Interview with Henry Armour at NACS Show 2021
PetrolPlaza sat down with Henry Armour, President and CEO of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), during the last day of the NACS Show 2021. We discussed the excitement around the event and the main challenges in the c-store industry.
Henry Armour, who became the President and CEO of NACS in 2005, spoke to PetrolPlaza about a host of topics including TruAge, the new digital solution developed by NACS and Conexxus that enhances current age-verification systems and protects user privacy.
Three themes that were key during the three days of the NACS Show were last-mile solutions, the future of energy and age verification.
The NACS Show expo featured 1,235 exhibitors from startups to big brands, including a record-breaking 388 new exhibitors offering retailers a sneak peek at the new products available for convenience stores and gas stations.
Armour also discussed the resilience that the convenience store industry showed since the beginning of the pandemic.
"Our industry has done remarkably well in the last two years. It really showed how essential our businesses are; how engaged we are in our communities. We were the closest stores to consumers’ homes. It was challenging for NACS and our industry but we are really nimble."
In 1980, Armour joined The Standard Oil Company of Ohio where he served as manager of development strategies. Three years later, he founded West Star Corporation, which grew to include 59 NOW! convenience stores, truck stops and quick service restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. He sold the company in 2004. In 1988 Armour founded a second company, Epoch Corporation, which operated retail enterprises in California. In July 2005, he became President and CEO of NACS.
