ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Kevin Smartt, CEO and president of Kwik Chek Food Stores, has been named the 2020-21 NACS chairman. He began his term following the virtual NACS Board of Directors meeting on October 13.

Kwik Chek Food Stores is a 47-store chain with locations across Texas and Oklahoma. Over the past 15 years, the chain has doubled in size, developed a unique customer loyalty program, and is currently implementing cutting-edge point-of-sale technology. Under Smartt’s leadership, Kwik Chek has become a leader in charitable giving programs. During the pandemic, efforts included the donation of 400 thank-you bags totaling $12,500 to frontline hospital workers, its partnership with United Way to support Texans Helping Texans with company-matched contributions up to $5,000, and giving food and labor to feed 340 families through Feeding Fannin County. Over the last several years, Kwik Chek has also donated over $600,000 to CASA of Central Texas.

In addition, Smartt is the owner and CEO of McCraw Oil Company, a fuel wholesale distribution company; McCraw Transport Inc., a fuel delivery company; and Texas Born, a food product company.

In 2020, Kwik Chek began rebranding to Texas Born (TXB), emphasizing the company’s Texan roots and values that the brand has been built around. The evolution of Kwik Chek stores to TXB also includes a new line of TXB private label products, including jerky, trail mix, bottled water and coffee.

Smartt also leads the NACS Executive Committee, which provides strategic direction and financial oversight to the association. Committee members are:

• Vice Chairman, Treasurer: Jared Scheeler, The Hub Convenience Stores Inc. (Dickinson, N.D.)
• Vice Chairman, Strategic Communications: Ken Parent, Pilot Flying J LLC (Knoxville, Tenn.)
• Vice Chairman, Legislative: Don Rhoads, The Convenience Group LLC (Vancouver, Wash.)
• Vice Chairman, Member Services: Lisa Dell’Alba, Square One Markets Inc. (Bethlehem, Pa.)
• Vice Chairman, Research and Technology: Andy Jones, Sprint Food Stores Inc. (Wrens, Ga.)
• Vice Chairman: Victor Paterno, Philippine Seven Corp. dba 7-Eleven Convenience Store (Mandaluyong, Philippines)
• Vice Chairman: Brian Hannasch, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (Laval, Quebec, Canada)

Two past chairmen, 2019-20 NACS Chairman Julie Jackowski and 2018-19 NACS Chairman Frank Gleeson, also serve on the Executive Committee.

During the meeting, NACS also named three new retail members to its Board of Directors: 

• Chris Bambury, vice president, Bambury Inc. (Sonoma, Calif.)
• George Fournier, president, EG America LLC (Westborough, Mass.)
• Ina (Missy) Matthews, owner, Childers Oil Co. (Whitesburg, Ky.)

The NACS Supplier Board also named new leadership and members. Rick Brindle, vice president, industry development at Mondelez International, was named 2020-21 NACS Supplier Board chairman.

Brindle has served in his current position at Mondelez since 2012 and previously worked at Safeway Stores, Proctor & Gamble, Nabisco and Kraft Foods. He has been named among the Consumer Goods Industry’s Top 25 Visionaries by Consumer Goods Technology magazine and Supervalu Vendor of the Year. Brindle also has won the National Grocers Association Board of Directors Service Award and was inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Convenience Hall of Fame in 2018.

Brent Cotten, senior director, customer and industry affairs at The Hershey Company, was named chairman elect, and three new members were elected to the NACS Supplier Board:

• Mike Gilroy, Mars Wrigley
• Kevin M. LeMoyne, Coca-Cola Company
• Lesley D. Saitta, Impact 21

A member-driven organization, NACS is led by a 30-member Board of Directors, which includes three retailers from non-North American countries. In addition, the chairman and chairman-elect of the NACS Supplier Board also serve on the Board of Directors.