: Lisa Dell’Alba, Square One Markets Inc., Bethlehem, Pa.
- Vice Chairman, Research and Technology: Andy Jones, Sprint Food Stores Inc., Wrens, Ga.
- Vice Chairman: Victor Paterno, Philippine Seven Corp. dba 7-Eleven Convenience Store, Mandaluyong, Philippines.
- Vice Chairman: Brian Hannasch, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., Laval, Quebec.
Two past chairmen, Julie Jackowski, general counsel for Casey’s General Stores, Ankeny, Iowa (2019-2020), and Frank Gleeson, president of Aramark Northern Europe, Dublin (2018-2019), also serve on the Executive Committee.
During the meeting, NACS also named three new retail members to its board:
- Chris Bambury, vice president, Bambury Inc., Sonoma, Calif.
- George Fournier, president, EG America LLC, Westborough, Mass.
- Ina (Missy) Matthews, owner, Childers Oil Co., Whitesburg, Ky.
A member-driven organization, NACS is led by a 30-member board, which includes three retailers from non-North American countries. In addition, the chairman and chairman-elect of the NACS Supplier Board also serve on the board of directors.
Rick Brindle, vice president of industry development at Mondelēz International, Chicago, has been named the NACS Supplier Board chairman for 2020-2021.
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