One of Six Individuals Honored as a Category Manager of the Year at Winsight’s Convenience Retailing University Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona
The Wills Group, parent company of Dash In and headquartered in La Plata, MD, today celebrated Aaron Mace’s victory as a category manager of the year at the Convenience Retailing University Conference awards hosted by Winsight LLC, a recognized leader in business-to-business media and information services for the convenience-retailing, foodservice, and grocery industries.
Mace was honored as part of an awards ceremony held on Thursday, February 22nd in Scottsdale, Arizona. The award highlights the convenience store industry’s finest category managers, with Mace being selected to receive the first-ever award as category manager of the year for multiple categories in a convenience store.
“Over the past six years, Aaron Mace has made a significant impact across our 50+ Dash In locations in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia,” said Darleen Nascimento, director of brand marketing for Dash In. “His creative mindset, coupled with his analytical capabilities, enables him to keep a pulse on the trends that will help revitalize the industry for our customers for years to come.”
A category manager plays a key role at Dash In as they are responsible for examining a wide range of new products and innovations that are offered to customers, ranging from non-alcoholic beverages to snack foods to confectionary items.
“I am honored to receive this award,” said Aaron Mace. “The convenience store industry is fast-paced and ever-changing – I am always amazed by the exceptional product innovations that suppliers generate each year. Best of all, I am fortunate to work for a company like Dash In that is forward-thinking and encourages me to explore those innovative opportunities.” A video on Mace’s approach to category management can be viewed here.
Aaron Mace’s award is a demonstration of the commitment across Dash In to transform its offerings and store environment with a focus on elevating the customer experience. The Dash In commitment includes new in-store designs with warm color palettes and custom merchandising units, innovative beverage and snacking options, and an open kitchen, serving Dash In’s chef-driven, made-to-order menu and fresh in-house, grab-and-go program.
Dash In began in 1979 and now includes 54 locations across Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
About the Wills Group, Inc.
Headquartered in La Plata, Maryland, the Wills Group has nearly 300 retail locations across the Mid-Atlantic region, including Dash In, Splash In ECO Car Wash, and SMO Motor Fuels. A family-owned company since 1926 with expertise in convenience retailing, fuels marketing, and commercial real estate, the Wills Group prides itself on keeping customers’, employees’, and communities’ Lives in Motion.
About Dash In
Dash In, a Wills Group company, is a growing convenience food store chain, with more than 50 locations throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. Dash In offers top selling convenience items, and a wide variety of great tasting food, beverages and name brand products. For more information about Dash In, visit www.dashin.com.
