Ashley Cullen doesn’t fancy himself a holy being among retailers, but he does know that dropping an occasional bag of Combos onto a gondola doesn’t make for the crowning achievement in inventory management. “When I first got here, we were lucky if we got $200 a day in deli,” Cullen said. “Now we’re averaging $450 [...]
The influx of people moving to western North Carolina from the Northeast and Florida—both areas where Dunkin’ Donuts does a booming business—was one reason Citizens Fuel Co. is excited these days to be adding Dunkin’ franchises to at least three of its 10 Citi Stop c-stores. “We felt it was a huge opportunity to fill [...]
LIKE A LOT OF people in the industry, Terry Johnson, director of marketing for Chester, Va.-based Uppy’s/Southside Oil, got his start by working the cash register at a local c-store while earning his business degree. Soon after graduation, Johnson became a store manager, the fi rst step toward his 30-year career in the business. Johnson, [...]
Unlike many retailers profiled in Rising Stars, Kurt Straube always knew he would have a career in the convenience industry. Kurt StraubeDari Mart Stores His grandparents purchased afarm in Junction City, Ore., back in 1940, which grewinto Lochmead Dairy, a milk processing plant, and Dari MartStores in 1965. Three generations of his family have been [...]
Jim Goldade has had an interest in the grocery andretail business since he was 15 years old. That passionhas fueled his dedication to the Coast Guard Exchangestores, where he
As Alan Drake grew up in central Colorado, he found himself working for a local convenience store through high school. At the time, Kwik Stop had just one store operating out of its headquarters in Penrose,Colo. Drake learned the business from the ground up—stocking shelves, sweeping parking lots and putting a smile on customers’ faces. [...]
Steve EwingSuncor Energy USA Steve ewing has spent a solid 20 years working hisway through the convenience industry. As merchandising manager for Suncor Energy USA, Ewing works tocontrol categories, balance profits and grow the business of 44 Phillips 66-branded c-stores, based largely in theDenver area. Together with contract agreements to supply 150Phillips 66 gas stations [...]
Terry Gallagher, Jr.Smoker Friendly International LLC Terry Gallagher, Jr. may very well have oil in hisblood. The first and only president of Boulder, Col.-basedGasamat Oil Corp. dba Smoker Friendly International LLC,Gallagher grew up pumping gas and washing windshieldsunder his father’s watch. He spent college summers getting hishands dirty in the oil fields and refineries, all [...]
Marlin Larson: Convenience Management Group dba On the Run When Marlin larson started his education,he thought he would teach kids a thing or twoin the classroom or coaching a team. The former has come true for some of his employees at Convenience Management Group’s (CMG) nine ExxonMobil Onthe Run stores, but it’s the lessons Larson [...]
Russ ScaramellaArizona Oil Holdings LLC Russ scaramella may not have had a specific career in mind growing up, but he's always had a passion for business and working with people. Scaramella channeled that passion into something positive when he and partner Delery Guillory decided to create Arizona Oil Holdings LLC. Before creating Arizona Oil, Scaramella [...]
For Sunny Singh, general manager of retail operations forGardena, Calif.-based United Oil, good business sense justruns through his veins. Not only does he possess a strong business acumen, he's also intimately aware of the intricacies necessary to succeed in the highly competitive convenience storeindustry. Singh, who hails from Punjab, India, began working in the familybusinesses, [...]
It's a true testimony to a company that prides itself on being"family run and family friendly" when two of its top earning category managers continually sing its praises after more than a decade working together. Jennifer Vespole, senior category manager for foodservice, andBill Tencza, senior category manager for packaged goods, haveworked side by side for [...]
Norek spent a great deal of his career with 7-Eleven, working as a supervisor, gas supervisor,buyer and franchise marketing director. After a brief stint on the distribution side of the business with CoreMark, Norek returned to the retail side, signing on with CIC 7Eleven. He was responsible for 119 stores across 11 states. Healso worked [...]
For the past 12 months, Convenience Store Decisions has showcased some of the best and brightest category managementdecision makers from across the convenience store and petroleum industry. As 2006 comes to a close and the industry gearsup for what everyone hopes will be a prosperous 2007, CSD takes a look back at some of the [...]
One might think being fired from his first job in the convenience industry may have soured Russ Quick to the channel. Granted, he was 14, sweeping parking lots for a corner gas station and was replaced when the owner's daughter came of age, but still, a man has his pride. Quick dabbled successfully in several [...]