RICHMOND, VA – April 7, 2016 – SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers and Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. (“Matrix”) are pleased to announce that Matrix will moderate the Opening General Session at the SIGMA 2016 Spring Convention, May 10-13, in Scottsdale, AZ, “Using Alternative Capital to Grow Your Company – Successful Entrepreneurs Share Their Experiences: Sam Susser, Joe Topper, and Hank Heithaus”.
Some of the industry’s most successful owners have chosen to employ alternative types of capital to grow their companies. Private equity, mezzanine debt, sale-leaseback, and asset based loan structures can be alternative avenues of capital to explore beyond owner’s equity and traditional senior bank debt. Originated, structured and presented by Matrix’s Thomas Kelso and Spencer Cavalier, this interactive panel will ask how leaders evaluate these forms of alternative capital and ultimately how these decisions are made to move to alternative capital to fuel company growth.
Panel participants in this high-level presentation include Hank Heithaus, CEO, Empire Petroleum Partners GP, LLC; Sam Susser, President, Susser Holdings II, LP; and Joseph Topper, Member of the Board of Directors for CST Brands and General Partner, CrossAmerica Partners, L.P. The Panel will be moderated by Thomas Kelso, Managing Director & Principal, Head of Matrix’s Downstream Energy & Retail Group.
Hank J. Heithaus, joined Empire Petroleum in August, 2013 and has full P&L responsibility and directs all business operations and staff functions of the company. Mr. Heithaus, who has over 40 years of experience in the petroleum industry, plays an integral role in driving a more aggressive merger and acquisition agenda, thus enabling Empire to take more market share in the areas it serves, and develop business opportunities that will take them into new markets.
Sam L. Susser is the President of Susser Holdings II, L.P. From 1988 to 2014, Mr. Susser led the growth of Susser Holdings Corporation from a five store operation to a $6.7 billion enterprise that was a member of the Fortune 500 and employed 12,000 team members. The business was sold to ETP on August 29, 2014, and Mr. Susser continued to serve as Chairman of the Board until May 2015. Prior to founding the Southguard Corporation (predecessor to Susser Holdings) in 1988, Mr. Susser spent 1985-1987 with Salomon Brothers Inc in New York City and in Dallas in the corporate finance division and in the mergers and acquisitions group.
Joseph V. Topper currently runs the Topper Family office. He retired from CrossAmerica Partners in September 2015. Previous to selling Lehigh Gas Partners GP to CST Brands, he was the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Lehigh Gas Partners, a company taken public in October 2012. Mr. Topper serves as a member of the Board of Directors of CrossAmerica GP LLC, member of the Board of CST Brands, as Vice Chairman Board of Trustees for Villanova University and as a director of Lehigh Valley PBS.
Thomas E. Kelso is Head of Matrix Capital Markets Group’s Downstream Energy & Retail Group and directs the firm’s Baltimore office. He created the Downstream Energy Group in 1997 to provide financial advisory services to companies engaged in the petroleum marketing and convenience store industries. In addition, he manages the firm’s Restructuring, Reorganization and Bankruptcy practice. He is a member of the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA), the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), the NACS Hunter Club and the Turnaround Management Association (TMA). Mr. Kelso currently serves as Chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority and as Vice Chair & Director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Government House of Maryland, Inc.
About SIGMA
Founded in 1958 as the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA), SIGMA has become a fixture in the motor fuel marketing industry. After fifty years of leadership, SIGMA is the national trade association representing the most successful, progressive, and innovative fuel marketers and chain retailers in the United States. From the outset, the association has served to further the interests of both the branded and unbranded segment of the industry while providing information and services to members. SIGMA’s approximately 260 corporate members command nearly 50 percent of the petroleum retail market, selling approximately 80 billion gallons of motor fuel each year. These member companies operate throughout the United States and Canada.
Regular membership in SIGMA is available to companies involved in motor fuel retailing or wholesaling that are not owned by a refiner. In addition, Associate membership is available to fuel supplier companies and to companies that offer financial services, fuel transport services, and fleet card services. SIGMA member companies have long been recognized, both within and outside the industry, as the most aggressive, innovative, and price competitive segment of petroleum marketers. For additional information, please visit www.sigma.org.