Deal combines two distinct high-caliber, talented and creative teams to better serve the convenience store and petroleum industry.
Harbor Communications, the parent company of The Convenience Store Decisions Group, today announces that it has completed the acquisition of Convenience Directions, an information exchange group headed by venerable convenience store industry experts Joe Leonardo and Randy Fulkerson.
For the past 15 years, Convenience Directions has leveraged its vast industry experience by combining the InfoMarketing newsletter, which is mailed quarterly to more than 10,000 c-store executives, with three Idea Exchange meetings. The newsletters give sponsor companies a forum to communicate category information, new product introductions and best practices to the industry.
The Idea Exchange meetings are designed to share latest trends, best in class standards, and ideas and recommendations to drive bottom line profits. The idea exchanges result in sponsor companies getting to know the entire senior management team of a company, understanding what their goals and objectives are and presenting category information to the retailer. Ongoing productive relationships are established in this setting that is difficult to replicate in any other venue.
“Convenience Store Decisions is proud to acquire Convenience Directions and bring its world-class concepts into the Harbor Communications family,” said Tom McIntyre, Group Publisher for The Convenience Store Decisions Group. “Combined, our renowned brands and keen industry focus will enable us to offer an unparalleled level of service to the convenience store industry in print, in person and online.”
Fulkerson and Leonardo will continue to work with the Convenience Store Decisions team to deliver the quality program that Convenience Directions sponsors have supported and retailers have embraced in the Idea Exchange Meetings.
“We are extremely pleased to be joining a proud and growing company like Convenience Store Decisions,” said Joe Leonardo. “For the past 15 years we have nurtured Convenience Directions to offer unparalleled support to convenience store owners. Adding the experience of the Convenience Store Decisions team will only serve to broaden our reach and expertise. I expect great things from the group going forward.”
Convenience Directions aligns with Convenience Store Decisions magazine, a factory for industry ideas in print, and the National Advisory Group/Young Executives Organization (YEO), an association driven by retailers for retailers and is an organization committed to building relationships and profits.
Incorporating Convenience Directions into The Convenience Store Decisions Group will create a host of synergies, all focused on helping convenience store and petroleum marketers drive profitability.
Fulkerson and Leonardo will partner with John Lofstock, Vice President of Editorial Content/Executive Director of the National Advisory Group (NAG), to continue creating innovative ideas to help convenience store owners access information and trending data to ensure their long-term success.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work with Convenience Store Decisions to expand the reach of Convenience Directions and continue our goal of helping convenience store operators improve their operations and profits,” Fulkerson said. “Our combined goals are perfectly aligned to create one bigger company focused on cultivating standards for retail excellence.”
ABOUT CONVENIENCE DIRECTIONS
The Convenience Directions concept has been in place for over 15 years in the convenience store industry. Convenience Directions combines the InfoMarketing newsletter with three Idea Exchange meetings. The newsletters give sponsor companies a forum to communicate category information, new product introductions and best practices to the industry. The Idea Exchange meetings are designed to share latest trends, best in class standards, and ideas and recommendations to drive bottom line profits. The idea exchanges result in sponsor companies getting to know the entire senior management team of a company, understanding what their goals and objectives are and presenting category information to the retailer. Ongoing productive relationships are
established in this setting that is difficult to replicate in any other venue. Visit www.conveniencedirections.com for more details.
ABOUT CONVENIENCE STORE DECISIONS
In print, Convenience Store Decisions publishes twelve monthly issues plus the industry’s first Leaders In Convenience supplement. Our award-winning editorial engages more than 40,000 retailers plus the wholesalers who serve the channel. In-person, Convenience Store Decisions’ Chain of the Year award is the industry’s oldest and most prestigious award for convenience retailing excellence. The award is given annually to the convenience retailer that exemplifies excellence in customer service, product quality, and marketing innovation. For information, visit www.cstoredecisions.com.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP/YOUNG EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION
The National Advisory Group (NAG) is an association of small to mid-size convenience chains and the executives that run them. It is driven by retailers for retailers and is an organization committed to building relationships and profits. Through the its Young Executives Organization (YEO), NAG helps to cultivate and groom next-generation executives by creating an close-knit environment for them to share ideas that will prepare them to be the industry leaders of tomorrow. For information, visit to www.nagconvenience.com.