People on the Move: ARKO, Grabango, Paytronix, Sheetz & Upshop
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.
ARKO Corp.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Don Bassell will retire from ARKO Corp. at the end of 2023 after 42 years in the industry. He is expected to remain in his position until his successor is in place and stay on until early 2024 to assist with the transition process.
"In 16 years with the company, Don has been a tireless leader and seasoned partner who helped ARKO grow, scale and innovate from a regional leader into one of the largest convenience store operators in the country," said Arie Kotler, ARKO's chairman, president and CEO. "As a leader, he has built a world-class finance department with a deep bench of talent, while helping guide the company through over 20 acquisitions. As a colleague, his deep knowledge of the industry has made him a trusted advisor to the team and mentor to innumerable employees."
Breakthru Beverage Group
Breakthru Beverage Group promoted Kevin Roberts to a newly designed chief commercial officer (CCO) role and Julian Burzynski to a newly created role of chief operating officer (COO). These appointments were effective Jan. 1 following the retirement of E. Lloyd Sobel, former CCO.
As CCO, Roberts will build on his track record of leading Breakthru's Supplier Business Development team and will oversee the company's commercial strategy, including initiatives that support and enable the supplier and customer selling organizations.
In his role as COO, Burzynski will oversee Breakthru's customer-first execution strategy across North America including oversight of the United States and Canadian operating units and route-to-consumer efforts.
Sobel joined Breakthru in 2016 and his successes include leading the commercial agenda across the company's footprint while helping to maximize growth and profitability. Previously, Sobel served as president and CEO of Empire Merchant's in New York as well as president of Charmer Industries-Metro NY.
CandyRific LLC
CandyRific LLC promoted Frank Puglia to executive vice president, product development. He previously held title to creative director.
Puglia has worked with CandyRific for 18 years, first working with a design agency on CandyRific products. In 2010, Puglia joined CandyRific full time and was named creative director in 2013. Following CandyRific's acquisition of Hilco in 2014, he gained oversight responsibility for product development for Hilco. At CandyRific, Puglia is responsible for overseeing four full-time designers.
Diebold Nixdorf
Diebold Nixdorf named Ilhami Cantadurucu executive vice president, global retail, effective Jan. 1. He replaces Hermann Wimmer, who joined the company in 2019 and is stepping down from the role for personal reasons.
Cantadurucu previously served the company as head of global accounts for the retail business segment. In his new leadership role, he is responsible for Diebold Nixdorf's global retail business strategy and operations, including business development, global sales and customer relationship management.
Cantadurucu will also serve as a member of the company's senior executive leadership team, reporting to Octavio Marquez, Diebold Nixdorf president and CEO.
As a key leader within Diebold Nixdorf for nearly 20 years, Cantadurucu has most recently been responsible for driving the strategies and operations for the company's top global retail accounts. In addition, he has nearly 15 years of leadership experience within the company in various financial and operational roles, including vice president of finance, global retail; vice president of finance, EMEA; chief operating officer, Wincor Nixdorf North America; and chief financial officer, Wincor Nixdorf Turkey.
Grabango
Ken Fenyo joined Grabango as its first chief marketing officer (CMO). As CMO, Fenyo's focus is on scaling Grabango's network of checkout-free enabled stores and shaping a new experience for grocery and convenience store shoppers.
Fenyo comes to Grabango from Coresight Research, where, as president, research & advisory, he delivered data-driven insights on retail and technology, led the advisory business and accelerated growth for his retail clients. At McKinsey & Co., Fenyo led Consumer Markets for Fuel, McKinsey's startup practice.
Fenyo was also previously CEO of the cloud-based digital coupon and loyalty platform YOU Technology, where he built the business into the retail industry's largest incentive network with clients including Kroger, Wakefern and Fresh Direct. Additionally, as vice president of loyalty & digital at The Kroger Co., Fenyo created the industry's first digital coupon program, launched the Kroger rewards loyalty program, and overhauled its $100 million-plus personalized marketing program.
Indiana Food and Fuel Association
Scot Imus will step down as executive director from the Indiana Food and Fuel Association (IFFA) at the end of April.
Imus joined IFFA in 2003 after a career in Washington, D.C. During his 20 years in Washington, D.C., Imus spent his early career on Capitol Hill, last serving as staff director of a congressional subcommittee. He later served as vice president of NATSO, the association representing America's truck stops.
Par Pacific Holdings
Par Pacific Holdings Inc. appointed William Monteleone as president effective Jan. 1. In his new role, Monteleone will continue to report to CEO William Pate and will be responsible for all company operations in refining, logistics, renewables and retail along with the commercial, information technology, procurement and human resources functions.
Monteleone has been with Par Pacific since 2013, most recently having served as executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) since 2017. Since 2012, Monteleone has been on Par Pacific's board of directors. Prior to joining Par Pacific, Monteleone was vice president at Equity Group Investments, the Chicago-based private investment firm founded and led by Sam Zell, where he was involved in a range of restructurings and investments primarily within the energy industry.
He began his professional career at Banc of America Securities LLC.
Concurrent with Monteleone's promotion, Shawn Flores has been promoted to senior vice president and CFO. Flores has been with Par Pacific since 2014 in a variety of financial leadership roles. Most recently, he held the position of vice president of finance where he was responsible for Par Pacific's treasury, risk management, financial planning and strategy, and mergers and acquisitions functions.
Prior to joining Par Pacific, Flores worked in finance roles with BG Group in Houston and the United Kingdom.
Paytronix
Paytronix named Pamela Robertson chief marketing officer (CMO).
As Paytronix CMO, Robertson will lead strategy and tactics across the full performance marketing spectrum, including content, campaigns, brand, events, product marketing, public relations, social media and paid search to drive brand and revenue. She will be closely aligning marketing with sales to constantly refine personas, segments, targeting, messaging, and nurturing strategies to help promote and deliver quality solutions to users.
Robertson comes to Paytronix from Boston-based CrunchTime! Information Systems Inc. where, as vice president/head of marketing, she built a cross-functional marketing team, programs and processes. Prior to joining CrunchTime!, Robertson was senior vice president of Global B2B Marketing at TransUnion, where she managed a variety of marketing functions worldwide. Previously, she led brand and content teams at Experian Marketing Services.
Sheetz
Sheetz promoted Stephanie Doliveira to executive vice president of people and culture. Doliveira, who has been with Sheetz for nearly 22 years, was previously the vice president of human resources for the company.
In her new role, she will lead strategic planning and execution of all employee-related initiatives for more than 24,000 employees at Sheetz. This will include succession planning, talent management, benefits and compensation and employee relations.
Doliveira began her career with Sheetz as a human resources manager for CLI Transport. She has also served as a manager of employee communications and co-leader of the brand department before being named vice president of human resources in 2008.
Upshop
Upshop named Ryan Voorhees chief operating officer and Mark Hawthorne chief innovation and strategy officer. The former Albertsons and Safeway executives arrive equipped with extensive experience leveraging technology, data science, analytics and business process improvements to transform the grocery shopping experience, according to the company.
Voorhees brings to Upshop operational knowledge from a 25-plus year career driving experience-improving processes and profits while spearheading customer-centric marketing and merchandising initiatives.
Hawthorne adds broad experience as a strategic and global leader with a career marked by large-scale contributions to major retail organizations like Albertsons. .
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