Leaders From TravelCenters of America & Sheetz Will Headline Convenience Store News 2022 Technology Leadership Roundtable 

LAS VEGAS — TravelCenters of America Inc.’s Sandy Rapp, senior vice president and chief information officer, and Sue Smolenski, vice president of marketing, will kick off this year’s Convenience Store News Technology Leadership Roundtable & Dinner, being held Saturday, Oct. 1 in Las Vegas.

The two leaders from TravelCenters of America will discuss the company’s focus on business transformation and growth initiatives as the travel center operator celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The company entered 2022 with plans to continue advancing several key initiatives to transform its business. These initiatives include expanding its restaurant options, remodeling sites, opening new travel centers, upgrading technology, growing its franchise base, and bringing alternative energy resources to the marketplace.

This year’s annual CSNews Technology Leadership Roundtable & Dinner, which will take place on the opening evening of the 2022 NACS Show, will also feature Sheetz Inc. CEO Travis Sheetz accepting his company’s 2022 Technology Leader of the Year award.

“Sheetz has always been an innovator in merchandising and marketing, especially in the area of food, but I think few people realize the sophistication and innovation of Sheetz in implementing new technology that both improves the customer experience and brings new efficiencies to operations,” CSNews Editorial Director Don Longo said in announcing the winner.

Travis Sheetz, who previously served as company president and its first-ever chief operating officer, stepped up as president and CEO of the family-owned chain in January 2022. He is the nephew of company founder Bob Sheetz.

Sheetz Inc. operates more than 640 convenience stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The chain recently announced plans to expand into western Ohio with the addition of 20 new stores over the next five years. Its first location in the region is expected to open in Dayton in 2024.

Up to 20 convenience and fuel industry retailers are expected to participate in discussions around a variety of technology topics at the 2022 Technology Leadership Roundtable & Dinner, including:

• Taking the friction out of customer service;
• Technology’s role in foodservice;
• EMV at the pump;
• The future of mobile wallets/mobile payments;
• Loyalty programs;
• Mobile ordering;
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence;
• Data security; and
• Workforce management technology.

Last year’s program featured speakers from 7-Eleven Inc. and Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Guests included representatives from Kum & Go, Kwik Trip, and other leading c-store retailers. Hot topics during the roundtable portion of the event were self-checkout, artificial intelligence, employee engagement, and loyalty programs.

The 2022 CSNews Technology Leadership Roundtable & Dinner is sponsored by Invenco and LedgerPay.

Retailers interested in attending should contact Longo at [email protected].

For sponsorship information, contact CSNews Vice President and Brand Director Paula Lashinsky at [email protected].