Did you attend NACS Show 2025 in Chicago? The PDI team had a large contingent at the show, so we asked some of them to share their impressions. Here’s what they had to say.
Tryston Blisard, Senior Training Specialist
“This year’s NACS Show emphasized how fast our industry is evolving. There’s a visible shift from single-point solutions to ecosystem-driven technologies, with a focus on integrated and cohesive experiences. The conversations at the booth around evolving technologies like electronic shelf labels and more integrated cybersecurity shows just how much innovation is shaping the next phase of connected retail and fuel operations through data-driven decision-making.”
Ernie Floyd, VP of Strategic Accounts
“What jumped out to me was the participation of international retailers. We had about a dozen conversations with different retailers, and a couple came by for two rounds. NACS reinforced this with an international reception post-show on Wednesday. I was happy to learn that two of PDI’s customers were finalists for Convenience Retailer of the Year—Latin America.”
Ariel Lemus, Senior Training Specialist
“This year’s NACS Show was such an incredible experience! It was great meeting so many awesome people, from new faces to familiar faces and everyone in between. Every conversation reminded me why I love being part of this industry. There’s just something about being surrounded by so many passionate, innovative people all working toward the same goal. I left feeling inspired, energized, and grateful for the new connections and the chance to share what we’re doing at PDI Technologies.”
Bethany Allee, CMO
“The NACS Show in Chicago really delivered on the industry’s transformation narrative. It seemed like every booth was featuring AI integration, autonomous commerce, and connected ecosystems. There was a surge of energy around workforce automation (everyone’s feeling the labor crunch), embedded financial services creating new revenue streams, and how retailers are becoming media companies through their customer data. I personally loved the NACS Show recap from one of PDI’s good friends at AWS, Cody Shrive. I look forward to seeing how quickly agentic AI will reshape the fuel and convenience industry.”
Reema Mansukhani, Senior Sales Executive
“The NACS 2025 Show was another incredible experience! This was my third NACS and seeing the impressive mix of retailers, both large chains and independent operators, under one roof alongside some of my favorite snack brands and drink distributors makes it a dream conference for me. Being able to have a slice of Hunt Brothers Pepperoni Pizza, Dr Pepper ICEE, the perfect sample size of the new Honey Roasted Peanut M&M’S, and then getting to talk about PDI software with customers is always a good time! The energy was high, innovation was everywhere, and it was a powerful reminder of how dynamic and diverse the retail industry truly is.”
Lauren Barnette, Marketing Specialist
“The NACS Show never disappoints, but I wanted to highlight five things I especially loved this year:
- Everything was pickle-flavored, but the show was sweet
- Merch booths that felt just like the brand
- Tech that turned heads
- Event growth you can feel right away
- The big takeaway that the future of convenience is now
As one of the 2025 honorees who gathered at NACS, I need to give a special shout-out to the Top Women In Convenience program. There’s something truly magical about standing among 100 phenomenal women and all of our supporters. It’s a great reminder that the future of convenience is being shaped by the best people for the job—many of whom are women.”
Lacey Toler, Training Specialist
“Attending my first NACS was nothing short of amazing. Seeing all the different areas of PDI come together for a shared purpose was truly inspiring. Learning about solutions I wasn’t previously well-versed in and seeing them in action through live demos made this a particularly productive experience for me. And, as always, the highlight of my job is meeting new people and this event certainly delivered on that front!”
Alexander Blackman, Sales Executive
“NACS for me this year was incredibly fruitful. For the independent side of the business, NACS is a great place to meet new customers. With the Altria Group Distribution Company (AGDC) announcement of the 2026 AGDC Digital Trade Program, there were a ton of conversations about supporting retailers on this journey. Many of the people I spoke with were also very interested in the new PDI Point of Sale—specifically for non-fuel sites and truck stops. Overall, it was a great time catching up with current customers and building new relationships that I hope will last a long time.”
Mary Roffe, Senior Training Specialist
“I was surprised by how many customers stopped by the PDI booth asking for specific PDI team members they’ve worked with for years, just to say hello and see what’s new. Moments like that really show how strong our connections are and how much we value the relationships we’ve built over time.”
Looking forward to NACS Show 2026
Thanks to everyone who attended this year’s event and visited the PDI booth. If we didn’t happen to catch you in Chicago, we look forward to seeing you at NACS Show 2026 in Las Vegas!
For a glimpse of what happened in the PDI booth, watch these short videos from the Expo floor.
Pre-register for Connections Live 2026
If you want to see more of the PDI team, be sure to pre-register for Connections Live 2026 in Grapevine, Texas.