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EDU + Brew: Sip and Learn Sessions
Enjoy a beer, cocktail, or coffee and join us for EDU + Brew, a two-part educational session featuring moderated chats with industry experts and a Q&A session.
Part 1: Smart Convenience: Embracing AI for the Future of Retail
Discover the transformative power of artificial intelligence in convenience stores at our “Smart Convenience: Embracing AI for the Future of Retail” session. This moderated chat will feature Gray Taylor, Executive Director at Conexxus and Eric Hildenbrand, Chief Strategy Officer at McLane, who will explore AI fundamentals and showcase real-world applications in inventory management, dynamic pricing, hyperpersonalized marketing, customer experience, loss prevention, operational efficiency, and predictive analytics. Learn actionable steps for convenience retailers to integrate AI and stay competitive in the evolving market.
Part 2: Designing the Future: Trends Shaping Next-Gen Convenience Stores
Join us for “Designing the Future: Trends Shaping Next-Gen Convenience Stores,” featuring Joseph Bona, President at Bona Lab Design Lab and Eric Hildenbrand, Chief Strategy Officer at McLane. We will explore the latest trends and innovations in convenience store design. Learn how industry shifts, customer experience enhancements, and the growth of foodservice offerings are transforming store layouts. Discover the impact of technology and electric vehicles on store design and get practical tips for small yet effective improvements.
Speakers:
Eric Hildenbrand
Chief Strategy Officer
McLane
Gray Taylor
Executive Director
Conexxus
Joseph Bona
President & Founder
Bona Design Lab, Inc.
Partnering for Growth: An Update from McLane Leaders
Vito Maurici, Customer Experience Officer at McLane, and Chris Smith, President, Retail at McLane will share an update on McLane’s latest initiatives that are driving growth and success in the convenience store industry.
Speakers:
Vito Maurici
Customer Experience Officer
McLane
Chris Smith
President, Retail
McLane
Tech-Driven Transformation: Revolutionizing Convenience Retail
In today’s fast-paced retail landscape, technology is no longer just a competitive advantage – it’s a necessity. Join us for an insightful session exploring the latest trends shaping the convenience retail industry. Discover how recent investments are transforming the sector and the challenges retailers face in resource allocation. Art Sebastian will introduce a comprehensive technology roadmap, delving into crucial areas like loyalty, e-commerce, and retail media networks, showcasing how these innovations drive customer engagement and revenue growth.
Speakers:
Art Sebastian
CEO, NexChapter, Inc.
Fresh Ideas, Safe Practices: Innovating and Safeguarding Convenience Store Foodservice
Join Jon Cox, Vice President of Retail Foodservice at McLane, Terry Levee, Senior Director of Food Safety at McLane, and Vito Maurici, Customer Experience Officer at McLane, for a moderated conversation discussing key aspects of convenience store foodservice, including enhancing customer experience, innovation, and food safety compliance. We will explore trending approaches to foodservice programs, discuss the importance of consistent quality across multiple locations, and highlight emerging flavor trends. Additionally, our experts will provide valuable insights into the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the critical steps retailers need to take for compliance.
Speakers:
Vito Maurici
Customer Experience Officer
McLane
Terry Levee
Senior Director of Food Safety
McLane
Jon Cox
Vice President of Retail Foodservice
McLane
A Conversation with Padma Lakshmi: Breaking Barriers and Shaping Culinary Culture
Join Padma Lakshmi, celebrated author, TV host, and food expert, in a captivating conversation with Farley Kaiser, McLane Senior Director of Culinary Innovation. Explore Padma’s career journey across industries, personal reflections, cultural influences, her insights on the ever-evolving convenience store industry and her perspective on culinary trends. This engaging chat offers a blend of inspiration, culinary wisdom, and forward-thinking ideas.
Speakers:
Padma Lakshmi
Acclaimed culinary expert and
“Top Chef” personality
Farley Kaiser
Senior Director of Culinary Innovation
McLane
Schedule is subject to change at any time.
Eric Hildenbrand is Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of McLane Company, one of the largest distributors in the United States, serving restaurants, convenience stores, drug stores, and mass merchants. As Chief Strategy Officer, Eric advances McLane’s corporate vision and enterprise strategy, oversees the company’s business development activity, and leads its transformation.
Prior to taking on the role of Chief Strategy Officer, Eric served as McLane’s Chief Transformation Officer and General Counsel. As Chief Transformation Officer, Eric designed the company’s transformation goals and initiatives, built its transformation team, and led its change management efforts. As McLane’s General Counsel, he provided strategic legal advice on transactional, litigation, regulatory, and operational matters, with a focus on reducing overall legal and compliance risk while growing revenue and income.
Eric was previously a Senior Counsel and Compliance Officer for General Electric Capital’s Equipment Finance business. Before joining GE, Eric was a lawyer with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, specializing in defending companies and individuals in Securities and Exchange Commission, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, and Congressional investigations, as well as conducting internal investigations for public companies. Eric also has experience in SEC reporting matters.
Eric has published articles on accounting and tax compliance. He has also guest-lectured on compliance and ethics at the Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas.
Eric focuses his chartable work on providing students with access to higher education. He is an active Rotarian, leading his club’s scholarships and educational activities and mentoring students in Central Texas.
Eric received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from Muhlenberg College, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
Eric, his wife, and three children live in Temple, Texas.
Gray Taylor grew up in the convenience store industry with the opening of the family’s first convenience store in 1963. Involved in the family 87 store retail business, Gray gained experience in all phases of convenience store and fuels retail operations, and pioneered consumer financial services in the convenience industry.
After his Market Maker experience on the CBOE, Gray returned to the family business to start a fuels retail business. He also founded a consumer banking service; the first retailer-owned electronic banking network.
Gray has more than 15 years of vendor experience, including global product strategy and executive leadership, for three of the world’s largest retail petroleum equipment and systems vendors and Vice President of Research & Technology for the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).
Gray is Executive Director for Conexxus (www.conexxus.org), the industry’s technology and standards non-profit, where its highly experienced team leads the digitization of convenience and energy retail.
He also consults and participates with NACS’ executive team (www.convenience.org) on innovations, payment, and technology issues. Gray is the founder of TruAge, the AI (8112) project, and several other NACS initiatives aimed at improving the industry’s preparedness and innovation for the digital future.
Gray graduated from Denison University with a B.A. in Economics in 1981 and has received certification from all NACS executive programs. He lives in Georgetown, TX with his wife Rachel and their five kids – all in Texas Universities. He can be reached at +1 512.508.3469, or [email protected].