National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) President and CEO Henry Armour will resign in 2025, and the organization has developed a transition plan to select a new leader for 2026.
Brian Hannasch, special advisor to Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., owner of Circle K c-stores, was also named the 2024-25 NACS Chairman of the Board, the association announced Friday, a day after the NACS Show ended in Las Vegas.
The transition plan for the new president and CEO, set in motion over the past several years, was set in motion following the NACS Executive Committee meeting in September, the organization said. Armour has been NACS president and CEO since July 2005.
“Henry Armour has fundamentally changed NACS for the better over the past 20 years,” said 2024 NACS Chairman Victor Paterno. “Transforming NACS into a global organization, the financial position of the association has been dramatically improved, the educational and networking offerings of the association have been significantly increased and NACS advocates for federal policy more effectively than ever. Henry has set the table for the next CEO to build on a proven track record of success.”
The NACS Compensation Committee has formed a search committee to identify CEO candidates. The five-member committee is comprised of Annie Gauthier, CFO/co-CEO, St. Romain Oil Co. LLC; Brian Hannasch, former CEO of Alimentation Couche-Tard LLC; Natalie Morhous, CEO of RaceTrac Inc.; Ken Parent, former president of Pilot Flying J LLC; and Joe Sheetz, chairman of Sheetz Inc., NACS said.
Armour will continue to support the new CEO and lead NACS’ international activities.
NACS has only had three CEOs since its founding in 1961: Harry Hunter from 1961 to 1981, Kerley LeBouef from 1981 to 2005 and Armour since 2005, NACS said.
“Serving the industry by leading NACS has been an honor,” Armour said. “While the time will be right for me to pass that torch at the end of next year, I am excited about the opportunities before us through 2025 and look forward to staying involved with the industry by helping the next CEO take NACS and the industry as a whole to even greater heights.”
New NACS Chairman and Board
Hannasch was named to his new role at the NACS Board of Directors meeting during the NACS Show in Las Vegas, which took place Oct. 7-10. He served as president and CEO of Couche-Tard from September 2014 to September 2024, when he retired from that position. Hannasch was succeeded by Alex Miller. Lisa Dell'Alba, president and CEO of Square One Markets, was previously expected to be the chairman.
- Alimentation Couche-Tard is No. 2 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count.
As NACS chairman, Hannasch will lead the NACS Executive Committee, which provides strategic direction and financial oversight to the association. The other members are:
- Vice Chairman and Treasurer: Annie Gauthier, CFO/Co-CEO, St. Romain Oil Co. LLC (Mansura, Louisiana)
- Vice Chairman, At Large: Varish Goyal, CEO, Loop Neighborhood Markets (Atherton, California)
- Vice Chairman, Legislative: Lonnie McQuirter, director of operations, 36 Lyn Refuel Station (Minneapolis)
- Vice Chairman, Research and Technology: Charles McIlvaine, chairman & CEO, Coen Markets Inc. (Canonsburg, Pennsylvania)
- Vice Chairman, At Large: Tony Miller, president, retail, Delek US (Brentwood, Tennessee)
- Vice Chairman, Retail Engagement: Chris Bambury, president, Bambury Inc. (Sonoma, California)
- Vice Chairman, At Large: Missy Matthews, owner, Childers Oil Co. (Whitesburg, Kentucky)
Also serving on the Executive Committee are Paterno, president and CEO of Philippine Seven Corp., who continues to serve as chair of the NACS International Board, and 2022-23 NACS Chairman Don Rhoads, president and CEO of The Convenience Group LLC.
During the Oct. 7 meeting, NACS also named new retail members to its Board of Directors:
- Lisa Blalock, vice president, convenience Americas, BP North America Inc. (La Palma, California
- Mark Jordan, CEO, Refuel Operating Co. (North Charleston, South Carolina)
- Travis Sheetz, president and CEO, Sheetz Inc. (Altoona, Pennsylvania)
- Doug Yawberry, president, Weigel’s Stores Inc. (Powell, Tennessee)
- Scott Zietlow, CEO and chairman, Kwik Trip Inc. (La Crosse, Wisconsin)
The NACS Supplier Board also named new leadership and members. Vito Maurici, senior vice president of sales at McLane Co. Inc., was named the 2024-25 chairman of the NACS Supplier Board, and Bryan Morrow, vice president of brand sales at Chobani & La Colombe, was named chair-elect and as a supplier representative on the NACS Board of Directors.
New Supplier Board vice chairmen are:
- Kevin LeMoyne, senior vice president, customer leadership, The Coca-Cola Co.
- Mike Gilroy, vice president, trade development and sponsorship, Mars Wrigley
- Jim Hughes, sales director, malt and RTD/spirits, Gallo
New Supplier Board members are:
- Jordan Nicgorski, vice president, U.S. strategic key accounts, Juul Labs Inc.
- Ryan Calong, senior vice president, national accounts, small format, Pabst Brewing Co.
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