ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NACS (the National Association of Convenience Stores) has appointed Frank Gleeson, former president and CEO of Aramark Northern Europe and 2018-2019 NACS chairman of the board, as its next president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Gleeson will succeed longtime leader Henry Armour, who has served as president and CEO since 2005, making Gleeson only the fourth CEO in the organization’s 64-year history.
Armour will support Gleeson’s transition and continue to lead NACS’ international activities for several years.
“I am honored to follow the successes of Henry Armour and excited to lead NACS, which has a stellar reputation both in the United States and around the world. Henry has been a driving force behind making NACS into a truly global organization with members in over 50 countries, as well as developing its executive education offer, its leadership in moving the industry forward with new technology solutions like TruAge® and THRIVR, and its advocacy on issues critical to our industry. I look forward to building upon these successes and the great culture that Henry has led at NACS and throughout the industry,” said Gleeson.
Gleeson brings extensive experience in convenience retailing and the food service industry. During his tenure at Aramark Northern Europe from 2017 to 2024, he oversaw more than 20,000 employees across over 2,800 locations, serving approximately 1 million meals per day. His prior roles include retail director at Topaz Energy Group, Ireland’s largest fuel importer and convenience retailer, and vice president of retail at Statoil Ireland (now Equinor), where he introduced Ireland’s first American-style convenience store. He also chaired Ireland’s National Oil Reserve Agency.
Beyond his executive roles, Gleeson has been deeply engaged with NACS and other industry groups. He served 19 years on the NACS International Board and 11 years on its Board of Directors, including his term as chairman. He also held leadership positions at Retail Ireland, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, and the Irish Transport Authority.
NACS initiated its leadership transition in October 2024, forming a five-member search committee chaired by Joe Sheetz, chairman of Sheetz Inc., and including senior executives from Pilot Flying J, Alimentation Couche-Tard, St. Romain Oil Company, and RaceTrac. The committee sought a candidate with deep knowledge of convenience retailing, foodservice growth, technology and digitization leadership, and advocacy expertise.
“We are excited about what Frank brings to NACS. He met all the criteria that we were seeking—and then some. Most of all, his passion for nurturing a great culture and building and growing winning teams is a critical component to continue the culture that Henry Armour has built at NACS over the past 20 years,” said Sheetz.
“For all of my career, I have considered myself a convenience retailer—not an association executive—and that means constantly listening to the customer and responding to their unmet needs. I’m proud of what we have built at NACS over the past two decades through aggressive advocacy and strong financial management. We have shown that by creating and constantly nurturing a positive culture we can accomplish extraordinary things together. I’m committed to turning over the best team and resources possible to Frank and continuing to support the organization over the coming years,” said Armour.
Gleeson will assume the role Jan. 1, 2026, leading NACS as it continues to drive innovation, advocacy, and growth in the convenience and fuel retailing industry worldwide.
