Program

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

7:00 am - 5:00 pm Registration Open
 

8:30 am – 9:30 am (Choose 1 of 3 Concurrent Education Sessions)

“NATO/CSP Survey: Total Tobacco’s Evolution”

Presenters:

1. Mitch Morrison, Vice President & Group Editor, CSP Magazine
2. Paul Reuter, President, CSP Magazine
3. Trey Powell, Director of National Procurement/National Accounts, U.S. Alimentation Couche-Tard, Inc.
4. Randy Silverman, President/Chief Executive Officer, Klafter's, Inc.

Last year, NATO and CSP collaborated on the previously unexplored territory of industry benchmarking for tobacco. Regulation and tax increases have dramatically and permanently altered the business environment in which retailers operate. This session will provide the results of an industry wide second annual survey of practices, issues, opportunities and challenges in the tobacco category. The information provided here will help each executive with their strategic planning as they face the challenges of the tobacco industry head-on. Learn what tobacco retailers are using as the standards for measuring performance and take home simple, practical benchmarks that you can use to evaluate your own retail business.

“Mastering Convenience Store Tobacco”

Presenters:

1. Jim Fiene, COO, Open Pantry Food Marts of WI
2. Martha Flint, Category Manager, Landmark Industries

Convenience store tobacco/OTP category managers are in a unique situation. They have the distinction of managing a highly regulated and restricted-use product line with a very dedicated consumer base. And the category, rightly or wrongly, provides a significant amount—one-third—of the stores' profitability. The tobacco manager, like the tobacco store owner, weaves through myriad annual contract negotiations, has the same need to forecast sales mix changes and is required to have inventory information at the touch of a button. This session explores the view from the c-store tobacco category manager and outlines best-in-class processes for fact-based decision-making.

“Maximizing Profits with Technology”

Presenter:

Ben Chaney, Chief Financial Officer, Smoker Friendly

Are you getting the most out of your point-of-sale (POS) system? Is your price book working on your side? Whether you're just getting started or you're already scanning, you will walk away from this session with a clearer understanding of how POS efficiently manages inventory, reduces shrink, ensures accurate and consistent pricing, simplifies transaction analysis and statistically provides a map to improved profitability. Through retailer testimonials, you will hear how POS, if used to its full potential, can revolutionize how you do business.

9:45 am – 10:45 am (General Session)

“U.S. Tobacco Trends and Insights”

Bonnie Herzog, Managing Director, Beverage, Tobacco & Consumer
Research, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC 

This informative, frank discussion on the current U.S. economic situation reveals how its volatility affects our business today and it will in the future. Herzog, a respected tobacco industry financial analyst, presents the trends, the influence of FDA regulation and higher taxes on consumer behavior and on how the sales mix continues to evolve. 

11:00 am – 5:00 pm (Exhibit Hall)

NATO Show Floor Open
 

6:00 pm - 9:30 pm NATO Reception and Awards Dinner (for NATO Members Only)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

8:30 am – 9:45 am (General Session)

“The (Tobacco) Leaves of Change”

Scott Rasmussen, Founder and President of Rasmussen Reports, Network and Cable News Commentator, Co-founder of ESPN

Tobacco leaves adorn the friezes of our national monuments and governmental buildings in Washington, DC, giving silent testimony to tobacco’s role in building our great nation. Yet in those same halls our industry fights daily for our very existence. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel with a possible change in the Executive Branch? Or is that light a train coming our way? No one is more qualified to provide insight into these issues than Scott Rasmussen. 

Mr. Rasmussen is the founder and President of Rasmussen Reports, one of the nation’s premier sources for public opinion information. He has been an independent public opinion pollster since 1994 and is a frequent guest on Fox News, CNBC, the BBC, and other major media outlets. Scott has the ability to translate the numbers into meaningful analysis and commentary in a manner that both informs and entertains. Michael Barone calls Scott “one of America’s most innovative pollsters.” Mr. Rasmussen has his finger on the pulse of the upcoming presidential election and will give us his insight on who our next president is likely to be and how that might impact the tobacco industry.

10:00 am – 11:00 am (Choose 1 of 2 Concurrent Education Sessions)

“What are the Secrets to Success?”

Presenters:

1. Andrea Myers, Kocolene Marketing/Smoker’s host
2. Dan Gallagher, Vice President of Casamat Oil Corp / Smoker Friendly
3. Chris Beaulier, Operations Director, Cigaret Shopper

What are the secrets of double-digit growth in this volatile market? A panel of top-quartile tobacco operators gives us a glimpse into how each manages to meet shoppers’ changing needs profitably. Each operator begins with a pictorial introduction to their outlets and portrayal of their core customer before describing how they adapted their product mix and marketing techniques. What new items have they introduced recently? Have they reallocated space and inventory to accommodate OTP and MST? How much focus do they allow for ancillary items such as gifts, beverages or snacks? Listen carefully to their success stories as well as tales that begin with the phrase, “We’ll never do THIS again …”   

"Selling Tobacco After 'Big Brother' Redesigns Your Store"

Presenter: Michael Lawshe, Paragon Solutions

Whether designing a store from the ground up or remodeling an existing site, getting the return on your capital investment requires the best use of space and resources and a customer-friendly atmosphere. A creative store design begins with insights into the morphing needs of the tobacco store’s customer and an understanding of the owner’s equipment, management requirements and growth plan. By incorporating efficient, low-energy lighting and temperature control for reduced costs while creating effective merchandising displays for impulse sales of snacks, beverages and gift items, the well-designed store results in increased sales and improved margins. In this session, a retail design consultant shares examples of successful store designs and explains how even the smallest details make a difference to the bottom line. Attendees will also get the latest insight into how FDA mandates regarding tobacco marketing and sales will impact store design and product sets.

11:15 am – 3:45 pm (Exhibit Hall)

NATO Show Floor Open

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm (General Session)

"2012 Legislative and Regulatory Environment"

Presenter:  Thomas Briant, Executive Director, NATO

NATO's Executive Director, Thomas Briant, monitors state tobacco legislation and federal FDA regulations continuously and will provide not only an update on legislation and regulations, but also a critical analysis of what these state actions and FDA regulations mean for tobacco retailers. For those who have not heard Briant speak on industry issues, know that you’re in for a thorough and in-depth review of what you need to know about tobacco legislation and regulations.  This session is a must-attend for all retailers to gain insightful knowledge of how state governments and the FDA will impact their businesses.

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Click here for a downloadable .pdf file of the
"Register Now" brochure which includes the full schedule
of events and the sesssion descriptions as shown above.