Entrepreneur Of The Year
Convenient truths
How Michael Zielinski has led Royal Buying Group to the top of its industry
Smart Business Chicago | July 2009
Finalist
Private Equity/Venture Capital
Michael Zielinski co-founded Royal Buying Group Inc. in 1995 to provide support to Shell Oil deals in regards to their convenience store operations. Today, through organic growth, national deals and sharp capital use for acquisitions, it is a national merchandising and marketing organization representing wholesaler and retailer locations of all brands of convenience stores, petroleum suppliers, college bookstores and independent pharmacies.
Zielinski, president and CEO of the company, also oversees Royal Performance Group, a division of RBG that provides stored value card solutions to top-tier retailers in the United States, and Royal Buying Group (Europe) GmbH, which provides sales, marketing and fulfillment of the Shell PrePaid Card in Germany.
The development of an annual marketing manual, monthly promotional offerings, weekly e-news, numerous Web sites, field and telephone-based support calls, and site visits — coupled with the executive team’s real-life “litmus test” — have increased sales and vendor compliance requirements by RBG members while saving enormous costs for convenience store operators and preferred vendor partners.
In addition, an established, single-source forum for vendor negotiations has created stability within the convenience store channel while offering consistent programs for members of Royal Buying Group. More than 5,500 locations in all 50 states, all major oil company brands and most independent convenient store brands depend on RBG today to process rebates, allowances, bill-backs, commissions and placement dollars, resulting in millions of additional dollars channeled to the RBG member sites.
In 2008, Royal Buying Group continued its alliance strategies by signing up the Pace Alliance Group of independent pharmacies to the growing number of RBG members. RBG also negotiated a new multiyear agreement with Shell Oil Products U.S. to provide services for the STARZ Buying Club.
For More Information: Royal Buying Group Inc., www.royalbuying.com
