The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) has named the winners of the 2023 Peter Jowett Awards at its Connect 23 Summit held in Melbourne this week.
Ozzie Lumpkin III from PepsiCo ANZ was named the Overall Winner and wins an all-expenses paid trip to the AACS 2023 International Study Tour, valued at $20,000.
Speaking to C&I about his win, Lumpkin III said that being named the overall winner was the best feeling he’s had in his career so far.
“There was so much time and effort that went into the project while still managing day to day work, which made it more challenging but special at the same time,” he said.
He said that working on his PJ presentation gave him the opportunity to gain recognition within the PepsiCo business as he was able to connect with senior management throughout the project.
“There are very few opportunities, if ever, for individuals to showcase their knowledge and expertise outside of their companies on a broader scale and the Peter Jowett Award provides the platform for recognition and self-improvement.
“PJ is such an incredible opportunity to showcase young talent. I highly encourage anyone looking to step outside of their comfort zone. What I’ve found is outside of comfort zone is individual growth.”
Ben McWiggan from 7-Eleven was the Retail Winner and Runner Up and wins a ticket to the AACS Local Study Tour in Melbourne, valued at $2,000, along with $3,000 in cash.
McWiggan was understandably happy at winning the award and said it is a credit to AACS and its members for continuing to have an award like it.
“It’s critically important for the next generation of retailers and suppliers to be able to put themselves out there and learn and develop skills that will serve them exceptionally well, both in their work and personal life, in terms of the transferable skills such as communications and the ability to present.”
The Peter Jowett Award is open to all AACS Retailer and Supplier members under the age of 36 and provides a unique opportunity for future leaders within the AACS Retailer and Supplier membership to challenge others in Australia on thinking about the opportunities for our industry.
The topic for 2023 was:
The year is 2027 and the metaverse is now intertwined into everyday life. Consumer shopping behaviours have shifted and the challenge to capture consumer spend and loyalty is more competitive than ever.
As a leading Convenience and Mobility Retailer or Supplier, how does your metaverse strategy fit into your overall consumer and marketing plans?
The six finalists, which included Lumpkin III and McWiggan, along with Mia Smith from bp, Elie Dib from Metro Petroleum, Constance Kyriakoullakis from Mars Wrigley, and Ehsan Lolaiy from Frucor Suntory, were asked to present their ideas to AACS Diamond members on Tuesday, who then voted on Lumpkin II and McWiggan as the overall Supplier and Retailer Winners. These two then presented once again to an audience of almost 600 people, before Lumpkin III was ultimately named the Overall Winner for 2023.
Speaking to C&I, Theo Foukkare, CEO, AACS, congratulated all of the finalists and winners who participated in the 2023 Peter Jowett Awards, and commended the quality of this year’s entries.
“The quality of presentations continues to deliver a very high standard in creativity, quality of content, and presentation skills, while uncovering future leaders of the convenience industry – showcasing their talent to our members. I know Peter Jowett would be very proud that his legacy is continuing live on through this unwavering love of future leaders of the industry,” he said.
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