Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Annual conference for fuel, convenience retail, and petroleum technology professionals
- More than 150 educational sessions and 48 hands-on classes covering retail operations and technology
- Cybersecurity and network security content addressing POS security and emerging retail threats
- Organised by PDI Technologies, a specialist provider serving the convenience and petroleum sectors
- Takes place August 23–26, 2026, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
Introduction
Connections Live 2026 brings together professionals from the fuel, convenience retail, and petroleum industries for four days of education, hands-on training, and networking. Organised by PDI Technologies, the conference addresses the operational and technological challenges facing an industry undergoing significant digital transformation. With fuel retailers increasingly reliant on integrated technology platforms to manage everything from point-of-sale systems to supply chain logistics, events like Connections Live provide a focused environment for practitioners to develop skills and evaluate emerging solutions.
About Connections Live 2026
The conference takes place from August 23–26, 2026, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. PDI Technologies, which provides enterprise software and solutions specifically designed for the convenience retail and petroleum wholesale sectors, hosts the event annually as a platform for its user community and the broader industry.
The programme includes more than 150 educational sessions alongside 48 hands-on classes and open labs. Specialist learning tracks allow attendees to focus on areas most relevant to their roles, while optional pre-conference Boot Camps offer intensive practical training for those seeking deeper technical instruction.
Technology and Security Content
While Connections Live 2026 is fundamentally a fuel and convenience retail technology conference, it incorporates a substantial cybersecurity component. Sessions within the technology and security learning track address topics including network security, technology infrastructure, POS security, and emerging threats targeting retail environments.
This focus reflects the growing importance of security within convenience retail operations. Point-of-sale systems process high volumes of payment card transactions daily, making them attractive targets for threat actors. Network security has become equally critical as retailers connect fuel dispensers, back-office systems, loyalty platforms, and mobile applications into unified technology ecosystems. A breach at any point in this chain can compromise customer data, disrupt operations, and damage brand reputation.
The inclusion of cybersecurity content alongside operational and business sessions recognises that security cannot be treated as a standalone function. IT and security practitioners working in convenience retail must understand how their systems integrate with broader business processes, while operations professionals benefit from awareness of the threats their technology environments face.
Who Should Attend
Connections Live 2026 is designed for professionals working across the convenience and petroleum retail value chain. The audience includes retail and fuel industry executives responsible for strategic direction, technology teams implementing and maintaining enterprise systems, operations professionals managing day-to-day store and fuel site performance, and IT and security practitioners protecting critical infrastructure.
Organisations using technology platforms to manage convenience and petroleum retail operations will find particular value in the hands-on training and peer networking opportunities. The event provides a rare chance to engage directly with product specialists, learn from implementations at similar organisations, and explore how emerging technologies might address current operational challenges.
Industry Context
The convenience and fuel retail sector faces a complex technology landscape. Operators must balance investment in traditional fuel infrastructure with preparation for electric vehicle charging, manage increasingly sophisticated loyalty and personalisation programmes, and maintain compliance with evolving payment security standards. Technology decisions made today will shape competitive positioning for years to come, making industry-specific education and peer exchange increasingly valuable.