Alex Olympidis, Director of Operations for Family Express Corp., joins the Board of Directors as Ben Jatlow departs after one year as board chairman to join NCR.
The National Advisory Group’s (NAG) Young Executives Organization (YEO) is pleased to announce that Jared Sturtevant, the Director of Marketing for Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes in Canastota, N.Y., has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors. Sturtevant, who has been a member of the YEO board for the past 16 months, replaces Ben Jatlow, the former Vice President and General Manager of High’s of Baltimore.
As the convenience store and petroleum industry continues to evolve, training the next generation leaders of tomorrow is more important than ever before. NAG relaunched YEO in 2012 to help young executives have a group that is solely focused on exchanging personal experiences with peers in their age group.
YEO’s mission is to cultivate young talent in the convenience store and petroleum industry through implementation of education and networking. YEO accomplishes this mission by leveraging the experience of NAG members to help foster superior leadership skills.
In his role as Chairman, Sturtevant will help lead the educational component for YEO members as well as help recruit and integrate new members into the YEO network.
“NAG’s YEO is extremely focused on bringing great young talent together from across the country and giving them a platform to discuss success and struggles facing next-generation leaders throughout the convenience store and petroleum industry. It is a valuable networking experience. I am excited and humbled to take over as Chairman to help chart the direction of so many talented, young industry leaders,” Sturtevant said. “The NAG Conference has a ‘just right’ atmosphere that allows young executives to share and learn with young industry peers while also having the opportunity to interact with respected industry leaders. I look forward to helping both groups grow over the next year.”
Developing Industry Leaders
YEO members are industry leaders who are 40 years of age or younger. Members are entrepreneurs leading top businesses and actively pursuing a higher level of professionalism in the convenience store and petroleum marketing industry.
“YEO membership provides the ideal opportunity to become actively involved in developing real-time solutions for convenience store and petroleum marketers,” said Mary Banmiller, director of operations for Warrenton Oil and the current NAG Board Chairman. “By participating, YEO members are afforded networking opportunities with prominent and accomplished industry leaders.”
Ben Jatlow, who served as Board Chairman for the past 16 months, left High’s of Baltimore to join NCR. Since NAG YEO is only open to convenience store and petroleum retailers, YEO is also pleased to announce that Alex Olympidis, Director of Operations for Family Express Corp., has joined the YEO Board of Directors to fill Jatlow’s seat.
Olympidis is a second-generation executive at Family Express, in Valparaiso, Ind. The company, founded in 1975, operates more than 60 stores.
“The reality is that our industry is filled simultaneously with seasoned experience and youthful innovation; that juxtaposition is one we hope to take advantage of as we grow YEO,” Olympidis said.
The YEO five-member Board of Directors includes:
* Chairman, Jared Sturtevant, Director of Marketing, Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes
* Alex Olympidis, Director of Operations for Family Express Corp.
* Jeff Jones, Vice President/General Manager, C.N. Brown Co.
* Katie Wagner, Vice President, Arrow Marts/Yellow Goose Markets
* Ashley Englefield, Director of Marketing, Englefield Oil Co.
“Developing a solid foundation for young executives is one of the corner stones of the National Advisory Group. While I will miss working with Ben, the elevation of Jared to Board Chairman and Alex to the YEO board strengthens our ranks and provides all YEO members with experienced young executives from whom they can learn,” said John Lofstock, NAG Executive Director.
The NAG Conference will take place Sept. 7-9 in San Antonio. This year’s speaker lineup includes industry experts from chains such as Wawa, Cumberland Farms, Tedeschi Food Shops, Maverik, Rutter’s, Family Express, Huck’s and many others. To register for the NAG Conference, visit www.nagconvenience.com.
For information on YEO, NAG membership or further details on the 2014 NAG Conference in San Antonio, please contact NAG Executive Director John Lofstock at [email protected]