People on the Move: Alto-Shaam, Arko, Offen Petroleum, Parker's & 7-Eleven
NATIONAL REPORT — Retailers, wholesalers and suppliers in the convenience store industry are only as good as their management teams and employees. In this special roundup, Convenience Store News runs down the most recent executive changes at the top in the industry.
Alto-Shaam
Alto-Shaam appointed Gerard Strong as a corporate chef. In his new role, Strong will serve as an application specialist for Alto-Shaam foodservice equipment. His responsibilities include enhancing the Alto-Shaam customer experience through voice-of-the-customer initiatives, as well as executing menu consultations and culinary demonstrations.
With more than 18 years of experience in the culinary industry, Strong has worked in leading positions for various foodservice operations, including professional kitchens, restaurants, and retail establishments. Prior to joining Alto-Shaam, he was the general manager and executive chef at Belfre Kitchen in Delafield, Wis.
Alto-Shaam also promoted Ben Leingang to the role of associate director of national accounts. In this newly created role, he will assist with the strategic development and tactical execution of targeted national chain and multi-unit account growth within the supermarket, c-store and other foodservice markets.
Leingang joined Alto-Shaam as a corporate executive chef in 2019. During his time and throughout the pandemic, he has provided exceptional customer support through culinary demonstrations and consultations both virtually and in-person.
Arko Corp.
Arko Corp. appointed Ross Parman as vice president of investor relations and government affairs. Parman will also manage and direct Arko's investor and corporate communications, including relationships with investors and sell-side analysts.
Prior to joining Arko, Parman was director of communications for Altria. He was responsible for communications initiatives across the enterprise, including regulatory and government affairs. He also previously held several senior roles in consulting, with a focus on highly regulated industries, including energy.
The Kraft Heinz Co.
The Kraft Heinz Co. appointed Dafne Hefner to the newly created role of chief strategy and transformation officer - North America zone. Hefner will help accelerate the strategic growth plan in the company's United States and Canada businesses, including the broader deployment of agile teams and a North America Zone digital agenda.
Hefner joins Kraft Heinz from Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV where she most recently served as senior vice president of strategy and insights. As the architect of AB InBev's first internal research and agile agency, she introduced new capabilities and an agile approach to innovation that resulted in the company successfully rebalancing its brand portfolio and capturing the largest share of innovation in the industry. During her eight years with the company, she held various leadership positions in insights, marketing and digital. Prior to AB InBev, Hefner spent more than eight years as a services and consumer products strategy consultant and co-founded a data analytics tech startup.
The National Confectioners Association
Kelly O'Donnell joined the National Confectioners Association's public policy and government affairs team as PAC director. In this role, she will support NCA's political efforts and manage NCA's CandyPAC, the confectionery industry’s political action committee.
O'Donnell brings with her a decade of experience grounded in advocacy and fundraising. Before joining NCA, she served as the PAC director for various organizations, including the National Association of Realtors, TriNet and the Farm Credit Council.
Offen Petroleum
Offen Petroleum LLC made several enhancements to its leadership team. Aaron Hackerott has been promoted to the position of president and chief operating officer, Sean Rutherford has joined Offen as the executive vice president of Supply, Pricing and Logistics and Kaleb Hoffer has been promoted to vice president of Fleet Operations.
Hackerott joined Offen in July 2018 as the director of Administration and Integration He has more than 23 years of experience in the petroleum distribution industry where he has led teams in the areas of fuel supply, motor fuel blending, transportation, business integration, sales and marketing.
During his tenure with Offen, Hackerott led the successful due diligence and integration of six acquisitions during the past four years. Under his expanded role, he now manages a team of more than 240 people that services 40 states and export to Mexico.
Rutherford will lead the fuel supply, pricing and logistics teams for Offen. Immediately prior to joining Offen, he led the fuel procurement division of The Kroger Co.
Hoffer joined Offen in February 2021 as its director of fleet operations and now moves to the position of vice president.
Parker's
Parker's hired Ted Sadowski III as vice president of operations. In his new position, Sadowski is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Parker's retail store operations, leading and motivating team members, optimizing operational processes and systems, serving as a brand ambassador and enhancing productivity as well as customer service.
Sadowski brings more than 20 years of strategic leadership and talent development experience in the retail service sector to his new position. Before joining Parker's, Sadowski served as the director of operations at QuickChek Corp. Earlier in his career, he worked as the district leader of operations for QuickChek, store team leader at Target and general store manager at The Home Depot in the metro New York area.
RaceTrac
RaceTrac added Richard Poye as vice president of merchandising. Poye was formerly vice president of retail sales and merchandise at MAPCO Express.
Poye brings with him an extensive background in food and retail for brands like HEB Grocery, Circle K and MAPCO Express. He will lead the development of RaceTrac's signature product assortment, which includes limited-time offerings to drive sales, improve inside margins, ease operational efficiency and maximize profitability.
In addition to his food and retail background, Poye also brings an impressive resume of marketing and innovation experience with Unilever, as well as experience as an award-winning chef. During his career, he has worked in 23 U.S. states and more than 10 countries, leveraging industry insight and broad depth of experience across the value chain.
7-Eleven
Ken Wakabayashi is taking on a new role as co-CEO of 7-Eleven International LLC (7IN). Previously 7-Eleven Inc.'s senior vice president, head of international, Wakabayashi will now lead the 7-Eleven brand's global growth strategy alongside co-CEO, Shinji Abe, from Seven-Eleven Japan.
As Co-CEOs of 7IN, Wakabayashi and Abe will be responsible for all operations outside North America and Japan as well as overseeing the 7–Eleven trademark globally. This team will further enhance providing world-class support to existing licensees and master franchisees and focus on expanding the 7-Eleven brand into new territories.
This announcement comes following the formation of 7IN. By combining the strengths that joint owners 7-Eleven, Inc. and Seven-Eleven Japan have cultivated in their local markets into the new entity, 7IN will be able to better leverage 7-Eleven's product development capabilities, digital technology and environmental, social and governance initiatives, while maintaining its position as a global brand.
Triumph Energy Corp.
Hawkstone Associates, Inc., dba Triumph Energy Corp., promoted Jason R. Wittekind to president and CEO. Ronald H. Wittekind is stepping down from this role and will become the executive chairman.
Wittekind was the corporate controller with North American Properties for seven years and, prior to that role, was in the audit and assurance advisory services with Deloitte for five years. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the Xavier University Management and Entrepreneurship board of executive advisors, the Ohio Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Association board of directors, the Indiana Food and Fuel Association board of directors and the Sunoco National Brand Council.
VP Racing Fuels Inc.
VP Racing Fuels Inc. a promoted Ben Dolan to vice president of marketing.
Prior to joining VP, Dolan was director of sales and marketing at holding company UGGM LLC, where he was responsible for the marketing and sales of the company's five largest divisions, ranging from signage fabrication to diesel mechanics. He has more than 20 years of marketing and sales experience across a broad range of industries.
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