NATSO - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager of Membership
As Senior Manager of Membership, Afua Smith is responsible for advancing NATSO's overall retention and recruitment program by maintaining mutually-beneficial relationships with members. She promotes a positive corporate image and creates a good customer service experience for our members by overseeing the NATSO Foundation's Bill and Carolyn Moon Scholarship Program. Afua contributes to the overall success of NATSO Connect by recruiting travel plaza attendees for the event and handling event follow-up.
Job Titles:
- Editor of Stop Watch
- Vice President, Publishing and Digital Content
Toner serves as Editor of Stop Watch magazine. She markets NATSO products, services and meetings. She manages NATSO's core websites and costs NATSO's Podcast, The Truck Stops Here. In addition, she provides creative services across all departments. Toner joined NATSO in 2006.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer of Sapp Bros
Andy Richard is the Chief Executive Officer of Sapp Bros. Inc. Sapp Bros., Inc. is a collection of 17 full-service, friendly travel centers; primarily located on Interstate-80 from as far west as Salt Lake City, Utah to Clearfield, Pennsylvania in the east. Sapp Bros. is also a leading petroleum wholesale distributor with a robust offering related to refined fuels, lubricants, oil, propane, diesel exhaust fluid, compressed natural gas, kerosene, additives, solvents, and many other associated products, services, and equipment.
Job Titles:
- Senior Category Manager at RaceTrac Petroleum
- Senior Category Manager, General Merchandise & Services, Racetrac
Anna Kjerrumgaard is a Senior Category Manager at RaceTrac Petroleum. RaceTrac convivence store fleet that entered into the Travel Center business in 2018 and quickly scaled to over 20 stores with an Extended Diesel Offer. Anna has been with RaceTrac for 7 years and has continued to add category responsibility to her plate over her tenure. Anna recently added the Snacks to her category portfolio in addition to her responsibilities managing the General Merchandise & Services categories including Travel Center offerings.
Electric mobility is the smart choice.We make it the easy one, too. Since 2007, we've focused solely on offering the best electric vehicle (EV) charging experience for everyone involved in the shift to electric mobility.
Locations that sell diesel need a CAT Scale. Operators can join the world's leading public truck scale network. CAT Scale has more than 2,040 locations across the U.S. and Canada. There are no startup costs and equipment, maintenance and training are provided. Professional drivers seek out CAT Scales. CAT Scale can bring more money to the bottom line. Visit www.catscale.com for more information.
If you are interested in deepening your engagement with NATSO, tell us about yourself and your interests at www.natso.com/volunteersignup. NATSO will review applications year-round to match members with volunteer opportunities.
Charlie Bosselman and Brandi Bosselman oversee the Bosselman Companies. Currently, the Bosselman Companies are headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska, and own and operate: 49 Pump & Pantry convenience stores; 44 Boss Shops; the Bosselman Travel Center; a Hampton Inn, 3 Pump & Pantry Motels, a Quality Inn & Suites, a Comfort Inn & Suites and 6 Motel 6 franchises; 2 Grandma Max's and 1 Max's Highway Diner Restaurants, 1 Quaker Steak & Lube, Sam Bass' Saloon & Steakhouse, and Schmooter's Bar & Casino; Food Courts including Subway, Little Caesars, and Caribou Coffee; and the Nebraska Danger Indoor Professional Football Team. This family organization is now in its third generation and has expanded across the nation in 24 states with over 1,400 employees.
Responsible for ensuring successful operations and growth of the NATSO through strong fiscal management, volunteer and staff development, and leadership and oversight of day-to-day operations.
Damon Borden was born into the trucking industry. My father drove a truck for all his working life. He was my connection to Broadway Truck Stops, Truck Town, back then. I started bugging the truck stop manager on my 16th birthday, in April of 1975, and was hired in July of that year. All fueling was full service back then and that's what I started doing. Over the 43 years that I have spent with Broadway, I worked in our shop, was shop foreman, drove a fuel truck on the weekends, and moved into management. I have been managing for the last 34 years. I have been active with NATSO for the last 13 years attending NATSO Connect and NATSO Day on Capitol Hill all of those years. I am married and we have 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Membership
Directs recruitment, retention and customer service to travel plaza members. Also responsible for developing and/or enhancing NATSO products, services, and/or programs, particularly those relating to education, research and training for travel plaza operators.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President of Government Affairs
Advocates for NATSO members on legislative and regulatory issues in Washington. Also provides education on legal issues affecting the industry.
David Young is a veteran of the automotive aftermarket industry serving in numerous sales and marketing leadership roles over his 33-year career with Valvoline. In his current capacity as Vice President of Sales, David oversees Valvoline's USA & Canada Installer Channels (DIFM) business unit. The DIFM business includes the sale of Valvoline products, services, and solutions to the automotive and heavy-duty segments through a variety of sales channels.
David holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the J.M. Tull School of Accounting at the University of Georgia. In addition, David has completed executive development programs at both Indiana University's Kelly School of Business and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. David and his wife Erin of 27 years reside in Lexington, KY and have 2 adult children: Charlotte-24 (Alex) a graduate of Ole Miss and the University of Kentucky earning her master's in education and Jackson-22 a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BBA in management and digital media.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Iowa 80 Group
- Steering Council Chair
Delia Moon Meier is the Senior Vice President of Iowa 80 Group and CAT Scale Co. She is a second-generation truckstop operator. Meier has served as a NATSO committee member, NATSO board member, Chairman of NATSO Government Affairs and is the current Chairman of the NATSO Foundation. Meier was also a past board member of Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce, past chair and long-term member of the Chamber Government Affairs Committee, past board member of the Iowa Underground Storage Tank Board and past board member of AMBEST. Meier also spends her time as a junior Achievement classroom volunteer, member of Asbury United Methodist Church and a Girl Scouts troop leader. Meier received her BBA from the University of Iowa. Delia and her husband, Dave, have three daughters.
A third-generation wholesale fuel jobber for Marathon and Shell and c-store owner/operator, Elizabeth Waring has worked in the family business since she was ten years old. After graduating with a public relations degree from Florida State University, she came home to join her family as the Director of Marketing and Area Supervisor for the South-East region of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. Elizabeth currently serves as the President and CEO of the company. She has taken on this task with a tenacity and vision that has led to the rebranding of Johnson & Johnson into Busy Bee. Busy Bee consists of 16 convenience stores & 2 travel plazas; some locations have been expanded to additionally offer Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, or Subway. Under Elizabeth's leadership and growth plan, the company continues to innovate and thrive.
Job Titles:
- President and C.O.O. of Love 's Operating Companies, Inc
Frank Love is the President and C.O.O. of Love's Operating Companies, Inc. Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores operates over 200 interstate travel centers and convenience stores located in 33 states across America. Oklahoma City is the headquarters for Love's. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Love spent two years with the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company before joining his family's company in 1994. He and his wife, Malia, have two children.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer for Onvo
Gerald Danniel has served as Chief Operating Officer for Onvo and its affiliates since September 2011. Gerald formerly served as VP of Operations, focusing on company sales along with the corporation's daily operations. He continues to lead the IT and Support divisions for these organizations. Joining Liberty in 2003, Gerald began as an Operations Manager primarily contributing to the improvement of operating standards and increased expansion. Gerald earned his BS, Electrical Engineering and MBA, Management and Finance from Wilkes University in 2002 and 2005, respectively. He graduated with Magna Cum Laude distinction from his graduate program. Gerald maintains a membership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Delta Mu Delta Honor Society. Gerald co-chairs the Steering Committee for NATSO's Future Leaders Program. He embraces a commitment to his community through participation in philanthropic activities, particularly those combining his interest of golf with that of charitable endeavors.
Job Titles:
- Worldwide Technology Leader for Retail
Gilbarco Veeder-Root is the worldwide technology leader for retail and commercial fueling operations offering the broadest range of integrated solutions from the forecourt to the convenience store and head office. For over 150 years, Gilbarco Veeder-Root has earned the trust of its customers by providing long-term partnerships, uncompromising support, and proven reliability. The company's major product lines include fuel dispensers, nozzles, pump media, point-of-sale systems, payment systems, tank gauges, fleet management systems, and e-mobility solutions. For more information, visit www.
Ginger joins NATSO to assist members of the truckstop and travel plaza community navigate the complex compliance requirements of state and federal fuel regulations, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Ms. Laidlaw has worked with renewable fuel marketers, blenders and producers for over 6 years, and previously worked as an environmental consultant for several years.
Job Titles:
- Member of St. Paul Lutheran Church
Heather DeBaillie has worked in the truckstop industry for over 27 years. She has served as a NATSO foundation board member, a NATSO committee member, serves on NATSO's Human Trafficking Task Force and is active in NATSO Government Affairs efforts. DeBaillie is the Vice President of Marketing for CAT Scale Company and Iowa 80 Group; as well as the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, a privately funded museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating trucking history. She also assists in planning the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, an annual event Celebrating America's Truckers, in its 43 rd year. She currently also serves on the board of Trucker Buddy International as Vice President and as President of PEO International, Chapter LZ, a philanthropic education organization.
DeBaillie is a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Orion, Illinois, where she has served as a Council Member, Sunday School teacher and served on various committees. She received her BA in Business & Marketing from St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. She and her husband have two sons and reside on a farm in western Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Chief Executive Officer of Pilot Flying J. Headquartered
Heather DeBaillie has worked in the truckstop industry for over 27 years. She has served as a NATSO foundation board member, a NATSO committee member, serves on NATSO's Human Trafficking Task Force and is active in NATSO Government Affairs efforts. DeBaillie is the Vice President of Marketing for CAT Scale Company and Iowa 80 Group; as well as the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, a privately funded museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating trucking history. She also assists in planning the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, an annual event Celebrating America's Truckers, in its 43 rd year. She currently also serves on the board of Trucker Buddy International as Vice President and as President of PEO International, Chapter LZ, a philanthropic education organization.
Haslam, who has served on numerous community boards and is the co-founder of the Haslam Scholars Program at the University of Tennessee, received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011 from the UT College of Business Administration, now called the Haslam College of Business in honor of his father. He purchased controlling interest in the NFL's Cleveland Browns in 2012. Haslam is married to Susan "Dee" Bagwell Haslam, and they have three children and five grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Policy Advisor to the Entire Government Affairs
- Senior Policy Advisor
Frend serves as a policy advisor to the entire Government Affairs team. She is responsible for helping to shape and advance NATSO's advocacy agenda on Capitol Hill. Her years of experience working with the industry combined with a focus on energy and transportation matters on Capitol Hill enhances NATSO's efforts to expand and strengthen its reach in Washington.
Job Titles:
- Chairman - Elect
- Owner / Developer of Dodge City Petro
Jim Hays is the Owner/Developer of Dodge City Petro, a Popeye's franchisee, and owner of a petroleum jobbership, Hays & Son Oil Co, which owns and operates convenience stores and sells commercial fuel and lubes in the north Alabama area. He has been involved in the commercial real estate development business, and for over twenty years, he has owned and operated real estate development companies Hays Properties LLC , and JTK GROUP LLC, that develop commercial real estate from the design phase, excavating, and infrastructure to finished buildings. Hays is CFO of DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES, an electronics manufacturing company. He currently serve on the boards of Petroleum & Convenience Store Marketers of Alabama and the PURE Oil Jobbers Co-op. His wife Terri works with him in their businesses, and they have one daughter Karen.
Job Titles:
- Chain Director
- TravelCenters of America, Inc. As Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Jonathan M. Pertchik joined TravelCenters of America, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in December 2019. He is also Executive Vice President of RMR Group and a member of the RMR Executive Operating Committee. Jonathan most recently served as CEO of Intown Suites, the largest wholly-owned, extended stay hotel chain in the United States. Prior to that role, he served as CEO of ST Residential, a joint venture with the FDIC, and has served in executive roles for companies owned or controlled by private equity groups, including Starwood Capital Group, TPG, Carl Icahn, Richard LeFrak and Perry Capital. He holds a B.A. from Rutgers University, a J.D. from the District of Columbia School of Law, and an L.L.M. in International Finance Law from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Joe is the Industry and Trade Assc. Manager representing Kwik Trip in Washington D.C., the state governments they operate in and all trade Associations they are involved in. He has spent twenty one years of his career in the Petroleum / Convenience Store Industry with Kwik Trip. Three years as a District Leader of Retail Stores, eighteen years in petroleum procurement and director of the petroleum division and just recently moved to his new role of Industry and Trade Assc. Manager.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business and Travel Plaza Member Services
As part of the NATSO membership team, Kimberly's responsibilities include travel plaza member retention and recruitment, with a special focus on member care and customer service. Additionally, she manages the day to day operations of the NATSO Check-Link Check Verification Program for both travel plaza members and professional drivers. Kimberly also provides both pre-show and on-site support for NATSO Connect.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of NATSO 's Government Affairs
Goheen implements NATSO's legislative and political agenda in Washington, D.C., and directs the association's political engagement efforts. Goheen serves as the liaison with NATSO's Government Affairs Committee and represents NATSO before Congress and officials in the executive branch on matters relating to the truckstop and travel plaza industry, including transportation, energy, environmental, financial services, and labor issues.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- President
Lisa Mullings is the President and Chief Executive Officer for NATSO. Prior to this appointment to NATSO's Executive Committee, she served as NATSO's Vice President of Public Affairs and Counsel. In that capacity, she lobbied on transportation and tax issues and managed NATSO's strategic communication plan, serving as NATSO's primary media contact as well as editor of both the association's bi-monthly trade publication, Stop Watch, and its weekly e-newsletter.
Prior to joining NATSO in January 1995 as the Associate Director of Government Affairs, Lisa was the communications and government affairs manager for the National Association of Chemical Recyclers. Prior to that, she served for five years as a staff member on the House transportation committee. She received her undergraduate degree in business with a minor in journalism from the University of Maryland in 1994 and her law degree from George Mason University School of Law in 2000. She is married and has two sons.
Job Titles:
- CEO at Road Ranger
- Chain Director
Marko Zaro is the CEO at Road Ranger. Road Ranger is a Schaumburg, Illinois-based chain of 42 travel centers, truckstops and convenience stores primarily found in the mid-western United States. Zaro has an BS in Industrial Engineering and Computer Science from Pontificia Universidad Catolica in Chile in 2003 and a MBA from Haas Business School, UC Berkeley in 2013. He previously worked at CCU, the largest beverage company in Chile, in several positions includign CFO of Transportes CCU and Chief Supply Chain Planning for CCU Chile. He aslo served as Head of Planning for Falabella, one of the biggest retailers in Latin America. Zaro has five children with his wife Monica.
Job Titles:
- Role of President / CEO of Mitten Inc
Matt Mildenberger currently serves the role of President/CEO of Mitten Inc. Mitten Inc. is a diverse multi-million-dollar operation focused on serving the needs of the traveling public. Mitten's Travel Center offers numerous food services, both fast and casual dining, an urgent care facility, on site fueling, repair service, on-road repair to stranded professional drivers and travelers, bulk fuel, def and oil delivery, among other travel needed services along the Interstate. After 15 years in the current position, Mildenberger took Mitten Inc. from a $20 million to a $80 million operation with 140 employees. Mildenberger is happily married to his beautiful wife; Misty and they have been blessed with two lovely girls at home at the ages of 15 and 17. He is also the general partner in a family partnership where he and his family operate over 3500 acres of farm and ranch land along with a successful cow/calf operation.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Business Development
Develops strategic partnerships that create value for members. Staff lead on meetings and events, including The NATSO Show. Directs recruitment and retention of allied members through valuable service offerings. Supports the NATSO Foundation in fundraising and event planning.
Raina Shoemaker co-owns and operates Shoemaker's Travel Centers in Lincoln, NE. She is passionate about implementing change that benefits the company, as well as the lives of their employees. Shoemaker graduated in 2017 with a dual degree in Communication Studies and Business Administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University. As an owner/operator of a small company she wears many hats, whether it be handling employee issues, or scooping snow, no job is out of her scope. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her Portuguese Water Dog, Luca and playing sand volleyball.
Robert Bolduc founded the Pride C-store and Truckstop chain in 1972 in Springfield, Mass. He is currently the Advisor. The chain has 32 stores and two truckstops in Mass. and Conn. and is now constructing a third travel center. Bob is an engineering graduate of Notre Dame and has a Master's degree from Purdue. He served in the US Army in Vietnam. In 2012, Bob, as he likes to be called, was honored as the top entrepreneur in Western Mass. Bob was the first in Western Mass. to add a Dunkin Donuts franchise and, later, a Subway restaurant. Pride was the first in Mass. to sell ethanol based gas and later became the first to sell biodiesel. Pride is now the poster-child for the sale of fresh foods in convenience stores. Pride is proudest of its community support and charitable giving, truly believing in giving back with management time and financially.
Job Titles:
- Owner
- Vice President
- at - Large Director
Robin Puthusseril is Vice President and owner/operator of Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza in Bolingbrook, IL. She has been involved in the truck stop industry since 1999 and actively participates in NATSO's annual tradeshow, international and domestic tours, Day on the Hill, and in 2017 became a member of NATSO's Government Affairs Committee. Robin is also a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. with degrees in International Business, Information Technology, and Spanish. She has a passion for traveling the world and she has lived, worked, and studied in Toluca, Mexico and Sonderborg, Denmark.
Job Titles:
- Editor of the NATSO Foundation 's Biz Brief
- Editor, Biz Brief
Roger Cole serves as editor of the NATSO Foundation's Biz Brief. The Biz Brief is a daily e-newsletter created to provide readers with business intelligence tailored specifically for truckstop and travel plaza owners and operators. Cole sifts through hundreds of news sources daily, selects the most relevant and timely news and then editorially distills it into a must-read briefing.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Senior Executive
Manages the operations of the NATSO main office and helps staff members achieve their goals by ensuring that they have the necessary office systems and equipment.
Steven Hove has been with the Alternative Fuels Council since its inception in 2018. Working in I.T. and business development, Steven manages and assists in the development of Alt Fuel's RIN Management Software alongside the day-to-day business of Alt Fuels. This includes marketing, RIN sales, fuel and RIN pricing analytics, and quarterly reporting.
Alabama native and serial entrepreneur, Ted Giles is known to his friends, family & customers as the "fried chicken expert." Ted began his career by stepping into a leadership role in a family foodservice equipment business that invented the ventless frying technology kicking off the foodservice movement in convenience stores, Giles Enterprises. Over the next 30+ years, Ted was responsible for growing and/or creating several businesses within the foodservice space, most notably Chester's International (a 1000+ unit fractional franchise foodservice program), Wynn's Grain & Spice (a blending supplier), & BirdShack Fried Chicken (a convenience store fried chicken program). Today, Ted focuses his efforts on his role as CEO of Wynn's Grain & Spice. A long-time NATSO member, Ted looks forward to furthering his impact on the truck stop and travel plaza business industry through his role in the NATSO Chairman's Circle. Ted currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, Donna. Ted's son and daughter-in-law, Wynn and Alexis Giles are the third generation to step into the leadership of their family businesses.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Government Affairs
Cevidanes supports NATSO's legislative and political agenda in Washington, D.C., by furthering congressional outreach and political engagement, advising on legislative developments, preparing for congressional meetings and hearings, and advocating on matters relating to the truckstop and travel plaza industry.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Public Affairs
Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman develops and executes communications strategies to advance NATSO's public relations and advocacy goals. Tiffany also develops and oversees partnerships related to the NATSO Foundation's public outreach initiatives. Tiffany lives in the D.C. metro area with her husband and their two sons.
Job Titles:
- President of Heinz, Inc
- President, Heinz, Inc. and Coffee Cup Fuel Stops & Convenience Stores, Inc
Tom Heinz is President of Heinz, Inc. and Coffee Cup Fuel Stops & Convenience Stores, Inc. Tom's thirty-seven year business career has been in different segments of the petroleum industry. Tom's primary business and day job began 31 years ago as co-founder/owner of Coffee Cup Fuel Stops. Tom received the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Master of Science in Human Resources, and Master of Business Administration from Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota. Presently, Tom serves on the University of South Dakota Foundation Board of Directors, Vermillion, South Dakota, NATSO Foundation Board of Directors, Alexandria, VA, Dakota Hospital Board of Directors, Vermillion, SD., and is a member of David Nelson Petroleum Marketers 300 Study Group.
Job Titles:
- President of Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza
Tristen Griffith is President of Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza. She oversees her family owned and operated, full-service truck stop in California. Primary services include 24/7 Silver Skillet Restaurant, 4 bay Service Center, Truck Wash, and Travel Store. Tristen most recently owned her own Wireless Toyz retail stores in Los Angeles and was honored as Sprint/Nextel's top performer. In 2006, Wireless Toyz, a top 100 fastest-growing franchise, appointed Tristen to their franchise expert's board. Prior to owning multiple franchise locations, she managed various departments for both the Ritz Carlton and FourSeasons Hotels and Resorts in Aspen, Cancun, Seattle and San Diego. She studied Management Theory and Practice in London, England and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Spanish from Pepperdine University. Recently, Tristen presented on the Capital Investment Panel at the 2017 NATSO show in Savannah, GA. Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza has been a member of NATSO for many years and wishes to continue supporting NATSO and the travel plaza/truck stop industry.
Job Titles:
- President and Chief Executive Officer of Danny 's Truck Wash & Service Center
Victoria (Vicki) Hendon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Danny's Truck Wash & Service Center and Danny's A Big Rig Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. Vicki is an Independent Truckstop Owner/Operator with experience spanning over 35 years. She is a minority business leader, heavily involved in advocating for women in the workplace. In 1994 she received the largest SBA loan ever awarded to a woman. Dun & Bradstreet information service and Entrepreneur Magazine named Vicki as one of their Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs of the year. Most recently The Association for Corporate Growth-Arizona Chapter's Women in Business and Leadership group featured Vicki on their panel of prominent Women CEO's to provide guidance to up and coming female entrepreneurs. Her facilities are unique, offering a multitude of services in a one-stop-shop. Offerings include Truck Wash, Trailer & Tanker Washouts, Scales, Parking, Service & Maintenance, Chrome Oasis, Diner, and Showers, all with a "resort" like ambiance. Vicki has always been committed to making truck drivers feel "at-home" and special while guests in her facilities. She is married and has one daughter and one grandson. Her daughter, Heather, is also a part of the business operations.