Convenience Store News Reveals 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees
CHICAGO — Darren Rebelez, chairman, president and CEO of Casey’s General Stores Inc., and Kimberli Carroll, president and CEO of Ruiz Food Products Inc., have been selected as the 2024 inductees into the Convenience Store News Hall of Fame.
Now in its 38th year, the CSNews Hall of Fame recognizes convenience store industry pioneers and innovators from retailer and supplier companies of all sizes. Hall of Famers are selected by an 80-member blue-ribbon panel of convenience channel executives that includes past retailer and supplier Hall of Fame inductees.
Both Rebelez, this year’s retailer inductee into the Hall of Fame, and Carroll, this year’s supplier inductee, have previously received honors from CSNews. Rebelez was celebrated as the 2020 Retailer Executive of the Year, an annual award that recognizes a retailer executive who exemplifies leadership, business acumen, dedication to the convenience industry and commitment to community service. Carroll was one of five women honored as Women of the Year in CSNews’ 2015 Top Women in Convenience program.
More About This Year’s Honorees
Darren Rebelez leads Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s, a Fortune 500 company that operates more than 2,600 convenience stores throughout the Midwest and South. As CEO of the third-largest convenience retailer and fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States, he offers a wealth of experience from his time in the convenience, restaurant and fuel industries.
Prior to Casey’s, Rebelez served as the president of IHOP Restaurants, a unit of Dine Brands Global Inc. While leading IHOP, the company grew to become the largest full-service restaurant brand in the U.S. Prior to IHOP, he worked at 7-Eleven Inc., the world’s largest convenience store chain, as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Before 7-Eleven, Rebelez held numerous leadership roles within ExxonMobil Corp.
He took the reins as president and CEO of Casey’s in June 2019. Under his leadership, Casey’s has undergone a remarkable transformation, including several significant milestones:
- Delivering exceptional performance results to shareholders
- Completing and integrating several significant acquisitions, including the largest in the company’s history;
- A brand modernization and refresh;
- A digital transformation, including the company’s first rewards platform that currently boasts 8 million members;
- Accelerating the company’s food business through pizza innovation and
new offerings; - Launching the company's private brand business; and
- Achieving the company’s highest team member engagement rates yet.
In addition to his role at Casey’s, Rebelez serves on the board of directors of Genuine Parts Co. and as an advisory board member for the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. Preceding his civilian career, the San Diego native was an Army Ranger and Gulf War veteran.
Rebelez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Area Studies from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and went on to earn an MBA from the University of Houston.
Kimberli Carroll will be the first-ever female supplier executive inducted into the CSNews Hall of Fame. She has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry, starting her career in sales and marketing, and cultivating a strong base of knowledge in market assessment, product development, market strategy and channel execution.
A graduate of Fresno Pacific University, Carroll began her career in food working in the fresh produce industry. She served as director of marketing for the California Tomato Commission for six years and then moved into private industry as the national contract sales and marketing manager for PTG Management Co., a family-owned produce company.
Carroll joined Ruiz Foods, a frozen Mexican food company headquartered in Frisco, Texas, in March 2001 as marketing manager for the foodservice division. Later that year, she was promoted to director of marketing for the foodservice and c-store divisions.
In January 2009, Carroll was elevated to the position of vice president of sales and marketing, followed by a promotion to senior vice president in January 2013. From there, she continued her evolution within the Ruiz Foods system, becoming general manager and then chief operating officer before being named president and CEO in January 2024.
Among her significant contributions during her tenure at Ruiz Foods, Carroll worked to develop a hot foods program for the c-store foodservice channel featuring a new product innovation called Tornados. The remarkable rise of this unique product has made Tornados one of the most successful products in Ruiz Foods’ 60-year history.
Carroll’s commitment to the food industry has afforded her many opportunities to serve and participate in various industry advisory boards and councils, including hosting the Consumer Insights Retailer Roundtable Forum for the first 14 years of its existence.
She makes her home in Celina, Texas, with her husband Chris and their daughter Mackenna.
The 2024 Hall of Fame gala banquet and induction ceremony will be held the evening of Nov. 13 at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown. Rebelez and Carroll will be honored alongside 2024 Retailer Executive of the Year Chuck Maggelet, who retired May 1 as CEO and Chief Adventure Guide of Maverik — Adventure's First Stop.
Sponsors of this year’s event are Altria Group Distribution Co., Mondelēz International Inc., Reynolds American Inc. and The Hershey Co.
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