OPMCA Appoints Vice President

OPMCA Appoints Vice President

The Ohio Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association (OPMCA) has named Christina Haddad Polesovsky as vice president of the organization. Polesovsky will oversee government and regulatory affairs as well as assist the president and CEO in managing administrative and public relations functions for the statewide trade association. Polesovsky most recently served as chief of staff [...]

Protecting Cigarette Sales

Protecting Cigarette Sales

TOP PERFORMERS Altria Sales & Distribution (Philip Morris USA) R. J. Reynolds Lorillard HONORABLE MENTIONS Liggett Vector Natural American Spirit/Santa Fe (Reynolds American) Commonwealth Brands Despite the wild nine-month ride that saw a large federal tax increase and the Food & Drug Administration gain control over the category, cigarettes continue to dominate in-store sales, accounting [...]

Changing its Stripes

Changing its Stripes

Susser Holdings Corp. at a glance A dynamic marketer Based in Corpus Christi, Texas, Susser Holdings is the largest non-refiner, convenience store operator in Texas, with additional stores in Oklahoma and New Mexico. It operates 516 convenience stores through its Stripes LLC division and is the 19th largest c-store chain in the U.S. Convenience Store [...]

Acquisitions Fuel EZ Energy’s Growth

Acquisitions Fuel EZ Energy’s Growth

EZ Energy USA At a Glance Headquarters: Mansfield, Ohio Stores: 92 (68 company-operated and 24 dealer-operated sites) Total Estimated Sales: $480 million Markets of Operation: northeast and central Ohio, Pittsburgh Retail Brands: ampm, Easy Trip Fuel Brands: BP, Marathon Fuel Volume: 160 million gallons annually While many marketers are struggling to ride out this economic [...]

Marketing the Forecourt

Marketing the Forecourt

When it comes to convenience stores, every square inch of selling space is precious real estate. And when the inside of a store is fully merchandised, the only place left to go is the forecourt area. Some convenience store retailers have always made good use of the forecourt area—whether or not it featured fuel pumps—to [...]

Flying J Files For Chapter 11

Flying J Files For Chapter 11

Ogden, Utah-based Flying J Inc. has filed voluntary petitions for itself and some of its subsidiaries to reorganize under Chapter 11.  The company operates nearly 250 travel plazas and gas stations nationwide, and it had 2007 sales exceeding $16 billion. Flying J President and CEO J. Phillip Adams said the filing was triggered by a [...]