Kent Sopris Named as Next NYACS Staff Executive

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ALBANY, NY (02/01/2022) (readMedia)-- Kent Sopris of Delmar NY has been selected as the next chief executive of the New York Association of Convenience Stores.

He will join the staff in mid-February as Vice President, working side-by-side with long-time President Jim Calvin until Calvin retires July 1, at which time Sopris will become the fourth President in NYACS' 35-year history.

"Our search committee was impressed with Kent's extensive experience in association management and state government affairs," said Doug Galli of Reid Stores Inc./Crosby's, Chair of the NYACS Board of Directors. "He has the strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills needed to move our association forward in a challenging business and regulatory environment."

"I am honored to be joining NYACS at an exciting and critical time for the organization," said Sopris. "I look forward to advocating on behalf of its membership and to educating legislators and the public about the vital services convenience stores provide to communities throughout New York State."

Headquartered in Albany, NYACS is a private, not-for-profit trade organization representing nearly 8,000 chain and independent convenience stores across the state.

Most recently, Sopris was Director of the Public Transportation Bureau of the New York State Department of Transportation.

Before that, he was Director of Government Affairs for the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York and later a lobbyist with the Albany-based government relations firm Malkin & Ross.

In the state Legislature, he served on the staffs of Senator Jose Peralta, Senator Craig Johnson, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, and Assemblyman Darryl Towns. Previously, he worked for New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell in Washington DC.

Sopris holds bachelor's and master's degrees in political science and history from the College of Saint Rose, Albany.