Coca-Cola's Jay Ard to Lead New NACS Supplier Board

CHICAGO — The Coca-Cola Co.’s vice president of national sales, convenience retail, Jay Ard, was named the 2017-2018 chairman of the NACS Supplier Board. The announcement was made at the 2017 NACS Show.

Ard, who joined Coca-Cola in 1979 as a route driver for the Rainwater Coca-Cola Bottling Group, has held a number of different positions for the company over the years. By 1994, he’d moved up the ladder to become area vice president for South Louisiana before earning a promotion to general manager of the Gulf States Division and Florida Division. He's served as The Coca-Cola Co.'s vice president of national sales, convenience retail since 2005.

“Being a member of the NACS Supplier Board over the past five years has been invaluable to my overall understanding of the industry and our customers,” said Ard. “I have had numerous interactions with convenience retailers and suppliers that couldn’t have happened any other way.”

Dave Riser, vice president of external relations at RAI Trade Marketing Services Co., was named chair-elect. He’ll succeed Ard as chairman for 2018-2019.

The NACS Supplier Board, comprised of professionals from NACS supplier member companies representing various product and service categories in the c-store industry, elected three new vice chairman. Drew Mize, senior vice president and general manager, Global Retail, PDI; Tim Quinn, vice president, trade development, Mars Chocolate North America LLC; and Rick Brindle, vice president, industry development, Mondelēz International are now on the five-member leadership team.

Seven new members were also elected to the NACS Supplier Board:

• Blake Benefiel, Director, Trade & State Relations, Altria Group Distribution Co.
• Tony Gaines, Senior Vice President, Sales, Advantage Solutions
• Sharon Porter, Senior Director of Marketing, Convenience Retailing Channel, Kerry Convenience
• Vito Maurici, Senior Vice President of Sales, McLane Co.
• TJ Powers, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Eby-Brown Co. LLC
• Chuck McDaniel, Vice President of Facilities, QuikTrip Corp.
• Art Stawski, President, Loaf 'N Jug