CEO Arrivals

Gleeson named leader convenience stores group

The $50M-revenue National Association of Convenience Stores has named Frank Gleeson as its next president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2026. He will succeed Henry Armour, who has led the organization since 2005 and will remain with NACS to support international activities during the transition.

“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 Joe Sheetz, member of the CEO search committee and chairman of Sheetz Inc. 

Gleeson is the former president and CEO of Aramark Northern Europe and served as board chair of NACS from 2018 to 2019. A longtime industry leader, Gleeson also held executive roles at Topaz Energy Group and Statoil Ireland and most recently chaired the National Oil Reserve Agency in Ireland.

Gleeson has a degree in business management from the Irish Management Institute.

Reed to lead material handling group

Lauren Reed has been named the next CEO of the $4.3M-revenue Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association, where she will succeed current CEO Jeannette Walker later this year.

“We are excited to support Lauren as she builds on MHEDA’s strong foundation,” said board chair Nate Storey. “Her experience, insight and energy give us great confidence in the future of MHEDA.  Her leadership will help shape the next chapter of growth for our members and the material handling industry at large.”

Earlier in her career, Reed spent seven years at business development firm Concept Services, where she held several leadership roles, including director of account development. She currently serves on MHEDA’s Emerging Leaders Advisory Board and has been a longtime member of the association. 

Reed has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business administration from Kent State University.

Wilkins joins transportation leadership group

Malika Reed Wilkins has been appointed CEO and executive director of $3.1M-revenue WTS International and the WTS Foundation, effective Aug. 18. She will succeed Sara Goodman-Stickler, who now leads the Global Cold Chain Alliance.

“Dr. Wilkins is a leader with the strategic insight that will help us strengthen relationships with our partners, support our chapters, and engage more deeply with our members to foster an organizational culture that reflects our values and mission,” said WTS International Board Chair Bridgette Beato.

Wilkins joins the organization from the Atlanta Regional Commission, where she spent more than eight years — most recently as chief strategy officer and chief external affairs officer. Earlier in her career, she held leadership posts at the Georgia Department of Human Services and the State Road and Tollway Authority, where she helped launch the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank. She also spent more than a decade with the Southern States Police Benevolent Association.

Wilkins holds a bachelor’s in speech communications from the University of Georgia, a master’s in public administration from North Carolina Central University and a doctorate in public policy and administration from Walden University.

Staff Departures

National Automatic Merchandising Association— Matthew Bisenius has left his role as vice president of external affairs to join Procter & Gamble as director of government relations. He joined $8.4M-revenue NAMA in 2023 after serving in government affairs roles at the American Cleaning Institute and National Propane Gas Association. 

Staff Arrivals

Airports Council International-North America — Amanda La Joie has been promoted to senior director of government and political affairs. She joined $21M-revenue ACI-NA in 2019 and most recently served as director of government and political affairs.

            Also, Holly Christian has been promoted to director of office services and administration. She has worked in administrative leadership roles at ACI-NA since 2012.

American Hotel & Lodging Association — Kat Fonda has been promoted to vice president of federal government affairs. She joined $25M-revenue AHLA in 2023 as director of federal affairs and was later elevated to senior director. She previously led PAC fundraising efforts at Fundraising Inc.

            Additionally, Gizem Kilic has been promoted to senior director of industry research, policy and regulatory affairs. She joined AHLA in 2023 as director of industry research. Before that, she spent over five years as a research assistant at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration.

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers — Matthew Hite has joined $11M-revenue AHAM as vice president of government affairs. He most recently served as vice president of federal advocacy at the American Rental Association. Prior to that, he led government affairs at GPA Midstream Association and held senior roles at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and on Capitol Hill.

Futures Industry Association — Darin Guries will join $34M-revenue FIA in September as head of U.S. government affairs. He was most recently vice president of federal government relations at JPMorgan Chase. Earlier, he spent nearly eight years on the Senate Agriculture Committee and held senior legislative roles for Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback.

International Fresh Produce Association— Paul Lewis is joining the government relations team as part of the association’s restructuring. He previously served as vice president of food safety standards and regulatory compliance at $47M-revenue IFPA and has held leadership roles at the USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pet Food Institute — Atalie Ebersole has been promoted to vice president of government relations. She has been with $5M-revenue PFI since 2019, most recently serving as senior director of membership and government relations. Earlier in her career, she worked for Grant Thornton, Rescue:Freedom International, and the U.S. House of Representatives.