Room A
4:00 p.m.  -5:00 p.m.
Taking Risks
Speaker: Vinod Kholsla
Description: TBD 

Friday, November 14

Room A
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Crude Outlook for 2009 and Beyond
Speaker: Andrew Slaughter, Shell Oil (invited)
With market volatility and continuing unrest in the Middle East, crude oil supply in 2009 and beyond is anybody's guess. Come listen to an expert discuss what may be on the horizon.

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
NPN State of the Industry
Speakers: Grady Chronister, Tod Butler, Leo Liebowitz
How the times have changed! In this annual event, our seasoned panel of SIGMA members will recollect stories through their careers and demonstrate how the industry has changed during SIGMA’s fifty years.

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
A How to Guide to Acquisitions and Sourcing Capital to Complete Acquisitions in a Difficult Credit Market
Speakers: Tom Kelso, Todd Andersen, TBD
There are a number of opportunities for marketers to acquire assets either by buying assets being divested by major oil companies or assets being sold by other marketers. This session will provide a guide to marketers as to how to compete for assets in a competitive sale process environment.  The session will also talk about how to access capital to complete acquisitions in a very challenging credit environment.

Room B
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Scenarios for the Next Generation of Hybrid Cars
Speaker: Robert  Wimmer, Toyota (invited)
The hybrid revolution is here. The fleet of available hybrid vehicles has grown from the distinctive Prius to includes a wide variety of chassis, including SUVs/

3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
The Current Banking Environment for Petroleum Marketers
Speakers: Fred Whitaker, TBA, Wells Fargo
Description: TBD

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Future of SIGMA Firms
Speaker: George Overstreet
Description: TBD

Saturday, November 15

Room A
2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Roundtable on Renewables
Speakers: Don Draizin, Sprague Energy (invited), Barry Schaps, VeraSun (invited), Ron Lamberty, American Coalition for Ethanol (invited), Bruce Rasteter, Hawkeye (invited)
This session will cover a variety of topics surrounding renewable fuels. Some topics to be discussed include:  Who is making money in Ethanol? Future Scenarios, E 10 and beyond. Marketers are finding it harder and harder to get conventional gasoline to blend with ethanol. High corn prices mean producer margins are squeezed. Refiners are under a regulatory spotlight, forced to market fuels not of their own making. So where is the smart money-play in the growing renewable fuels space? We’ll take a look at the new “golden goose”, storage and the biofuels mid-stream industry. You’ll learn: Where the opportunities are and what buy-in risks might present themselves. In this lively session you’ll also find out how the ever-changing regulatory environment may impact future growth in the tankage industry.

3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Improving your Bottom Line with Ethanol
Speaker: Frank Caliva, Department of Commerce
The panel will highlight the tools available and the different ways fuel providers can cost effectively add E85 distribution. The panel will discuss how vehicle manufacturers are working to add to the fleet of FFVs and how auto companies can work with pump owners to help alert local FFV owners to the presence of new E85 fueling locations. The panel will discuss long-term contracts for fuel provision and case studies.

4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Second Generation Biofuels
Speaker: Mike McAdams, Advanced Biofuels Coalition
It’s the law…Starting in 2009, refiners and other obligated parties must begin blending “advanced biofuels” into their gasoline and diesel. The following year, cellulosic ethanol mandates kick in. Regulators knew corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel could only get us so far. In this session, leaders in the field of advanced “second generation” renewable fuels will answer:  Where will these groundbreaking new fuels come from? Who will win the technology race? How will they be supplied, priced and traded? And what roles and responsibilities will marketers have in getting these new fuels to market? Also, you’ll learn what will happen if the industry can’t keep up with EPA’s mandated volumes.

Room B
2:15 –3:15 p.m.
Creating a Green Strategy
Speakers: Ken Finkelstein, Owner, President Brookfield Research; John Holcombe, Principal, Insights Marketing Group, Inc.
Going Green is increasingly important to everyone. This research study proposes to explore this trend to understand which demographic and psychographic segments it appeals to and determine how petroleum/convenience retailers can take advantage of it. The following questions will be address: Who is the green consumer?  What do green customers expect from a retailer? What types of products, services and promotions appeal to these customers? How are some businesses taking advantage of the green movement?

3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Fuel Prices on Websites and Navigational Systems
Speaker: Fred Rozell, OPIS
Retailers are using exciting new means of communicating prices to an increasingly price-conscious motorist. Internet web sites are just the beginning. Get ready for prices on mobile geo-satellite systems, text to cell phones and even the new iPhone! Competition to reach the next generation of tech-savvy consumers is heating up and the need for up-to-the-minute communication has never been greater. Learn from our expert panel how you can get in the fast lane of the information superhighway with your retail offers.