Convenience Store News Names 2022 Top Women in Convenience

CHICAGO — Convenience Store News will celebrate its largest class yet of Top Women in Convenience (TWIC) during the annual program's awards ceremony this fall.

The CSNews team in partnership with the 2022 TWIC Advisory Board selected 91 female leaders from the retailer, wholesaler and supplier communities as this year's honorees.

The 2022 TWIC class is comprised of five Women of the Year, 36 Senior-Level Leaders, 40 Rising Stars and 10 Mentors. 

The winners were chosen based on nominations received from their peers. Drawing from achievements during the previous 12 months, nominators were asked to illustrate the candidate's innovative corporate initiatives, extraordinary financial and strategic accomplishments, astute problem-solving acumen, exceptional performance, mentorship work and its outcome for mentees, and selfless charitable participation, along with any other attributes that go above and beyond the call of duty.

WOMEN OF THE YEAR

Recognized for having an exceptional impact on the success or direction of their company, as well as a positive impact on the convenience store industry as a whole.

• Holly Angell, Senior Vice President of Construction, Engineering & Facilities, 7-Eleven Inc.
• Allison Cornish, Vice President of Store Modernization, Pilot Co.
• Danielle Holloway, Senior Director of Industry Engagement, Altria Group Distribution Co.
• Julie Jackson, President, G&M Oil Co.
• Colette Matthews, Global Vice President of Customer Experience, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K

SENIOR-LEVEL LEADERS

Retailer, supplier and wholesaler executives at the level of director or vice president and above who work with the c-store channel of trade and who have executed on a strategy and transformed their business in a positive manner.

• Annie Alabaugh, Division Vice President, Casey's General Stores Inc.
• Gwen Andrews, Director — US Convenience, Northeast, The Hershey Co.
• Trish Bay, Senior Director, Trade Marketing, Phoenix Region, Reynolds Marketing Services Co.
• Elizabeth Benson, Director of Innovation & Process Improvement, Maverik —  Adventure's First Stop 
• Marla Benson, Senior Channel Operations Manager, Mars Wrigley
• Sandie Bower, Director of Operations, 7-Eleven Inc.
• Capri Brixey, Vice President, Customer Leadership, The Coca-Cola Co.
• Brigid Brown, Director of Financial Reporting & Services, Thorntons LLC 
• Chelsea Carvalho, Senior District Manager, Beck Suppliers
• Gina Clemente, Senior Director, Operations Services & Transformation, GetGo Café & Market
• Brandi Cushman, Director of Purchasing, C.N. Brown Co.
• Magda Delattre, Senior Manager of Insights & Analytics, Sheetz Inc. 
• Sherryn Diamond, Director of Foodservice, High's
• Melanie Disney, Director of Human Resources, Weigel's Stores Inc.
• Kristina Fisher, Restaurant Division Director, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K
• Jessica Flaten, Director of Marketing, ITG Brands
• Sherri Fleming-Ramler, Senior Director of Sales & Operations, Midwest Region, Murphy USA Inc.
• Sri Gouri, Director of Commercial Sales Insights, PepsiCo Inc. 
• Carey Haubenschild, Senior Marketing Manager, Convenience, Boston Beer Co.
• Angelica Krott, Vice President of Technology, StrasGlobal
• Ali Marciano, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Core-Mark International
• Sheila Merrigan, Senior Director of Regional Operations, Alpine Region, Maverik —  Adventure's First Stop 
• Kendra Meyer, Vice President, Real Estate, Casey's General Stores Inc.
• Jamie Miller, Executive Director of Marketing, RaceTrac Inc. 
• Kristine Modugno, Director of Category Management, Nouria Energy
• Barbara Nova, Senior Director — Food, Beverage & Retail Programs, Dash In Food Stores
• Jackie Palmer, Division President, McLane Mid-Atlantic, McLane Co. Inc. 
• Suzy Peel, Head of Real Estate, Western U.S., Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K
• Rachel Pickett, Assistant General Counsel, Murphy USA Inc.
• Kimberly Ross, West Area Vice President, ITG Brands
• Vareesha Shariff, Product Director, Fresh Foods, 7-Eleven Inc.
• Misty Skipper, Vice President of Merchandising, Marketing & External Affairs, GATE Petroleum
• Jean Terminiello, Senior Director, Americas — Convenience & Away From Home, Glanbia Performance Nutrition
• Michele Truelove, Vice President of Operations, High's
• Paula Weeks, Director of Industry Affairs, The Coca-Cola Co.
• Jessica Wright, Senior Director, Experiential Marketing, Reynolds American Inc.

RISING STARS

Women with job titles from store manager to just below vice president who are making their mark on the c-store industry even in the early stages of their careers. 

• Katerina Bakunina, Senior Manager, Strategic Accounts, PDI
• Michelle Barnett, Retail Zone Leader, Kwik Trip Inc. 
• Megan Binkley, Store Manager, Rutter's
• Katie Bondy, Senior National Account Manager, McLane Co. Inc.
• Stephanie Bruns, Senior Commercial Marketing Manager, Heineken USA
• Julie Burke, District Manager, Casey's General Stores Inc.
• Mckenzie Coleman, Senior Manager of Retail Solutions & E-commerce, RaceTrac Inc.
• Maria Esquer, Division Manager, Alta Convenience
• Elaine Jacobs, Senior Store Leader, GetGo Café & Market
• Erin Kohne, Director, Global Military Sales, Anheuser-Busch
• Toral Kothari, Senior Director of Sales, PBNA, PepsiCo Inc.
• Sarah Kovac, Director of Architecture & Engineering, Maverik — Adventure's First Stop
• Kelsey Leighton, Central Operations Specialist, GetGo Café & Market
• Jennifer Lestochi, Prepared Foods Category Leader, Sheetz Inc.
• Kim Lippert, Director, Acquisition Integration, Casey's General Stores Inc.
• Sara Martindale, Sales Director, PBNA, PepsiCo Inc.
• Erin Matosziuk, Director of Talent Development, Sheetz Inc.
• Melody McCarthy, Marketing Manager, Enmarket
• Caylin McCombs, National Accounts Director, ITG Brands
• Alexandra McGuire, Senior Account Manager, Altria Group Distribution Co.
• Erica Murray, Director of Operations Programs, Technology & Planning, Thorntons LLC
• Ann Myint, Category Specialist, ExtraMile Convenience Stores
• Kellye Ogle, Director, Procurement, Murphy USA Inc.
• Karylann Oxley, COCO Business Consultant, Chevron USA Inc.
• Dea Pennington, Senior Manager, External Communications, 7-Eleven Inc.
• Kelly Rand, Director, IT Strategy & Change Management, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K
• Ashley Ray, Senior Director, People Support, Maverik — Adventure's First Stop
• Jenny Rinehart, Director of Digital Marketing & Personalization, Casey's General Stores Inc.
• Julie Rodgers, Marketing Director, Gulf Coast Business Unit, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K
• Megan Sandlin, Senior Manager, Customer Planning & Development, Tyson Foods
• Julie Seefus, Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Supervisor, Hy-Vee Inc.
• Gina Sorensen, IT Service Desk Manager, Yesway
• April Stanford, Director of Convenience Sales, General Mills
• Jessica Starnes, Category Manager, Tobacco & Loyalty, Weigel's Stores Inc.
• Jasmine Struble, Category Manager, Dispensed Beverages, Yesway
• Sandra Sydlik, Product Marketing Manager, Stuzo
• Kristen Turner, Senior National Account Manager, PFNA, PepsiCo Inc.
• Tavay Watson, Fresh Food Support Coordinator, Thorntons LLC 
• Renee Williams, Customer Development Director, Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc.
• Elaine Yee, Director, Consumer & Market Intelligence, ITG Brands

MENTORS

Women who have made an extraordinary effort, and had an extraordinary impact, on the careers of their colleagues.

• Nancy Andrus, Division Director of Sales & Operations, Murphy USA Inc.
• Anne Cauthron, Director, Learning & Development, Murphy USA Inc. 
• Karin Dahl, Director of Solutions Delivery, Maverik — Adventure's First Stop
• Letty George, Director, Global Communications, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K
• Jessica Hendrickson, Vice President — Sales Infrastructure & Trade Marketing, Altria Group Distribution Co.
• Lisa Klamer, Executive Store Leader, GetGo Café & Market
• Jami McDermid, President, Sales Agency, CROSSMARK
• Angela Pimental, Executive Director of Environmental & Licensing, RaceTrac Inc.
• Stephanie Simon, Business Development Manager, Swedish Match
• Vanessa Turner, Executive Team Leader, GetGo Café & Market

All of this year's honorees will be celebrated at an awards gala to be held Oct. 2 in Las Vegas, against the backdrop of the 2022 NACS Show.

Supporters of the 2022 Top Women in Convenience program include: founding and presenting sponsor Altria Group Distribution Co.; platinum sponsors ITG Brands, PepsiCo Inc. and Reynolds Marketing Services Co.; gold sponsors BIC USA, The Boston Beer Co., The Coca-Cola Co., The Hershey Co., Juul Labs, Mars Wrigley, McLane Co. Inc., Molson Coors Beverage Co., Mondelēz International, Proctor & Gamble, Swedish Match and Tyson Convenience; and silver sponsors Anheuser-Busch InBev, Constellation Brands, Diageo, FIFCO USA, Glanbia Performance Nutrition, Premier Manufacturing Inc., and Ruiz Food Products.