Upcoming NYACS Trade Show: "Going for the GREEN!"

ALBANY, NY (05/03/2010)(readMedia)-- The 24th annual Trade Show & Convention of the New York Association of Convenience Stores is set for next week at the Oncenter in Syracuse NY. Retail decision-makers representing more than 1,000 New York convenience stores are expected to attend the May 12-13 event.

"Going for the GREEN" is this year's theme. "It's a product showcase, learning laboratory, and relationship building forum for retailers and suppliers who want to make money, but can't do it playing golf," said NYACS Convention Committee Chairman Albert Smith of Shortstop Delis Inc., Ithaca NY.

Highlights of the two-day program:

MANAGER TRAINING – Nationally renowned speaker Linda McKenna will present a seminar on interviewing techniques for hiring top performing employees. "Building a C-Store GREEN Team" will be May 13 from 9 to 11 a.m. McKenna, author of "How to Hire the Best C-Store Employees," has received rave reviews in previous NYACS appearances.

WORKSHOPS – Retail attendees may choose from four concurrent workshops at 9 a.m. May 13:

• Food Service: "10 Keys to Making Your Good Foodservice Program GREAT," with John Schaninger, Quick Chek Corp., Whitehouse Station NJ.
• Loss Prevention: "How I Nailed an Employee Who Was Stealing Lottery Tickets" with Alex Stier, Olive's Country Store and Café, Shokan NY.
• Technology: "Is Your POS System Earning Its Keep?" with Jim MacDonald, Training Manager, Cortland Pump & Equipment, Cortland NY.
• Energy: "How 'Green' Is Your C-store? 4 Strategies for Cutting Energy Costs" with Allison Rutherford, Pyrus Energy Inc., Weedsport NY.

KEYNOTE – Fran Duskiewicz, Senior Executive Vice President of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, Canastota NY, and a member of the National Association of Convenience Stores Board of Directors, will provide insights and analysis of the 2009 NACS "State of the Industry" report at 10 a.m. May 13.

EXHIBITS – More than 100 of the Northeast's leading convenience store suppliers, equipment dealers and service providers will exhibit at the trade show May 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oncenter.

PRIZES – One lucky retail attendee will win a $1,000 grand prize; the random drawing is May 13 at 3 p.m. on the Trade Show floor. In addition, there will be a "PGA Tour Experience" Lost-Ball Treasure Hunt. The prize is a PGA Tour Experience event, golf academy, or vacation.

GOLF TIPS – Tying in to the golf theme, well-known Syracuse-area pro Joe Tesori will provide free tips to retail attendees to improve their golf game, May 13 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. on the trade show floor.

RECOGNITION – During its annual Chairman's Banquet, NYACS will induct Gary Mikutel of XtraMart Convenience Stores and Tom Purcell of McLane Northeast into the New York Convenience Store Hall of Fame. In addition, Joseph Mirabito of Mirabito Energy Products/Quickway Food Stores/Convenience Express, Binghamton NY, will receive the 2010 Carl Tripi Award for low-profile, high-impact contributions to the C-store industry.

OTHER ACTIVITIES – Attendees will take part in a golf outing May 12 at Timber Banks in Baldwinsville NY followed by a "19th Hole" Welcome Party at Sportside 31 in Baldwinsville.

Member and non-member owners, operators, franchisees, chain executives, category managers, district managers, and supervisors of convenience stores, service stations, truck stops, college stores, country stores, delis and newsstands are invited. Details and pre-registration are available at www.nyacs.org, or call 800-336-9227.

Founded in Syracuse in 1986 and now headquartered in Albany, NYACS is a private, not-for-profit trade organization that unifies, leads, represents and serves New York's diverse community of 7,500 neighborhood mini-marts and convenience stores.