Last updated on October 26th, 2015 at 02:19 pm
Gwen Forman of Cumberland Farms is the new president of the newly merged New England Convenience Store Association and Independent Oil Marketers Association. The group’s new name is New England Convenience Store & Energy Marketers Association, or NECSEMA.
The group held its first event Oct. 22 at the Dedham Hilton in Dedham, Massachusetts, and elected new officers and heard two experts speak about the petroleum and beverage industries—Joe Petrowski of Mercantor Partners and advisor Ken Sadowsky, respectively.
The union combines the New England convenience stores and its suppliers with oil marketers. Outgoing President Leo Vercollone of VERC Enterprises, named to the NECSA Hall of Fame, worked on the merger for the last two years. He says the new group brings more clout to the rapidly expanding convenience store and fuel worlds.
In addition to Forman, NECSEMA’s new officers include Frank Corideo, treasurer; and board of directors Dick Barnes, AR Sandri; Pat O’Connell, Energy North; Rogers Bush, 7-Eleven; Chris Riley, Community Service Stations; Justin Bush, Apple Country Markets; Timothy Rupp, Speedway; Tom Frawley, Summit Distributing; Bob Sears, Altria; Jim Garrett, Volta Oil; John Shaer, Mutual Oil; Bruce Ginsberg, New England Ice Cream; Peter Simard, Garber Bros; Chris Hopkins, J&S Oil; Andrew Slifka, Global Partners LP; Vern Johnson, Honey Farms; Dave Taylor, J. Polep Distribution; Stephen Lawrence, C.N. Brown Co.; Luis Morales, Crossroads Market; and Vercollone. Steve Ryan remains the association’s executive director; Lisa Lawringer Brown continues as the group’s director of marketing and membership.
A new NECSEMA energy subcommittee includes Shaer as chairman, Slifka as vice chairman and Garrett as VP. Board members include Barnes; Steve Charon, Global LP; Bob Farr, Nouria Energy; Tom Frawley and Dan Freihofer, Summit Distributing; Bruce Garrett, Volta Oil; Floyd Hayes, Aranco Oil; Marty Hilfinger, Ray Leather and Angela Pimental, Cumberland Farms; Jonathan Mape, H.A. Mapes; Bill McClellan, Colbea LLC; O’Connell; Joe Pastore, L.E. Belcher; Ed Rachins, Mutual Oil; Riley; and Steve Roberts, F.L. Roberts.
