As we advance through the second decade of the 21st century and tire of Adele’s overplayed new album, it’s time to peer into the crystal ball and see what the year has in store.
- Peter Tedeschi and kin may have sold their century-old family retail business in 2015, but the Massachusetts maven will return with a small acquisition and restore his role as one of our industry’s leading political activists.
- C-store veteran Dick Meyer resigns from the Tea Party and is spotted waving “We Love Bernie” signs in Burlington, Vt.
- Months after rolling out one of the industry’s largest stores at 8,800 square feet, Rutter’s Farm Stores CEO Scott Hartman chooses to go big, expanding into North Carolina with a 20,000-square-foot store called Blue Devils, featuring a shrine of his personal swami, Duke University hoops coach Mike Krzyzewski, and crafting a line of doughnuts in Coach K’s likeness called Krispy K.
- After the country says he’s fired, Donald Trump pursues an unsuccessful independent presidential bid, wooing Syrian refugees, Mexican immigrants and Carly Fiorina. (“I love that face,” he says.)
- With Sunoco and the former Susser under its wings, Energy Transfer Partners launches a daring plan against Chipotle and opens 100 stand-alone sizzling Laredo Taco Co. eateries across Texas and Oklahoma.
- Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton takes a lie detector test to prove her truthfulness. After flunking, she blames the results on a right-wing conspiracy.
- Joan Toth, head of the Network of Executive Women, starts a branch for entrepreneurial Jewish woman to be headed by Lynn Wallis. The chapter’s name? Nu.
Seized by a few grays, photogenic OPIS fuels guru Tom Kloza disappears from public view for months, only to return with a self-designed coif.- Tobacco analyst Nik Modi stops with the “short” jokes after a new natural supplement allows him to reach the tips of colleague Bonnie Herzog’s masterfully arranged hair.
- Andrea Myers will take her equestrian skills to new heights, defying the odds and jockeying to a Triple Crown sweep.
- E-Z Mart’s Sonja Hubbard outduels Parker’s Greg Parker in a burpee contest. Parker, in defiance, rejoins, “Sonja may be stronger, but I’ll take Savannah over Texarkana any day.”
- A battle heats up between Speedway’s Speedy Rewards and Cumberland Farms’ SmartPay in New England. Soon, motorists will actually make money pumping gas.
- Diane McCarty’s sass earns her a regular spot on Comedy Central. Sensitive ears beware!
- Louisiana-born Texas sweetheart Martha Flint sees a 10-fold increase in donations to her nonprofit Random Acts Worldwide, improving the lives of thousands in Africa (randomactsworldwide.com).
- Casey’s purchases Uber and promises free pizza delivery within 10 miles of its stores.
- Conexxus executive director Gray Taylor proves that perseverance trumps bad politics as Congress approves chip-and-PIN in the face of cyber-fraud.
- Boo! White Castle marketing supervisor Kelly Collins and wife Neena open new Halloween- themed c-store called Blood ’n Coffee. Sales, Kelly says, are “de-frightful.”
- CST Brands president and CEO Kim Lubel is duly recognized not only as an extraordinary female leader, but also as the first retail executive of either gender to successfully blend a people-first culture with a voracious acquisition appetite.
- NOCO’s Michael Newman continues to set the bar for giving people with special needs a reason to feel important.
- “Dancing with the Stars” hits a new ratings high when Square One Markets president and CEO Lisa Dell’Alba taps her way into first place. Also, NACS breaks policy and names Lisa its 2017 chair. She leapfrogs over countless elders … literally.
- Long ousted from the GOP primaries, Jeb Bush blames his political failure on his given name, says his new name is Buford.
- Mary Szarmach lands exclusive interview with FDA tobacco czar Mitch Zeller and agrees to tell Mitch only how great he is.
- After taxing the hell out of tobacco, California and Massachusetts enter into an exclusive West Coast-East Coast alliance, forswearing further levies and allowing smoking at Lakers home games. (Lakers GM: We need to draw more folks to the games.)
- Joe Vonder Haar and David Riser form blues band called Blitz’n & Exhalin’.
- And finally, our next president will be … Mitt Romney! Oops, only kidding. Say hello to Rubio.
Happy new year, everyone!
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