Statewide convenience store trade show/convention

ALBANY, NY (05/07/2007)(readMedia)-- Convenience store operators from across the state will converge on Syracuse May 15-16 for the annual trade show and convention of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. "NYACS Goes Hollywood" is the theme.

More than 125 leading suppliers will display the latest products, equipment and services for the C-store industry. Exhibit hours are Wednesday, May 16, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oncenter.

At 10 a.m. that day, Linda McKenna of Employee Performance Strategies will deliver the keynote, "Mission: Possible - How to Convert Today's Transactions Into Lifetime Customers."

Member and non-member store owners, operators, supervisors and managers are invited to all convention events. Pre-registration is not required. For details, visit www.nyacs.org or call 800-336-9227.

Other highlights include:

-- Fran Duskiewicz, Senior Executive Vice President of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, Canastota NY, will present highlights of the 2007 national "State of the Industry Report."

-- A "Celebrity Filled" Welcome Party will be held at Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub.

-- NYACS member companies marking milestone anniversaries will be honored, including Acosta Sales and Marketing, Liverpool, 80th anniversary; Andree Petroleum, Ithaca, 55th; ARAmatic Refreshment Services, East Syracuse, 35th; Hamilton-Wilber Oil Co., Moravia, 60th; Huff Ice Cream, Sidney, 55th; KinaneCo Printing Systems, Syracuse, 35th; Quickway Food Stores/Mirabito Group, 80th; Reilly's Dairy Inc., Sauquoit, 30th; Reinhardt Corp., West Oneonta, 70th; and Taylor's Mini Mart/WL Taylor & Son, Cooperstown, 65th.

-- During the Chairman's Banquet at the Everson Museum of Art, NYACS will induct Jim Curley of McLane Company, Bob Ray of Crowley Foods/HP Hood, and Fran LaForge of XtraMart Convenience Stores into the New York Convenience Store Hall of Fame.

-- Gary Papay of CK Business Consultants will present a workshop titled "What's My Convenience Store Business Really Worth?"

-- Mike DiNardo of Payment Processing Consultants will present a workshop titled "Understanding - and Controlling - Credit Card Processing Fees."

-- Jim Calvin, President of NYACS, will present a workshop titled "Surviving a Sting: Protecting Your Beer, Lottery and Tobacco Licenses."

-- Up-and-coming industry executives in their 20s and 30s will exchange ideas at a "Stars of Tomorrow" roundtable.

-- A grand prize drawing for a stay and VIP tour at Universal Studios Orlando will be held May 16 at 3 p.m. All retailers attending the trade show may enter at no charge.

Headquartered in Albany, NYACS is a private, not-for-profit trade association representing the state's 7,000 neighborhood convenience stores.

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