2018 Southern Annual Meeting Magazine

95TH ANNUAL MEETING

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS PROGRAMS, SERVICES & OPERATIONS

Starts Us.

IT WITH

JUNE 12-15, 2018 MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel

VENDOR EVENT DATES JUNE 14 & 15

Welcome!

THE-SOUTHERN.ORG

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | c1

c2 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

Welcome!

TO THE SOUTHERN’S 95TH ANNUAL MEETING TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Governor of Louisiana...................................................................................................................... 2 Letter from the Mayor of Myrtle Beach, SC.............................................................................................................. 4 Letter from the SAWD President.................................................................................................................................. 6 Letter from the SLD President....................................................................................................................................... 8 Hospitality Suite............................................................................................................................................................... 10 First Lady’s Social Invitation........................................................................................................................................ 12 Letter from the CEO....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Building Your Brand on the Front Lines................................................................................................................... 16 Amazon Promotes Long-Tail Spending Cost Reduction: You Can Beat Them........................................... 18 Award Winners 2017..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Meetings with a Mission............................................................................................................................................... 21 The Southern Awards 2018......................................................................................................................................... 22 Wholesaler Highlight: Q&A with Randy Emanuelson, Team Sledd............................................................... 27 20th Annual Silent Auction......................................................................................................................................... 28 Your Next 7-Figure Improvement.............................................................................................................................. 30 SLD Business Resource in Hershey, PA.................................................................................................................... 32 Schedule of Events.......................................................................................................................................................... 36 Education Fund Contributors.................................................................................................................................... 38 Council of Presidents.................................................................................................................................................... 40 A Note About Anti-Trust............................................................................................................................................... 41 Welcome New Members.............................................................................................................................................. 41 Executive Committee.................................................................................................................................................... 42 State Directors.......................................................................................................................................................... 44, 46 At-Large Directors.......................................................................................................................................................... 48 Board Broker Rep, SLD Rep, Legislative Liaison................................................................................................... 48 Manufacturer Representatives.................................................................................................................................. 50 SLD Officers & Directors............................................................................................................................................... 54 New Vendor Spotlight.................................................................................................................................................. 57 Officers & Directors........................................................................................................................................................ 60 Vendor Highlight: Q&A with Maria Miro-Narlock, Spotlight Innovations................................................... 63 2017 New Orleans Wrap-Up........................................................................................................................................ 64 Mid-Year BOD Meeting in Key West, FL ................................................................................................................. 66 96th Annual Meeting Announcement.................................................................................................................... 67 2017 SAWD College Scholarship Winners.............................................................................................................. 70 Award-Winning Essay: How Technology Affects Your Purchase Decisions in Convenience Stores..................................................................................................... 71 Advertisers Directory.................................................................................................................................................... 72

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 1

2 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

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MESSAGE FROM THE SAWD PRESIDENT: RANDY EMANUELSON, TEAM SLEDD

CAPITALIZING ON OUR STRENGTHS Warmest greetings and welcome to The Southern’s 95th Annual Meeting in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!!

First Lady Cathy Emanuelson and I sincerely appreciate your presence at our association’s signature annual event and hope that you, your spouse, and family have all chosen to attend. Myrtle Beach is truly a family summertime destination and that is why we are here!

The Southern’s accomplishments over the past year have been noteworthy and they all originate from our creative and aggressive approach to altering our association’s strategy, capitalizing on our strengths, and listening to all constituents: both wholesaler and manufacturer members, about their business needs. This is only our second year of a totally revamped annual meeting event in which the traditional trade show has been discarded in favor of two days of high-quality interaction between manufacturers and wholesalers, combined with lots of just plain fun networking and some interesting educational events. The success of our strategy in the first year was encouraging.

We received tons of positive feedback on last year’s New Orleans event and our financial stability as an association has improved for the future.

The theme for this annual meeting, “It Starts with Us,” is based on a simple premise: Our future is determined by the choices we make. Future success is not the result of just one monumental decision. It is the result of a continuous series of choices that echo throughout our professional and personal lives. You have made the choice to be here.

For that, I am thankful. Our association has made a series of strategic choices and remains committed to continue to make changes in order to be most relevant to all members.

As my term comes to an end, I want to thank our Southern members for the opportunity to serve as President. It has been a gratifying experience both personally and professionally. I have been fortunate to have worked closely with the board and committee members and appreciate all they’ve done for the Southern during my term. It has been an honor just to be a part of our outstanding leadership team and to know that our association is in good hands.

There are so many more outstanding things planned beyond 2018. I look forward to continuing to support the Southern leadership, and in particularly our incoming President, Steve Douglas, as he continues to chart the association’s present and future.

Again, thank you to all y’all for allowing me the opportunity to serve.

Randy Emanuelson 6 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

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The demands of Fresh have soared. 43% of retailers say that they have added more fresh fruit or vegetables this year; 39% have added more packaged salads; and 30% have added more cut fruits and vegetables. Overall, 85% of retailers say they sell fresh fruit or vegetables, an 8-point increase over last year.* Our Category Management, Focused Marketing Initiative and Technology Ordering Solutions make it easy for you to keep your shelves stocked with the right amount of products at the right time. And we are always developing strategies and solutions customized for you to further increase foot traffic and profit margins.

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Atlanta Eric Meyer 4820 North Church Ln. Smyrna, GA 30080 (404) 792-2000

Forrest City Brad Blumenstock 3400 Commerce Rd. Forrest City, AR 72335 (870) 633-2044

Ft. Worth Cody Anderson 6401 Will Rogers Blvd.

Fort Worth, TX 76134 (817) 293-5558

Kentucky Matt Ashley 1055 Salt River Rd. Leitchfield, KY 42754 (270) 259-9341

Carolina Michael Davenport 1144 Broadway Rd. Sanford, NC 27332 (919) 774-9444

Tampa Jason Nevin 9020 King Palm Dr. Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 664-0474

*NACS 2016

MESSAGE FROM THE SLD PRESIDENT: LEANNE JENNINGS, J.L. GADDY WHOLESALE, HICKORY GROVE, SC

GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR

As my term as Southern Leadership Division (SLD) President comes to an end, I want you to know that it has been a pleasure being a part of the SLD. I am so proud of all we have accomplished in the past year, and I have no doubt the board will continue these successes in the future.

The annual SLD Business Resource Meeting is a time for members to explore the latest industry topics, share ideas and challenges, and network with peers. I look forward to the meeting every year. The learning experience from the education sessions and the knowledge gained from other members makes the meeting invaluable to me. Last November, the SAWD Southern Leadership Division headed north to the “Sweetest Place on Earth,” Hershey, Pennsylvania, for our annual business resource meeting. Hosted by our association member, The Hershey Company, the meeting gave us the opportunity to learn about Hershey’s rich history and continued innovation. On behalf of of the SLD, we thank The Hershey Company for their hospitality and generosity.

The group had the opportunity to tour

8 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

The Hershey Companies’ Global Customer Innovation Center (GCIC), a state-ofthe-art facility that serves as a destination for their strategic customer planning sessions. It also has a mock convenience store where the Hershey team illustrates merchandising ideas for our distributors.

We finished up our tour at the Milton Hershey School where we learned the incredible story of a great leader, Milton Hershey.

This year, the SLD partnered with Stop Hunger Now (SHN) for our Meetings with a Mission event. The group assembled close to 14,000 meals kits, in just a little over an hour, to support food scarcity overseas. Thank you to our member Altria Group Distribution Company and Brandon Mohr, for for organizing and sponsoring this great hands-on event.

Later in the day, Hershey team members shared with the group the current confection performance and trends, what drives confection sales, merchandising effectiveness, the consumer landscape and a sneak peek at a convenience store of the not-so-distant future. We listened

to a presentation from the Hershey employee who came up with one of their greatest new item launches, Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cups. These sessions were extremely informative and fun for the group, not to mention how sweet the samples were.

In the afternoon Bryan Dodge shared with the group how to take leadership skills to a higher level and how to help the people that you lead overcome the challenges that prevent them from succeeding. He continued the leadership theme on Friday with a session about the teambuilding skills that form the chemistry needed to be a part of a cohesive unit. As always, Bryan’s sessions are high energy, entertaining and enlightening.

The SLD just keeps getting better every year and this November we are heading north again to Minnesota as guests of our association member, Jack Links. Come be a part of this great group of leaders and join us in Minneapolis!

Leanne Jennings

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Hospitality SUITE

Be sure to drop by our Southern Hospitality Suite during the day for a cup of coffee or a soft drink and in the evening, a hosted bar. It’s a great place to meet, make plans with friends, or just relax. Adjacent to the Hospitality Suite will be the Silent Auction to benefit our Education Fund. This Silent Auction features over $15,000 worth of items contributed by the members of the Board of Directors, vendors, and others.

HOURS OPEN:

Wednesday evening: After Dinner (about 10:00pm) - Until Thursday: 9:00am to 5:00pm Thursday evening: After Dinner (about 10:00pm) - Until The “Southern Hospitality Suite” is provided to all convention delegates by the Manufacturer & Broker Representatives on your Southern Board of Directors:

Altria Group Distribution Company American Snuff Company Burdette Beckmann Creative Data Research Dot Foods ITG Brands Jack Link’s Protein Snacks Lil’ Drug Store Products Matrix Brokerage National Tobacco ProCat Distribution Technologies RAI Trade Marketing Services Republic Tobacco Company Swedish Match Swisher International The Hershey Company

A HERITAGE OF BRINGING GOODNESS TO THE WORLD. A long history of iconic brands, innovative products and a dedicated sales team equates to optimum day-to-day sales, but for our customers, it equates to day-to-day goodness in their lives. And that’s what we’ve always been about.

The Hershey Company is proud to support the Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors.

thehersheycompany.com THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 11

First Lady’s SOCIAL

First Lady Cathy Emanuelson would like to extend an invitation to all spouses and guests attending the Annual Meeting, to join her for the First Lady’s Social which will be held on

THURSDAY, JUNE 14 10:00AM UNTIL 11:30AM This is an ideal opportunity to meet some of the other attendees while enjoying brunch.

This event is also a great meeting place to gather with friends prior to going out for the day.

Please check your onsite schedule for location.

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®, TM, ©2018 LINKS SNACKS, INC. THIS DOCUMENT IS PROPRIETERY AND CONFIDENTIAL. NO PART OF THIS DOCUMENT MAY BE DISCLOSED IN ANY MANNER TO A THIRD PARTY WIHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF JACK LINK’S

MESSAGE FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: GREG MARTIN

ON COURSE FOR SUCCESS All planes are off course 99% of the time. To get from point A to point B requires 1,000’s of tiny corrections (and only a few major ones). This is not just academic for me. Back in the day I earned my private “ticket” or a private pilot’s license. I learned that the closer you get to the ground the smaller the corrections should be. Ailerons (the part of the wing of a plane which causes a plane to dip a wing and bank into a turn) used at a safe altitude are great. Ailerons employed in close proximity to the ground can be catastrophic.

The Southern (while we are still at a safe altitude) made some major course corrections last year. Supported by a deep well of data, we boldly re-imagined the major pieces of our Annual Meeting: sun setting our pipe-and-drape trade show in favor of guaranteed appointments; keeping what was worth keeping by way of the House of Deals; adding an online deal portal to make deals more customizable and more available (online instead of in-person, 30 days instead of 2 days); altering pricing to make attendance more family friendly; revising our dues basis; and shortening the pathway to leadership.

Any of these changes alone could have proven problematic for a less committed association; and we implemented them all in the same year. Our “leap of faith” was rewarded with very positive feedback on almost all of the changes. 2018 will be a year of minor course corrections – basically improving on issues that we learned about last year.

Distributors, manufacturers, and brokers survive through re-invention. Not only is “doing the same thing and expecting a different result the definition is insanity”…it is also a recipe for business failure. The rate of change is increasing exponentially - businesses and trade organizations have to hustle to respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ever-evolving marketplace.

One need not be particularly gifted to predict a challenge / opportunity contained in the rate of increase of mergers and acquisitions. What was once “nibbling around the edges” by companies with a growth-by-acquisition mindset, seems to have turned into something more aggressive as companies of varying sizes view their competitors as future business assets.

Organizationally we have been faced with a lot of challenges over the years, and we haven’t been around since 1922 by accident. We remain committed to keeping our hands on the yoke, our feet on the pedals, and our eyes on the compass and the horizon…ever-ready to make the course corrections necessary to keep us on track for success.

We look forward to seeing you in Myrtle Beach!

14 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

Altria Group Distribution Company salutes The Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors.

We salute you on another successful meeting and we thank you for your continued support!

To learn more, visit Insightsc3m.com.

Altria Group, Inc. 2016; For trade purposes only.

Š

EVENT SPEAKER: GERRY O’BRION, WHAT BIG BRANDS KNOW

BUILDING YOUR BRAND ON THE FRONT LINES 9 Strategies for Hiring, Motivating and Managing your Staff The number one challenge facing many distributors today is finding and hiring great employees. From your sales people to your delivery drivers, your brand is built on the front lines, with every interaction every day.

A-players want to strive for greatness.

B and C players just want to get by.

4

Here are 9 strategies that will help you build an organization of A-players without busting your budget.

Give them the tools for success. Set high expectations, and then give them the ideas, the training and the resources for success. Hiring for a great personality and work ethic is a good start, but don’t expect them to make it up as they go.

Give them the tools.

decide. The best ideas and worst ideas both come from your employees. But if they know that you care and are listening, it can make all the difference.

1

5

8

Create a great place to work. The number one reason why distributors have a hard time hiring people is that their business isn’t attractive to prospective employees. What have you built in to your business that makes it a great place to work? Even better, what makes it so good that it’s chat worthy? Today, you need to market to prospective employees the same way you market to prospective customers. This doesn’t have to be foosball in the break room and kegs on Fridays. Learn what your ideal employees are looking for and build that in to your company. Read on for some ideas.

2

Pick A-players. Your A-players want to work with other A-players. If you hire or keep B or C players, your A-players will either leave, reduce their performance, or just be generally annoyed. It’s your job to pick only the best of the best. Settle for “good enough” and that will become your brand.

3

Increase your expectations. Starting with your interview process, make it clear that you have high expectations for your business, your brand, yourself and your employees. Don’t make it easy to work for you, but do make it inspiring.

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Give feedback early and often. These ideas are valuable for any employee, but this one is particularly relevant to your Millennial workers. They want to know how they’re doing, like, now. Why? Think about how they’ve grown up. They can know anything they want, immediately – from google. They don’t want to get feedback in an annual review, they want it today. The other great thing about this is that if they’re not performing, you can help them improve or get them out quick.

6

Live your values and make a difference. Another one especially suited for your Millennials. 92% of Millennials believe that business success should be measured by more than just profit, and 84% believe that making a difference in the world is more important than professional recognition. They want to work somewhere that has values aligned with theirs and actually lives those values.

Not sure what to do? Have your younger workers help create your strategy.

7

Listen to their ideas. Your front-line folks have better insights about what your customers want than anyone else.

Simply asking for their opinion goes a long way. It’s your job to listen, learn and

Show them the path to advancement.

Where can they go from here? Especially for your younger employees, the path to the future is important. I might be willing to work hard for less money today if I know it will pay off in the future. Even if you have a small or flat organization, it’s possible to build in some levels.

9

Compensate them fairly, or even a little better. I was with a restaurant owner recently who owns five locations. I asked her how changes in minimum wages were going to impact her. She simply said, “Well, not at all. We don’t believe in minimum wage work, so we don’t’ pay minimum wages.” She’s successful not because she pays her people more, but because she does everything on this list.

As a result, she attracts, and can afford to compensate A-players - and she gets A-level work.

Each of these strategies seem simple, but it’s remarkable how few distributors are executing them all, consistently. n Gerry O’Brion works with organizations who want to build their brands all the way from the CEO through the front lines. www. whatbigbrandsknow.com.

EVENT SPEAKER: BRUCE MERRIFIELD, MERRIFIELD CONSULTING GROUP

AMAZON PROMOTES LONG-TAIL SPENDING COST REDUCTION: YOU CAN BEAT THEM According to an Amazon Business (AMZBIZ) funded study, reported in the December 2017 issue of Spend Matters magazine, procurement pros increasingly want to reduce long-tail spending costs.

The big-spend items have been automated and integrated, but the pesky bottom 35% of items eat 1% of the spend dollars, take over 50% of purchasing’s time, and are a pain for everyone to easily buy. Corporate citizens want Amazon’s B2C shopping experience in their B2B world, but purchasing wants controls. So, AMZ-BIZ continues to invent cloud tools for purchasing control and analytics and continues to win sales.

DISTRIBUTORS CAN ONE-UP AMZ!

But, AMZ-BIZ does not have people visiting customer sites. At least, not yet.

Nor, do they have the targeted historical, statistical, SKU-based spend data that you should have for your best customers.

Why not combine feet, targeted analytics and onsite creativity to reduce both long-tail activity costs and increase the uptime productivity of the SKUs’ users?

Here’s a case study of a company that did just that.

A HOW-TO CASE STUDY

A $500MM distributor with 8% operating profit subscribes to a lineitem profit analytics cloud service (Waypointanalytics.net). With this service, they can rank all customers by the total number of line-item picks. Then, they can zone in on customers with low profit-

18 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

dollar/pick averages, which suggests too many small-dollar picks.

Here is some average data for an integrated-supply customer: • Over 90K picks for 12 months • Annual net profits: $295K • Average profit-dollars/pick is one third of the median for all accounts • Deep-dive tools revealed a wide range in net-profitability for 50 locations • The biggest losing location (#50) lost $150K, while ordering over 1000 different SKUs • Ranking of location #50’s SKUs by profit contribution revealed 40 SKUs that were ordered an average 40 times/year with about $3 in gross profit-dollars/ pick • The distributor’s cost per pick for just order entry and warehouse activity costs was $5 These are not good numbers. The solution? Visit location #50 to investigate:

• How did their physical replenishment systems differ with other more profitable locations? Take pictures of storage effectiveness and ask questions.

• Are there any best practices from the best locations that can be shared?

• Were there any stockouts on the 40 big-losing, highly-reordered SKUs that caused downtime and small emergency orders? Most likely the answer will be yes, so investigate ideas for how to reduce picks/SKU to one or two rebuys due to higher stock levels.

• Think about the tradeoff math: more inventory cost versus 800 fewer rebuy activity-cost events for both parties, plus zero stockout uptime benefits

CALL TO ACTION

Wouldn’t you invent, install, pay for and measure the benefits of a storage reorder solution for #50? Then, do the same for the next biggest-losing locations?

Cost-to-service savings will exceed investments. You will increase your profits, their total value, and your odds for renewing the contract.

AMZ is endlessly innovating and experimenting. So, don’t wait. You can beat AMZ by using the right analytics, feet, and some imaginative systems re-tunings. n For more articles from Bruce Merrifield, visit merrifieldact2.com.

THE SOUTHERN AWARDS 2017

The Southern Liberty Award was presented to Butch DiChiari with City Wholesale, by Greg Martin with The Southern.

The SAWD Service Award was given to Michael Hughes with The Hershey Company.

The Snack Representative of the Year was presented to Scott Hill with Jack Link’s, by Tony Berryhill with Turkey Creek Snacks, who won the award in 2016.

The Allied Broker Representative of the Year was presented to Maria Miro-Narlock with Spotlight Innovations,

by Trey Williams, President of Thomas M. Williams.

The Hershey Leadership Award was presented to Randy Long and his wife Penny, by Michael Hughes with The Hershey Company, for their outstanding leadership of The Southern over the last year.

The Tobacco Representative of the Year was presented to Blake Benefiel with Altria Group Distribution Company by Randy Long, with Long Distribution.

The SAWD Service Award was given to Charlie Casper with Hardec’s.

The Career Achievement Awards were presented to Don Childers with Home Folks by Dick Dunham with Stephenson Wholesale, our 2016 recipient.

The Southern Leader of the Year Award was presented to Ron Leitner with RAI Trade Marketing Services by Leanne Jennings, SLD President, with J.L. Gaddy.

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MEETINGS WITH A MISSION

MEETINGS WITH A MISSION was designed to encourage connections between our attendees and those in the community of our host city.

In 2017, we partnered with CASA Jefferson (casajefferson.org).

CASA/GAL volunteers are appointed by judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children, to make sure they don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languish in inappropriate group or foster homes.

Volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. For many abused children, their CASA/GAL volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives.

We are proud to announce that we collected over $3,600 in cash (and that was in addition to the $1,000 check from The Southern) and a $1,000 donation by one of our manufacturer members.

Thank you to everyone who contributed!

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 21

THE SOUTHERN AWARDS 2018

Each year we take the opportunity to recognize some of our members that have demonstrated extensive commitment to service and achievement in the industry. Congratulations to all of our 2018 award recipients.

2018 VENDOR OF THE YEAR Craig Leiker ITG Brands

2018 SAWD SERVICE AWARD Sam Stewart Stewart Candy

2018 LIBERTY AWARD Jimmy Naifeh Standard Distributing

2018 SLD LEADER OF THE YEAR Brandon Mohr Altria Group Distribution Co. 22 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

2018 CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Bill Wilkerson J.L. Gaddy Wholesale

2018 LIBERTY AWARD Corey Cooper Stephenson Wholesale

2018 HERSHEY LEADERSHIP AWARD Randy Emanuelson Team Sledd

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 23

5173 Pioneer Drive • Meridian, MS 39301 P.O. Box 667 • Marion, MS 39342 (601) 482-3144 • (800) 828-5664 • Fax (601) 482-3109

201 North Fulton Drive • Corinth, MS 38834 P.O. Box 250 • Corinth, MS 38835-0250 (662) 287-2421 • (800) 822-5664 • Fax (662) 287-6689

MERIDIAN Kenny Coghlan Ray Long, Jr. Sam E. Long, III Trey Long

CORINTH Rusty Boone Colby Carmichiel Tracy Dye Jeff Johnson Randy Long Tommy Stine

Full Line Supplier for Convenience Stores 24 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

230 South 22nd Avenue • Durant, OK 74701 Phone 580-920-0110 • Fax 580-920-1323 • Toll Free 800-442-2880

www.INWsupply.com

Durant • Norman • Lawton

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 25

Merchants Grocery coMpany, Inc. A Company You Can Count On

We proudly support THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS 800 Maddox Drive Culpeper, VA 22701 Phone: 540.825.0786 Fax: 540.825.9016

www.merchants-grocery.com

WHOLESALER HIGHLIGHT: Q&A WITH RANDY EMANUELSON, TEAM SLEDD Q: Number of years personally in the business?

A: 26 years Q: How many years has company been in business and how many employees are there?

A: Since 1937, 275 employees Q: Could you give me a brief history of your company and how you got started in the business?

A: I joined Sledd in 1992 as their CFO, after 12 years in public accounting.

• 1937 – Sledd incorporated in West Virginia • 1985 – Sledd moves from 15,000 sq ft of space (on three floors with elevators) on Main Street in downtown Wheeling to 40,000 sq ft on East Cove Avenue in Elm Grove.

• 1989 – Sledd expands into a newly-built addition of 35,000 sq ft in Elm Grove, including a 10,000 sq ft refrigerator/freezer.

• 1993 – Sledd expands again into an additional 20,000 sq ft in Elm Grove when it is vacated by a neighboring tenant.

• 1996 – Rob Sincavich and Randy Emanuelson buy Sledd, which by now has 100 employees and $105 million annual sales.

• 1999 – Sledd renovates the interior of its nearly 100,000 sq ft facility in Elm Grove, expanding to five dock doors, building two mezzanines, removing all that conveyor and the “merge point”, painting the interior white and replacing all lighting.

• December 2004 – Sledd buys a 45,000 sq ft building on National Road in Triadelphia and renovates it inside with new racking and lighting for use as a reserve inventory facility.

• January 2008 – Sledd builds a third mezzanine in the Elm Grove warehouse and additional racking at Triadelphia and coverts Triadelphia to 24/5 operation.

• June 2011 – Sledd announces the acquisition of two adjacent property parcels in Elm Grove (and begins planning for a $10 million expansion).

• 2014 – Sledd moves into new warehouse addition. Now has 200,000 square feet under roof.

Q: What is necessary to succeed in this business?

A: Love for the daily chaos. A commitment to serve customers and make them successful to the best of your ability and to cultivate that culture throughout your company.

Q: Is there anyone who has been a mentor for you in the industry?

A: I’ve been fortunate to have two mentors in my career and they were both CPAs from my early work life.

Q: How long have you been a member of The Southern?

A: We joined on the rooftop terrace of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis in 2002.

Bob Pierpoint made me do it!

Q: What keeps you coming back to the meetings?

A: Folks like Bob and so many others since 2002. With a passion for both their businesses and their network of friendships. Friendships that transcend the work and become valued in their own right.

Q: What is the best part of the meetings?

A: Cocktails! Well, really the full range of networking and relationships.

Q: What are your words of wisdom to someone getting started in the business? A: Be careful. It pulls you in but it gives back more than it takes.

Q: What is the biggest issue facing this industry today?

A: Maintaining your own particular company-identity when the industry trend is to allow a commoditization of “what we do”. What we do, when done right, is serve as a critical success factor for each and every retail customer.

Q: If someone were interested in coming to the Annual Meeting for the first time, what would you advise them?

A: Do it! Of course. You’ll not be disappointed and you’ll keep coming back.

Q: Tell us about yourself and your family?

A: My wife Cathy and I have two daughters, both in their twenties, both healthy and happy and making their way in the world. Our empty-nest house contains two cats and lotsa wine. We love to travel, and we also love to just relax on our beautiful back porch and enjoy the outdoors. We are very fortunate to have great friends and family and we are thankful for both every day. n Fore more information, visit sleddco.com

Q: What is the main reason someone should be a member of The Southern?

A: Well, The Southern is a huge part of the “gives back” thing I mentioned already, and the powerful connections that will last a lifetime.

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 27

21ST ANNUAL

Silent AUCTION TO BENEFIT THE EDUCATION FUND

The Southern’s Education Fund was established a number of years ago to provide educational opportunities for members, their employees and family members. The Silent Auction, which will be held throughout the convention, will raise money for the fund.

Our Education and Convention Committees last year were successful in raising over $15,000 for our Education Fund through the Silent Auction. With your support and participation, we hope to exceed that figure this year. Items are offered through the generosity of Southern members and vendors.

28 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

WE PROUDLY SUPPORT

THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS 100 East Cove Extension - P. O. Box 2018 - Wheeling, WV 26003

Phone: 304-243-1820

www.TEAMSLEDD.COM

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 29

EVENT SPEAKER: SPENCER TAYLOR, LUMEN LEADERSHIP

YOUR NEXT 7-FIGURE IMPROVEMENT

THE POWER OF DATA

I love data. I spent the early part of my career with the US Military as an All-Source Intelligence Analyst. My primary responsibility was to sift through truck loads of data to discover patterns and trends that could save American and Coalition lives. It was arduous work but the result was more than worth it. The intelligence community is organized in a hub-andspoke model. The spokes represent single sources of data--for example, signals intelligence (SIGINT) includes intercepted cell phone conversations and other communications; human intelligence (HUMINT) includes interrogations, tactical questioning, and documents captured during combat missions. The hub of intelligence is called All-Source. This simply means as an All-Source Analyst, my job was to evaluate all of the information coming in from various sources and decide if or how it was connected. When I found connections, I presented the results to commanders who were then able to make better decisions on the battlefield. I remember one particular instance in Mosul, Iraq, when we identified a sniper cell that had caused our troops a lot of stress and had led to several casualties. Through the concerted efforts of the intelligence team in that area of operations, we were able to identify the patterns of behavior that uncovered the tactics of the cell and allowed them to be brought to justice.

The power of data can be similarly leveraged in business. As a wholesale-distribution company, you manage many moving pieces. Think about the complexity that exists across all of your stakeholders: supply chain partners, retailers, government regulators (God bless ‘em), employees, and contractors. Where there is com30 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

plexity, there is always opportunity. It is vitally important you tackle your own ‘All-Source Intelligence’ initiative and decide precisely where you are right now in comparison with where you would like to be. Just as we uncovered the pattern behind the sniper cell in Mosul, you can uncover your best seven-figure opportunity in order to take your company to the next level. I can promise you there are 3-5 such opportunities in your company right now.

What I mean by ‘seven-figure opportunity’ is either a cost savings opportunity or a strategy change that will lead to at least a 7-figure Return on Investment. There are really just two categories of seven-figure opportunities in your business: cost savings and new customer acquisition. Cost savings is all about generating the same or higher output with fewer resources.

We would all do well to learn from Parkinson’s law that states: “The amount of work to be performed fills the time allowed to perform it”. This simply means if you give a person 10 tasks and 1 week to perform them, chances are they will take the entire week. If you give them the same 10 tasks but only 3 days to perform them, they will likely get them done in that amount of time. There has been extensive research done on this tendency and I’ve seen it in action many times. Cost savings doesn’t always mean cutting labor but it almost always means awakening what I like to call the ‘sleeping giants’ among your workforce. Every person in your company has untold potential and yet, the research shows that only about 30% of the global workforce is actively engaged and truly pursuing their full potential. If this is true for your company and you can sort out the ‘engaged’ from the ‘disengaged’, think of the acceleration that would result from waking up those sleeping giants!

ACTION ITEM: Write out a plan for discovering and acting on your best seven-figure opportunity.

CREATING THE INDEX

After I left the military I moved into training, coaching, and consulting. Because I grew up in the C-Store industry prior to the military, a question began to form in my mind: “How can I leverage the power of data to help wholesalers and distributors grow their business?”.

Through a series of fortunate opportunities and a lot of trial and error, we eventually built the Wholesale-Distribution Company Health Index. The index looks at the health of supply chain partner relationships, the level of satisfaction among a cross-section of customers, and the level of engagement among your employees. It also reveals how much confidence employees have in the Senior Leadership Team at your company, how well leaders are guiding their teams toward a common vision, and how effectively teams are communicating across departments. The ‘big idea’ behind the index is that it shows how much untapped potential exists within your business. It helps uncover those previously mentioned seven-figure opportunities. So, for example, let’s say your overall score comes in at 65 out of 100. At the most basic level we

could then conclude that your company is currently living up to 65% of its potential. This is great news because with that clear understanding, you can get to work on unlocking the other 35%!

ACTION ITEM: Evaluate supply chain relationships, customer satisfaction levels, and engagement among your employees to gain clarity on where you currently are so you can build a plan to seize your most important opportunities.

BLIND SPOTS

Last spring, Hal Gregersen published an article in the Harvard Business Review called “Bursting the CEO Bubble” (I recommend you Google it and read the full article). Gregersen does a masterful job of pointing out that as a key leader in your organization, your employees are going to ‘protect’ you from certain truths within your company. They are likely to put special emphasis on the ‘good news’ that they know you want to hear and to minimize or redact portions of ‘bad news’ or ‘hard truths’ they believe would not delight you. Gregersen points out that while the most persistent business leaders are able to get the information they request, “Their biggest problem is getting information they haven’t demanded because they don’t know how to ask for it. And unfortunately, it’s not just obscure corners of underperforming operations that [they] are oblivious to”.

ACTION ITEM: Make a list of the biggest problems (I like to call them Challenges) in your organization. Send the list to 10 employees from various departments and different levels of responsibility and ask them to add to it. You could also do this through an anonymous survey to prevent anyone from holding back because you’re the boss.

THE BIG SOLUTION: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

As one final and rather large Action Item, I recommend you take a look at your company using the 7-Pillars of Leadership. Below you will find a series of questions you can ask yourself and other stakeholders to gain clarity on what your

best seven-figure opportunity looks like, uncover your blind spots, and awaken the ‘sleeping giants’ in your company.

Answering these questions and taking decisive action will ultimately lead every individual and the company as a whole to fulfilling their potential and your business will THRIVE!

The Seven Pillars with Accompanying Questions: Communication:

• How well is information flowing between departments? (think front office to back warehouse) • What is the overall culture at your company and how can you enhance communication to improve it?

• How well do you understand the goals of each individual working in your company? How strong is the connection between individual and organizational goals?

Accountability:

• How do your leaders hold their stakeholders accountable?

• What happens when someone misses a deadline or does not complete an assigned task?

• How do you see failure? Is it an opportunity to learn or an unacceptable event?

Training:

• What percentage of your current training initiatives succeed?

• How often do your training events lead to a positive improvement in performance?

• Who is ultimately responsible for training within your organization?

Engagement:

• How effectively do your leaders mentor their direct reports?

• Do you focus more energy on the ‘why?’ or the ‘what?’ when it comes to operations in your company?

• How often do your employees (aka Internal Stakeholders) spend time together outside the workplace?

Quality:

• What % of your core business do you have mapped out into clear, simple processes?

• How do you enable your people to continuously improve performance?

• What system do you have in place to receive ideas and criticisms from all stakeholders (internal and external)?

Customer Orientation:

• How often do you survey your customers to learn how they feel you are doing?

• What actions do you take based on customer feedback?

• How many people in your company clearly understand the impact of their actions on the customer experience?

Leadership Development:

• What action can someone in your company take if they would like to eventually progress into a leadership role?

• How do your senior leaders prevent themselves from stagnating or hitting a plateau in developing themselves into better leaders?

• What is the number one priority for your company this quarter and what are your leaders doing about it? n Spencer Taylor began working in the convenience industry as a VP of Marketing in 1999. After serving in the active Military as an All-Source Intelligence Analyst and deploying 3 times to Iraq, he completed his undergraduate and graduate work in Business. He has served in leadership roles for over 15 years and has focused his last several years on building great leaders in Business. He has worked with leaders in Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, the UK, Germany, Ireland and nearly every state across the US. His current company, Lumen Leadership, helps companies build effective leadership development and change management programs that drive results. He can be reached at spencer@lumenleader.com or 385-448-6642.

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 31

SLD BUSINESS RESOURCE MEETING 2017

The Hershey Hotel, Hershey, PA Last November the SAWD Southern Leadership Division (SLD) headed north to the “sweetest place on earth,” Hershey, Pennsylvania, for our annual business resource meeting. Hosted by our association member, The Hershey Company, the meeting gave us the opportunity to learn about Hershey’s rich history and continued innovation.

The group had the opportunity to tour The Hershey Companies’ Global Customer Innovation Center (GCIC), a state-of-the-art facility that serves as a destination for their strategic customer planning sessions. Later in the day, Hershey team members shared with the group the current confection performance and trends, what drives confection sales, and merchandising effectiveness.

This year, the SLD partnered with Stop Hunger Now (SHN) for our Meetings with a Mission event. The group assembled close to 14,000 meals kits, in just a little over an hour, to support food scarcity overseas. Thank you to our member Altria Group Distribution Company and Brandon Mohr, for organizing this great hands on event.

32 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 33

SAVE THE DATE

SLD Business Resource Meeting Nov. 13-15, 2018

JACK’S PLACE Minneapolis, MN

— NOT JUST PRODUCT —

Partnership in Every Package.

In today’s changing marketplace you need more than just the right products; you need the right partner.

Swisher is the partner with the knowledge to help you navigate the changing regulatory environment and the category management expertise to maximize your business.

SWISHERSWEETS.COM | 800.874.9720 THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 35

95TH ANNUAL MEETING • SCHEDULE OF EVENTS • Note: This is a tentative schedule of events.

Details are subject to change. For the latest information, visit the-Southern.org. The on-site program supersedes any preprinted material.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12 2:00 - 5:30pm

Registration Desk Open

2:15 - 3:15pm

Chair/Vice Chair Meeting

3:30 - 4:30pm

Committee Meetings

4:30 - 5:30pm

Finance & Budget Committee Meeting

5:30 - 6:30pm 7:00 - 9:30pm

(Depart hotel at 7:00pm)

Executive Committee Meeting Chairman’s Reception & Dinner at Thoroughbred’s For members of the Board of Directors & Past Presidents

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 8:00am - 1:00pm Golf Tournament

Myrtlewood Golf Club For more, please visit myrtlewoodgolf.com.

9:00am - 5:00pm Registration Desk Open

oyster art! We’ll begin with an oceanfront lunch at Sea Captain’s House, Myrtle Beach’s most iconic seafood restaurant, serving fresh off-theboat catches since the 1930s. Following lunch, a local oyster artist will share information on the new craze and coach everyone to make an oyster art creation of their own.

3:00 - 4:00pm

Board of Directors Meeting

3:30 - 4:30pm Family Club Get ready to interact with others, compete, and have a lot of fun during our Family Club!

4:15 - 5:15pm

SLD Board Meeting

5:30 - 6:00pm

New Vendor Reception

6:00 - 7:00pm

Welcome Reception

All Buyers and First-time Vendors

Open to All

7:00 - 9:00pm Southern Shindig Come join us as we celebrate everything “Southern.” Dubbed the Southern Shindig, this celebration will showcase the South’s best attributes: great food, great friends and great fun for the whole family!

After Dinner - Until Hospitality Suite

Open to All Continue our Southern-themed evening with dancing and entertainment at our Hospitality Suite. Shop our Silent Auction whose proceeds fund annual scholarships given out each year to deserving member students, as well as funding education sessions and more.

THURSDAY, JUNE 14 7:30am - 5:00pm Registration Desk Open

11:30am - 2:30pm Lunch and Art Class

(Optional event) The salt waters of South Carolina are populated with oysters and the state has more than its fair share of oyster festivals, oyster roasts and now…

36 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

7:30 - 8:30am

Kick-Off Breakfast

8:00 - 10:30am

Education Sessions

8:00 - 9:10am Session 1 “Leading Change in the Rapidly Evolving Wholesale Distribution Industry” Spencer B. Taylor, MBA and Principal Lumen Leadership

p

SPENCER TAYLOR began working in the convenience industry as a VP of Marketing in 1999. After serving in the active Military as an All-Source Intelligence Analyst and deploying 3 times to Iraq, he completed his undergraduate and graduate work in Business. He has served in leadership roles for over 15 years and has focused his last several years on building great leaders in Business. His current company, Lumen Leadership, helps companies build effective leadership development programs that drive results.

Over the last several years we have experienced one of the largest economic swings in our nation’s history. When the economy shifts, we must be ready to change our approach to doing business. In this dynamic session, business change expert Spencer Taylor, MBA will present the following powerful tools you can take and apply in your company to ensure you are ready: • 8-Step Harvard approach to leading change • 4 Principles of Innovation • 2 Turn-Around Case Studies • 3-year Leadership Roadmap • 7 Elements of Breakthrough leadership

Tickets are required for events marked with the ticket icon.

THURSDAY, JUNE 14 • CONTINUED 9:20 - 10:30am Session 2 “Amazon: Predator, Partner or Role Model Catalyst?”

D. Bruce Merrifield, Jr., President Merrifield Consulting Group

p

BRUCE MERRIFIELD started his consulting practice for independent distribution channels in 1980, after having spent eight years working for a growth-by-acquisition chain of distribution companies. He has given speeches to 100+ trade associations and many global 1000 corporations, written countless articles for trade publications, and authored a book entitled “Electronic Commerce for Distribution Channels.”

Many will remember him as a long-time faculty member with Bantle Institute.

Amazon’s ambition to sell any physical or digital product knows no bounds. Millennials, our next generation of customers (and customers’ customers), are digital natives and Prime addicts. The product information, availability, and pricing from Amazon will continue to explode. What does this mean for Convenience Store Distributors? How can we minimize Amazon’s hit to our channel?

Bruce Merrifield with Merrifield Consulting positions it this way: “Amazon is inventing a disruptively-different channel. This channel has new capabilities and value that will steal varying amounts of sales, but especially on the most profitable commodity SKU rebuys from B2B distributors.” Bruce will discuss: • Understanding the ascending threats of Amazon • How to defend against encroachments • How to partner with them as a reseller in experimental ways; to • Perhaps be part of a channel/vertical marketplace that could out-perform

10:45 - Noon General Session “Ignite Your Goals” Gerry O’Brion, CSP, What Big Brands Know

p

GERRY O’BRION is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and marketing expert who helps companies thrive in good times and bad.

What do you want for your business? For your life? The most successful people don’t leave accomplishment to chance. Learn simple steps to achieve more in your business and your life.

This fun, engaging, interactive session has you immediately implementing the ideas you learn.

What you’ll get: • An easy, free technique that 96% of us don’t use • Simple and effective practices to achieve more today and every day • How to accelerate your success by 77% • A fully interactive, participatory experience • Leave the session with clear goals and a new commitment to accomplishing them Who is this for? Anyone who is interested in increasing their momentum, accelerating their progress, and advancing their success.

FRIDAY, JUNE 15 7:30 - 8:30am

Continental Breakfast

8:30am - 1:00pm Registration Desk Open 8:30 - 11:00am “House of Deals” Use this time to review and discuss “show deals,” write orders, share samples, or simply use it to catch up with your business partners.

In an environment that is fun and relaxed, this event is a great way to discuss next steps and finalize opportunities.

11:15 - Noon Distributors Forum Representatives of all distribution companies are encouraged to attend. This meeting is open to distributors only.

11:15 - Noon Vendors Forum Representatives of all vendor companies are encouraged to attend.

12:15 - 1:00pm

Board of Directors Meeting

1:00 - 2:00pm Executive Committee Meeting 8:00 - 9:00pm “One more thing...”

“One more thing…” is a new way to end our busy week with something fun and entertaining. This year we are taking it to Broadway…at the Beach, that is. Join us for an evening of music, shopping, and just plain fun at one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular venues.

12:30 - 1:45pm State Association

Executives & Political Affairs Luncheon 1:30 - 5:00pm Ten-2-Profit Fast-paced and full of energy, these 10-minute “appointments” with top buyers and convenience store manufacturers, can be used to showcase new products or services, conduct a mini-business review, or introduce anticipated program changes.

2:00 - 4:00pm Family Club We are extending the time and adding even more fun to Thursday’s Family Club. Get ready to interact with others, compete, and have a lot of fun!

THE SOUTHERN 3459 Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, Suite C Suwanee, GA 30024-6427 T: 770-932-3263 | F: 770-932-3263 the-southern.org The Southern is managed by RAM, LLC. ramamc.com

6:00 - 7:00pm “Get Acquainted Reception”

10:00 - 11:30am First Lady’s Social Join The Southern’s First Lady, Cathy Emanuelson, when she hosts a lovely brunch for all spouses and guests.

7:00 - 9:00pm Awards Banquet This evening is an opportunity to recognize some of the Southern’s best – those who have demonstrated extensive commitment to service and achievement in the industry.

After Dinner - Until Hospitality Suite

Open to All THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 37

EDUCATION FUND CONTRIBUTORS 2018

Thank you!

Allison Wholesale Altria Group Distribution Amcon Distributing Company Andalusia Distributing Ashland Specialty Company Associated Distributors Atlantic Dominion Dist.

Burdette Beckmann C&B Distributors Caldwell Wholesale Charles C. Parks Co. Cheyenne International Church Point Wholesale City Wholesale Grocery Claude Williams Brokerage LC Core-Mark International Corso, Inc. Creative Data Research Davison Fuel & Oil Dot Foods Douglas Companies Eby-Brown Company Franklin Supply, Inc. Golbon Glidewell Distributing Great Midwest Tube Gummer Wholesale Hardec’s Home Folks Wholesale Imperial Trading Company Inter-Continental Cigar Corporation ITG Brands J.F. Johnson, Inc. J.L. Gaddy Wholesale Jack Link’s Protein Snacks

38 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

Jackson Wholesale Co. Kellogg’s Lil’ Drug Long Distribution Lyons Specialty Co. M.R. Williams Mars Chocolate Matrix Brockerage Merchants Grocery Company National Tobacco Company Penguin Ice Premier Manufacturing ProCat Distribution Technologies RAI Trade Marketing Services Company Renfro Supply Co. Republic Tobacco Scandinavian Tobacco Group-Lane Smith Wholesale Co. Smokey Mountain Chew Southco Distributing Company Stephenson Wholesale Stewart Distribution Co. Swedish Match of North America Swisher International Team Sledd The H.T. Hackney Company The Hershey Company Thomas Williams & Associates Turkey Creek Snacks UniPro Foodservice, Inc. Velociti Alliance Venture Sales W.L. Petrey Wholesale Warren Oil Co.

James F. “Bucky” Johnson, President 225 Summerland Avenue Batesburg-Leesville, SC 29006 P.O. Box 2499 Batesburg-Leesville, SC 29070-2499

(803) 532-6341 1(800) 821-9744 Fax (803) 532-9552 www.JFJohnsonInc.com THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 39

COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS

RANDY LONG

Board Chairman Long Distribution Corinth, MS 2016-2017

MARK DAVENPORT

J. T. Davenport & Sons, Inc Sanford, NC 2006-2008

DUANE SCHNEIDER DUSA Distribution Center, Inc. Melbourne, FL 1996 - 1998

GRADY SMITH

TVC Wholesale, Inc. Florence, AL 1988 - 1989

PAULA GLIDEWELL Glidewell Distributing Fort Smith, AR 2014-2016

SHERWIN HERRING

Southco Distributing Company Goldsboro, NC 2004-2006

JACK COFER

James D. Cofer, Inc. Atlanta, GA 1994 - 1996

JOHN HEAD

Head Distributing Company Smyrna, GA 1986 - 1988

40 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

DICK DUNHAM

Board Chairman Stephenson Wholesale Co. Durant, OK 2012-2014

STEVE SHING

Grocery Supply Co. Sulphur Springs, TX 2002-2004

KEN CALDWELL

Caldwell Wholesale Tobacco Co. Shreveport, LA 1992 - 1994

A.C. MAY

Pelican Cigar Co. Lake Charles, LA 1985 - 1986

RICKY JONES

Andalusia Distributing Co., Inc. Andalusia, AL 2010-2012

MIKE JONES

Andalusia Distributing Co., Inc. Andalusia, AL 2000-2002

SCOTT FISHER

Spartan Automatic Retailers Memphis, TN 1990 - 1992

JOHN GREEN

P.M. Green & Sons Cleveland, TN 1979 - 1980

JIMMY STEWART

Stewart Distribution Waycross, GA 2008-2010

BOB PIERPOINT

Imperial Trading Co., Inc. Elmwood, LA 1998-2000

DICK BRAY

Premier Beverage & Equipment Franklin, TN 1989 - 1990

A IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT

ANTI-TRUST

As this meeting begins, we must remind you of ­certain essential ground rules which must be respected, not only at this meeting, but on every occasion, social or otherwise, during any meeting of The Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors.

There can be absolutely no discussion between or among competitors at any time concerning prices you charge or propose to charge your customers, the price you pay or propose to pay your suppliers, or the terms and conditions under which you buy and sell the products in which you deal.

The antitrust laws are designed to encourage competition at all levels of production and ­distribution. The Southern Association of Whole­sale Distributors is committed to ­ad­herence to those laws. Please keep these principles in mind for the benefit of us all.

n

CORSO, INC. Locally Owned & Established in 1924

by Frank P. Corso

FULL LINE VENDING SERVICE & WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION LIZ CORSO JOACHIM

(228) 436-4697 (24 Hrs) (228) 374-8627 Fax P.O. Box 488, Biloxi, MS 39533 fpcorso@bellsouth.net

SOME PAST EVENT HIGHLIGHTS...

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 41

2018 SAWD

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

RANDY EMANUELSON President Team Sledd Wheeling, WV

STEVE DOUGLAS Vice President/Comptroller Douglas Companies Conway, AR

SCOTT MCPHERSON Vice President Core-Mark Colleyville, TX

MARTY HOWELL Vice President, H.T. Hackney Opp, AL

RANDY LONG Board Chairman Long Wholesale Corinth, MS

GREG MARTIN Chief Executive Officer SAWD Suwanee, GA

42 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

2018 SAWD

STATE DIRECTORS ALABAMA

ALABAMA

ARKANSAS

GEORGIA

NICK ZADEN City Wholesale Grocery Birmingham, AL

NELSON PARKER Allison Wholesale Paint Rock, AL

STEVE DOUGLAS Douglas Companies Conway, AR

SAM STEWART Stewart Distribution Waycross, GA

GEORGIA

GEORGIA

KENTUCKY

KENTUCKY

DON CHILDERS Home Folks Wholesale Augusta, GA

TONY SHUBERT Eby-Brown Rockmart, GA

CHARLIE CASPER Hardec’s Elizabethtown, KY

DAN MCINTYRE Jackson Wholesale Jackson, KY

LOUISIANA

LOUISIANA

MISSISSIPPI

MISSISSIPPI

KEITH LANDEN Franklin Supply Franklin, LA

EMILE CANTRELL Imperial Trading Elmwood, LA

LIZ JOACHIM Corso, Inc. Biloxi, MS

CRAIG ROSENTHAL McLane Brookhaven, MS

44 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

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2018 SAWD

STATE DIRECTORS NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA

OKLAHOMA

APRIL GARVER SouthCo Distributing Goldsboro, NC

LAWSON WILLIAMS M. R. Williams Henderson, NC

JIM NAIFEH Standard Distributing Co. Sapulpa, OK

CARTER ADAIR Stephenson Wholesale Durant, OK

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

TEXAS

BILL WILKERSON J. L. Gaddy Wholesale Hickory Grove, SC

JAMES “BUCKY” JOHNSON J.F. Johnson, Inc. Batesburg-Leesville, SC

CHAD PICKEL Amcon Distributing.

Crossville, TN

JOHN PRICKETTE Grocery Supply Company Sulphur Springs, TX

STEVE YAWN McLane Temple, TX

VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA

WEST VIRGINIA

WEST VIRGINIA

ROBIN RAY Atlantic Dominion Distributors Virginia Beach, VA

CHRIS SMYTHERS Merchants Grocery Co., Inc. Culpeper, VA

RANDY EMANUELSON Team Sledd Wheeling, WV

CHAD GUMMER Gummer Wholesale Heath, OH

46 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

!

Thanks

FOR JOINING US AT THE SOUTHERN’S 95TH ANNUAL MEETING

HIGH QUALITY AMERICAN TOBACCO PREMIER DELIVERS: • Eye-catching POS materials • Nationwide distribution • Tailored promo programs • Same day shipping* *on orders placed before noon EST

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THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 47

2018 SAWD

AT-LARGE DIRECTORS

GEORGE NAUMANN Renfro Supply Company Williamsburg, KY

JACK CASANOVA Churchpoint Wholesale Churchpoint, LA

HUGH RAETZSCH Lyons Specialty Port Allen, LA

2018 SAWD

BROKER REP, SLD REP, & LEGISLATIVE LIAISON

JACK ANDERSON Broker Representative Burdette Beckmann, Inc. Hollywood, FL

LEANNE JENNINGS SLD Representative J.L Gaddy Wholesale Hickory Grove, SC

48 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

BENNETT ROBERTS Broker Representative Matrix Brokerage Chapel Hill, NC

SEAN COLLINS Legislative Liaison Altria Client Services Milton, GA

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 49

2018 SAWD

MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES

DAVE BOWERSOCK Altria Group Distribution Co.

JEBB MAGINNIS Creative Data Research

DEVIN FOGLEMAN Dot Foods

BRENT COTTEN The Hershey Company

CRAIG LEIKER ITG Brands

SCOTT HILL Jack Link’s Protein Snacks

TOM BRICE Lil’ Drug Store

CLARK STURDIVANT National Tobacco

CHUCK COHEN Nestlé USA

STEVE STOMEL ProCat Distribution Technologies

ANDREW PANAGOPLOS Republic Tobacco

BRENT SABO RAI Trade Marketing Services

JOEL PALMER Swedish Match

BILL DUNN Swisher International, Inc.

50 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

Since 1938

Home Folks Wholesale Distributors of convenience grocery, candy, tobacco, and general merchandise

Our Goals: • Help maximize YOUR gross profit • On time, consistent, and convenient delivery • Merchandising Sets keeping your stores fresh with new trends and items • Quick response and solutions to ongoing needs 2001 Westside Dr., Augusta, GA 30907 706-868-0055 • 800-762-7588 • Fax: 706-868-1154

Visit us on the Web at www.homefolksdist.com THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 51

COMPLETE CONVENIENCE STORE SUPPLIERS OVER 10,000 ITEMS Candy Tobacco Paper Groceries HBC Beverages Vending Food Service

Since 1875

Custom Programs For Retailers Of All Sizes Beverage and Equipment Division Trade Shows and Accrual Programs EDI and Information System Support For The New Millennium

Corporate Headquarters – Virginia Beach, VA 757-497-1001 Carolina Division – Hope Mills, NC 910-424-2292

Call today: VA, MD, DE, DC 800-468-6612 NC, SC, GA 800-682-1027 www.atlanticdominion.com

52 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

Providing what you need, when you need it

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SLD 2017-2018 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

OFFICERS Leanne Jennings, J. L. Gaddy Wholesale, Hickory Grove, SC, SLD President Jake Stewart, Stewart Distribution, Waycross, GA, SLD 1st Vice President Morgan Allain, Franklin Supply, Franklin, LA, SLD 2nd Vice President Mark Tuck, Swedish Match, Atlanta, GA, SLD Treasurer Joe Dilger, ITG Brands, Atlanta, GA, SLD Secretary April Garver, Southco Distributing, Goldsboro, NC, Board Chairman

DIRECTORS Brandon Mohr, Altria Group Distribution Co., Charlotte, NC Jeff Thompson, Douglas Companies, Conway, AR Michelle Glidewell, Glidewell Distributing, Fort Smith, AR Brad Brown, Halpern Import Co., Atlanta, GA Colby Carmichael, Long Wholesale Dist., Corinth, MS Robbie Surratt, Merchants Grocery, Culpeper, VA Mike Thorner, National Tobacco, Louisville, KY Erin Gale, ProCat Technologies, West Berlin, NJ Ron Leitner, RAI Trade Marketing Services, Winston-Salem, NC Maria Miro-Narlock, Spotlight Innovations, Brandon, MS Mark Rollins, Swisher International, Duffield, VA Steve Winkle, The Corr Williams Co/TVC Wholesale, Florence, AL Trey Williams, Thomas Williams & Assoc., Atlanta, GA

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WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS OF: Cigars • Cigarettes • Tobacco • Smoking Accessories Beverages • Candy/Concessions • Snacks • HBC Paper Supplies • Automotive • Groceries Food Service & Supplies • Janitorial Supplies

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56 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

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NewHIGHLIGHT! Vendor

We would like to extend a warm Southern welcome to the following vendors who are joining us for the first time (or who have not been with us in several years):

AutoFry • Bongards Golden West Food Group • Harbor Industries Ohserase Manufacturing • PFS Brands Prestige Brands • Zander-Greg, Inc. A LOOK BACK...

THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 57

Big city service with small southern town manners

It’s the Glidewell difference.

As a proud member of the Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors, we feel a sense of duty and gratitude to our cherished relationships, without whom our celebration of 72 successful years in business just wouldn’t be possible.

From our humble beginnings in the living room of J.W. and Cleo Glidewell to today’s cavernous 2 acre-long storage facility, we still provide speed, value and downhome service to the region’s best convenience stores.

We extend the warmest thank you from our family business to yours!

5705 Steep Hill Rd, Fort Smith, AR • 800-733-4408 • GlidewellDistributing.com 58 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

Our ongoing commitment to customer service and consumer satisfaction make Swedish Match your #1 choice for growing your OTP profits.

Please call 1-800-367-3677 or visit swedishmatch.com ©2018 SWEDISH MATCH NORTH AMERICA LLC

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OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (Elected) President VP/Comptroller Vice President Vice President Board Chairman

Randy Emanuelson Steve Douglas Scott McPherson Marty Howell Randy Long

Team Sledd Douglas Companies Core-Mark The H. T. Hackney Company Long Distribution

STATE DIRECTORS (Elected)

STATE DIRECTORS COMPANY Alabama Nick Zaden City Wholesale Alabama Nelson Parker Allison Wholesale Arkansas Steve Douglas* Douglas Companies Florida Sam Stewart Stewart Distribution Georgia Don Childers Home Folks Wholesale Georgia Tony Shubert Eby-Brown Kentucky Charlie Casper Hardec’s Kentucky Dan McIntyre Jackson Wholesale Louisiana Keith Landen Franklin Supply Louisiana Emile Cantrell Imperial Trading Mississippi Liz Joachim Corso, Co. Mississippi Craig Rosenthal McLane North Carolina Lawson Williams M. R. Williams, Inc. North Carolina April Garver Southco Distributing Oklahoma Jimmy Naifeh Standard Distributing Co. Oklahoma Carter Adair Stephenson Wholesale South Carolina Bill Wilkerson J. L. Gaddy South Carolina James “Bucky” Johnson J. F. Johnson, Inc. Tennessee Chad Pickel Amcon Distributing Texas John Prickette Grocery Supply Company Texas Steve Yawn McLane Virginia Robin Ray Atlantic Dominion Virginia Chris Smythers Merchants Grocery Co., Inc. West Virginia Randy Emanuelson* Team Sledd West Virginia Chad Gummer Gummer Wholesale *Currently seated member of the Executive Committee

AT-LARGE DIRECTORS (Appointed) Hugh Raetzsch George Naumann Jack Casanova

Lyons Speciality (LA) Renfro Supply Company (KY) Churchpoint Wholesale (LA)

BROKER & SLD REPRESENTATIVES/LEGISLATIVE LIAISON (Appointed) NAME Bennett Roberts Jack Anderson Leanne Jennings Sean Collins

COMPANY BROKER/SLD Matrix Brokerage Broker Representative Burdette Beckmann Broker Representative J. L. Gaddy SLD Representative Altria Legislative Liaison

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OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES (Appointed) NAME COMPANY Dave Bowersock Altria Group Distribution Company Jebb Maginnis Creative Data Research Devin Fogleman Dot Foods Brent Cotten The Hershey Company Craig Leiker ITG Brands Scott Hill Jack Links Beef Jerky Tom Brice Lil’ Drug Store Products Clark Sturdivant National Tobacco Chuck Cohen Nestle’ USA Andrew Panagoplos Republic Tobacco Steve Stomel ProCat Distribution Technologies Brent Sabo RAI Trade Marketing Services Co. Joel Palmer Swedish Match Bill Dunn Swisher International

COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS

NAME YEARS SERVED Randy Long* 2016-2017 Paula Glidewell 2014-2016 Dick Dunham 2012-2014 Ricky Jones 2010-2012 Jimmy Stewart 2008-2010 Mark Davenport 2006-2008 Sherwin Herring 2004-2006 Steve Shing 2002-2004 Mike Jones 2000-2002 Robert Pierpoint 1998-2000 Duane Schneider 1996-1998 Jack Cofer 1994-1996 Ken Caldwell 1992-1994 Scott Fisher 1990-1992 Dick Bray 1989-1990 Grady Smith 1988-1989 John Head 1986-1988 A. C. May 1985-1986 John Green 1979-1980 Bert Trompeter 1973-1976 *Currently seated member of the Executive Committee

COMPANY Long Distribution Glidewell Distributing Stephenson Wholesale Andalusia Distributing Company Stewart Distribution J. T. Davenport & Sons Southco Distributing Grocery Supply Company Andalusia Distributing Company Imperial Trading Company DUSA Distribution Center James D. Cofer, Inc. Caldwell Wholesale Spartan Automatic Retailers Premier Beverage & Equipment TVC Wholesale Head Distributing Pelican Cigar P.M. Green and Sons John F. Trompeter Company

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VENDOR HIGHLIGHT: Q&A WITH MARIA MINO-NARLOCK, SPOTLIGHT INNOVATIONS

Q: Is there anyone who has been a mentor for you in the industry?

A: We consider every wholesale distributor owner that we have the pleasure to work with as a mentor to us.

We gain knowledge from every single engagement we have had over the years.

Q: How long have you been a member of The Southern?

A: Spotlight Innovations has been a member of the Southern since 2006.

Q: Could you give me a brief history of your company and how you got started in the business?

A: Spotlight Innovations specializes in customized software development, systems integration, e-commerce and other web-based solutions that help our clients compete more effectively. Our programs include a marketing, sales & educational platform, a virtual deli, a trip promotion, a vendor portal, a virtual show, a live show system, and a mobile app.

Q: How many years has company been in business and how many employees are there?

A: Spotlight Innovations have been in business for 12 years.

Q: What is necessary to succeed in this business?

A: You need to have a good understanding of customer needs/ challenges and know how to serve them well. Having great people skills (for both your internal and external customers) is very important as well.

Q: What keeps you coming back to the meetings?

A: It is definitely the people and the relationships we have formed (both professionally and personally) that keep us coming back. We have also found a lot of value in the education sessions over the years. The Southern always has the most relevant topics and speakers.

Q: What is the best part of the meetings?

A: Aside from getting to see all of the people, the best part would be the format that allows the exchange of ideas. If you think about it – all of the members are competitors, but they all come together as one during the annual meeting to discuss challenges and share ideas.

Q: What are your words of wisdom to someone getting started in the business?

A: We would tell anyone interested in the industry that there are incredible opportunities for people who are passionate and want to make a difference.

SPOTLIGHT INNOVATIONS is also a solution partner of the Southern’s, providing the technology platform and support for our online Virtual Show. Implemented by the association for the first time in 2017, the Virtual Show has been a significant addition to our Annual Meeting offerings. It offers virtually unlimited customization, allowing each manufacturer to showcase their unique products and show deals to distributors, while greatly expanding the buying window beyond the week we are in Myrtle Beach.

Q: What is the main reason someone should be a member of The Southern?

A: The number one reason to become a member would be to contribute to the good of the industry. This can be done by sitting on the board, becoming a legislative liaison or simply providing feedback/thoughts on industry issues during the various meetings/events throughout the year.

Q: What is the biggest issue facing this industry today?

A: One of the biggest challenges within the C-Store industry is acknowledging and understanding the need for change (and then making the change).

Q: If someone were interested in coming to the annual meeting for the first time, what would you advise them?

A: We would tell them to be sure to attend all of the education sessions and networking events. Participating in these events allows you to get to know everyone in a fun, relaxing environment. n For more information, visit spotlightinnovations.com

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New Orleans Wrap-Up 2017 The Southern’s 2017 Annual Meeting was held at the Sheraton New Orleans, New Orleans, LA. Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Annual Meeting the best show ever! None of this would be possible without the continued support of our Sponsors. We salute the below companies for their commitment to the Southern each and every year.

The keystone event of this year’s meeting was our new Ten-2-Profit session.

It offered vendors the opportunity to pre-schedule individual, 10 minute appointments with the buyers of their choice. Similar to speed-dating, these pre-scheduled meetings allowed vendors to put together products/services deals ahead of time specifically for the buyers that they would meet. With over 600 individual meetings occurring during this event, the room was a buzz with excitement before, during and after.

A second line parade to the House of “Deals” was a perfect way to kick off The Southern’s other new exciting event of the 2017 annual meeting, New Orleans style.

This time the Vendors were set up throughout the House of Blues in a relaxed, fun atmosphere and showcased their products to the buyers that came by to continue the discussions started during their Ten-2-Profit meetings. This was a great way to end the week for all who participated.

And last but not least, let’s not forget the success of the Southern Online Deal Portal, the perfect compliment to our two new events. Open from June 1st through June 30th, the Portal allowed buyers plenty of time to evaluate and take advantage of awesome deals from the comfort of their offices in the weeks before and after the annual meeting. Thank you to Spotlight Innovations for partnering with us and building this incredible tool for our attendees. n

SAWD Education Fund 64 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

2017 SPONSORS Altria Group Distribution Company American Snuff Company Burdette Beckmann Creative Data Research Dot Foods The Hershey Company ITG Brands Jack Link’s Protein Snacks Lil’ Drug Store Matrix Brokerage National Tobacco Co.

Nestlé USA ProCat Distribution Technologies RAI Trade Marketing Services Republic Tobacco SAWD Education Fund Scandinavian Tobacco SICPA Smokey Mountain Snuff Swedish Match Swisher International

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MIDYEAR BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S MEETING

Setting Our Direction for 2018 The Board of Director's Midyear Meeting was held in beautiful Key West, Florida, a welcome retreat from cold gripping the country. This annual planning meeting is very important as we set the direction for the association. Board members meet to discuss topics and receive valuable input in the areas of education topics, member programs and annual meeting schedule that ensures 2018 is a successful year for The Southern, its members and the industry.

We thank our board members who were able to take time out of their busy schedule to meet (and to those who tried but couldn't make it due to weather, family responsibilities or a schedule conflict.)

Over, the next several months, you will see many new initiatives including an app for members to connect between events, compelling fundraising events and streamlined annual meeting schedule come out of this meeting.

Key West did not fail to amaze. Warm weather, fresh seafood and a loud, boisterous rooster was experienced by all. A special thanks to all of our sponsors whose continued support makes the meeting possible.

Altria Group Distribution Company Burdette Beckmann Creative Data Research Dot Foods ITG Brands Jack Link’s Protein Snacks Lil’ Drug Store Products Matrix Brokerage National Tobacco ProCat Distribution Technologies RAI Trade Marketing Services Republic Tobacco Swedish Match Swisher International The Hershey Company n

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WILLIAMSBURG

JOIN US FOR THE 96TH ANNUAL MEETING WILLIAMSBURG, VA • JUNE 11-14, 2019

Recreated using documentary evidence, surviving buildings, and modern analysis techniques, the Williamsburg Historic Area offers an immersive living history experience and brings the story of America’s revolutionary beginnings to life.

Meet people from Williamsburg’s Colonial past, dine in authentic taverns and restaurants, shop for unique mementos of your experience, and stay in accommodations true to the time period.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION AT THE-SOUTHERN.COM THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018 | 67

2017 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Congratulations

to the 2017 SAWD Scholarship Winners

Scholarship winner Bryce Milbrandt, son of Bruce Milbrandt, with Farner-Bocken, is currently attending Oral Roberts University. Congratulations, Bryce!

Congratulations to Amber Leiker, winner of a 2017 SAWD Scholarship. Amber attends Auburn University and is the daughter of Craig Leiker with ITG Brands.

Since 2012, the Southern has awarded more than $75,000 in scholarships to sons and daughters of its member organizations. Thanks to the SAWD Education Fund and the Annual Silent Auction, three scholarships are awarded to deserving students who have shown creativity by writing an essay on a trend or challenge in the convenience industry. This year’s essay question was “How does technology affect your purchase decisions in Convenience Stores? ie: apps, websites, loyalty programs, promotions, etc.

In 2017, we had a record number of applications (45 for one of two $5000 college scholarships and 5 for the $2500 Technical Scholarship). Choosing only three of these submissions was not easy for the scholarship judges!

70 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

The Southern will be announcing the 2018 winners at the 95th Southern Annual Meeting in Myrtle Beach June 12-15 (vendor days June 14-15). Best of luck to everyone who participated! n

Russell Parker, with H.T. Hackney, presents a check to his daughter, Lauren Parker.

Lauren is currently attending Appalachian State University. Congratulations, Lauren!

2017 WINNING SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY

How Technology Affects Your Purchase Decisions in Convenience Stores

BY AMBER LEIKER Technology affects my purchase decisions in convenience stores through social media, mobile apps and loyalty programs. As a millennial, I mostly keep up with current events through social media (i.e. FaceBook, Twitter, etc.). On these platforms, I follow companies and stores that I shop at frequently. Because I don’t usually search for deals, either in person or online, most of the promotional purchases that I make come from seeing advertisements of products while scrolling though social media. For instance, if I saw a convenience store was running a two-for-one deal on my favorite candy on Facebook, I would be more incentivized to make a purchase from that store than if I hadn’t seen an advertisement for it. The same goes for advertisements sent through email. Email messages containing “deals of the day” or special prices on products make me much more likely to visit a particular store over another store (because the information is more accessible and available compared to physically going to other stores or searching online to see their prices.)

Furthermore, my job as a graduate student and graduate teaching assistant require me to constantly check my phone for emails. Because I have my phone with me at all times, I find that mobile apps are also very influential on how I make my purchase decisions in convenience stores. Much like advertisements on social media, phone notifications that alert me to promotions made me much more attuned to a store and therefore much more likely to shop at that store. Also, mobile apps that have information about what products are carried and prices of those products affect my purchase decisions. If I know a store has what I am looking for because I can easily see whether or not it is in stock (on the device that I use

and have with me every single day), then I will go to that store to buy the product in advance so that I don’t have to wait in line. If there is a line, then I still save time by not having to worry about payment, as long as the app allows me to use my debit/credit card to pay. Technology most affects my purchase decisions by helping me find what I need quickly, or alerting me of deals that I’m interested in (but didn’t know of without seeing an advertisement or notification).

Finally, loyalty programs play a role in my purchase decisions in convenience stores.

I’m significantly more likely to shop at stores that I know I’ll receive some sort of reward for my purchases than at stores that I know I’ll receive some sort of reward for my purchase than at stores that I know I won’t receive a reward. Not only do I gain a monetary or product reward, but I also feel more appreciated as a customer by shopping at stores that have loyalty programs. As a graduate student who doesn’t have a lot of money, I’m grateful for the opportunity to save money and contribute to stores that recognize the importance of all of their customers. Addition-

ally, loyalty programs are often combined with mobile apps so that customers can keep track of their points or rewards.

Much of the research that I’m focused on in my graduate program is how to use games to get people more motivated to complete an activity (e.g. purchasing a product from a certain store). I think purchase decisions, both my decisions and others’ decisions, could be greatly affected if mobile apps and loyalty programs were “gamified”, or the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to motivate people to achieve a goal. By creating a game-like system for convenience store purchases using loyalty program points and the mobile app as a platform, customer may be more willing to shop specifically at a store or a company because purchasing products may become more fun and motivating. The game could even incorporate social media – to show friends and family their progress and encourage others to play. Technology already pays a role in my personal purchase decisions, with the potential to affect many others through social media platforms, mobile apps, loyalty programs, and the combination of all three. n

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Advertiser Index A special thanks to our advertisers who make the Annual Meeting magazine possible!

Allison Wholesale...................................................................................................................................................................62 Altria Group Distribution Co...............................................................................................................................................15 Andalusia Distributing Co...................................................................................................................................................69 Ashland Specialty Co.............................................................................................................................................................68 Atlantic Dominion Distributors ........................................................................................................................................52 Burdette Beckmann...............................................................................................................................................................56 City Wholesale Inc..................................................................................................................................................................53 Core-Mark................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Corso, Inc...................................................................................................................................................................................41 Creative Data Research........................................................................................................................................................45 Douglas Companies..............................................................................................................................................................43 Glidewell Distributing...........................................................................................................................................................58 Hardec’s......................................................................................................................................................................................47 Home Folks Wholesale Co...................................................................................................................................................51 ImageWorks.............................................................................................................................................................................19 Inter-Continental Cigar........................................................................................................................................................34 J. F. Johnson, Inc .....................................................................................................................................................................39 Jack Link’s Protein Snacks....................................................................................................................................................13 Long Wholesale Distributors .............................................................................................................................................24 Merchant’s Grocery Company, Inc...................................................................................................................................26 National Tobacco Company................................................................................................................................................23 Premier Manufacturing Inc.................................................................................................................................................47 ProCat........................................................................................................................................................................Back Cover RAI Trade Marketing Services...........................................................................................................................................3, 5 Republic Tobacco.................................................................................................................................... Inside Back Cover Scandinavian Tobacco Group.............................................................................................................................................. 9 Smokey Mountain Snuff...............................................................................................................................................49, 63 Standard Distributing Co.....................................................................................................................................................55 Stephenson Wholesale.........................................................................................................................................................25 Swedish Match.................................................................................................................................................................17, 59 Swisher International, Inc....................................................................................................................................................35 Team Sledd...............................................................................................................................................................................29 The Hershey Company USA ...............................................................................................................................................11 Ziiware........................................................................................................................................................ Inside Front Cover

72 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018

THANK YOU to our friends at The Southern for another great event!

Your friends at

74 | THE SOUTHERN 95TH ANNUAL MEETING • JUNE 2018