b'2020 Scholarship FoundationNEVADA Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association ReportNVwe all were looking forward toNPM&CSA The last time I sat down to pen a WPMA magazine article for Nevada it was November,Christmas and the holiday season, and our futures were brightly optimis-tic. 2020 got off to a great start, business was good, the economy was soaring, our members were looking forward to the WPMAEXPO in Las Vegas, and Nevadas leadership association was in the planning stages for the May 2020 edition of the Big Dogs Howl. No sooner had we returned from a remarkably successful WPMAEXPOPeter Krueger in Las Vegas, where our personal and business lives grew and wereNPM&CSASilver State Summary changed forever, than the state of Nevada went on full lockdown. In mid-March, the Governor of Nevada locked the state down and whileExecutive Directorour marketer members were designated essential businesses, few customers were buying anything. We saw immediate demand destruction in fuels and our c-stores were experiencing not only fuel, but in-store purchases turning dismal too.It is hard to envision a silver bullet in all this chaos, and for a few there will be no recovery, but I believe most Americans are a tough bunch and while the economy is in shambles, government is broken. Is there light at the end of the tunnel as America and Nevada reopen for business? I think so; it will be slow and very painful for most small businesses, but the key is customer confidence. When will people again fly for business and pleasure? Will Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe have a summer season? Will people simply stay home and continue to social distance to avoid large gatherings? Who knows, but I believe most Americans and companies will take the experience of the last 90 days as a time for reflection, both within ourselves and our businesses, having learned how to pivot vital systems of a business and continue connecting with customers, and take the lessons over the last three months and decide how to apply them to what we see for our businesses going forward. I know, and am sure you do as well, of many small businesses whosaw the glass half full and went on the offensive using social media and curbside commerce, and embodied the motto of when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Thank you to our members, big and small, who have not only dealt with these tumultuous business challenges but have stayed engaged with Fueling NevadaNevada Petroleum Market-ers and Convenience Store Association. We will all get through this together.To continue in the uplifting spirit,please see the details of our Nevada scholarship winner Daphne Dimatulac elsewhere in the maga-zine. Lastly, mark your calendars for the rescheduling of Big Dogs Howl to October 1st and 2nd, 2020 at The Red Rock Resort, including a new golf venue: The Arroyo Golf Club. Hope to see you there! SWPMA News / Summer 202041'