People on the Move: Black Buffalo, Global Partners & Ruiz Foods

[2025 Category Excellence in Overall Partnership: Rutter's & Black Buffalo]

Most recently, Booth served as vice president of quality assurance and regulatory affairs at Turning Point Brands, where she oversaw regulatory strategy and compliance for a portfolio of established consumer brands, including Zig-Zag and Stoker's. Prior to that, she held a series of progressive roles at Juul Labs Inc., where she drove initiatives in regulatory, quality and policy matters.

Booth is actively involved in several industry trade associations, including the Coalition of Manufacturers of Smoking Alternatives, and serves as one of the cofounders and board members of OWNiT (Organization of Women in Nicotine & Tobacco), an initiative dedicated to empowering women across the nicotine and tobacco space.

"Kellsi brings an unmatched depth of experience in regulatory affairs, legal strategy and quality oversight," said Matthew Hanson, chief growth officer of Black Buffalo. "Her leadership will be pivotal as we continue our responsible, rapid growth within leading retail chains across the United States."

EG America

Robert Brown was named vice president of quick-service restaurant (QSR) operations at EG America. In this role, he will lead enhancements to operational efficiencies, strengthen brand awareness and create environments where EG America's retail teams thrive and guests feel welcome, the convenience store operator said. 

[Related content: EG America's Parent Company Taps New CEO]

With the appointment, Carl Saviers succeeds Brown as the new divisional vice president for the Central Region. In this capacity, Saviers is responsible for the strategic direction, operational management and overall success of the company's Turkey Hill, Turkey Hill Midwest, Minit Mart and Certified Oil stores across Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Previously, he served as vice president at Applegreen and held various executive operational roles during his tenure at Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K.

"Robert's strong leadership skills and strategic vision will help us elevate the presence of our current QSR locations," said Elizabeth Pierce, chief operating officer. "[And] Carl's industry experience and expertise will drive the success of our Central Region stores."

Electrolux Professional Group

Global foodservice equipment manufacturer Electrolux Professional Group appointed Brent Barkley its new head of beverage and food prep, Americas. In this capacity, Barkley will be pivotal in advancing the division's growth and ensuring product quality throughout the Americas, the company stated.

Barkley previously served as the senior director of strategic category management (refrigeration and utility) at Electrolux Professional Group/Unified Brands, where he led the Engineering and Product Management Department for commercial refrigeration equipment in North America.

Engage3

Retail technology firm Engage3 expanded its leadership team, adding industry veteran Wesley Bean as president and chief operating officer. Bean will accelerate the company's global artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pricing platform roadmap, reinforcing the company's commitment to revolutionizing retail pricing strategies, Engage3 said at the time of the appointment.

Bean brings more than 20 years of experience leading growth companies in both publicly traded and private equity-backed companies. Most recently, he served as chief revenue officer for Catalina Marketing, a leader in shopper intelligence and digital media. There, he led a 350-plus organization responsible for sales, operations, analytics, data science and business intelligence. 

Bean has held executive roles with other organizations, including Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie Stores, Walmart Stores and APR Energy. 

"Wes has a phenomenal track record for scaling global operations, driving business transformation and creating high performing teams," said Edris Bemanian, CEO of Engage3. "Wes has sat in the shoes of our customers as a pricing and analytics leader and his philosophy is built around customer-centricity and product innovation, so we could not be more excited for him to join us on our mission to help our customers drive profitable traffic and to build loyalty."

Bean also serves as the president of the board of directors for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville and Tampa Bay, Fla.

Global Partners LP

Sean T. Geary will step down as chief legal officer of Global Partners, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The role will be filled by Kristin Seabrook, who joined Global Partners as senior vice president of legal transformation in April.

Geary joined Global Partners full time in 2005. Previously, he worked with the retailer and fuel wholesaler on a contract basis, guiding the partnership’s legal and compliance functions.

[Related content: Wholesale Segment Bolsters Global Partners' Q1 2025 Results]

According to the company, Geary has been an integral part of Global Partners' growth story, providing invaluable leadership through complex legal and regulatory landscapes. He will continue to serve as senior legal advisor, offering counsel to the leadership team to ensure a smooth transition and ongoing continuity.

Seabrook brings an extensive track record of leadership and expertise, having served as chief legal counsel and secretary at Pilot Flying J, where she led an 86-person legal team managing a wide array of business functions, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and corporate, trade and regulatory compliance.

"Kristin's expertise in M&A, compliance and corporate governance will play a critical role in supporting Global's strategy of acquiring, investing and optimizing will help us identify growth opportunities, enhance our operational capabilities, and optimize our portfolio to deliver long-term value," said Eric Slifka, president and CEO of Global Partners.

Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association

The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) added Carl Saviers, divisional vice president for the Central Region at EG America, to its board of directors. Saviers brings extensive leadership experience in the convenience retail sector and a deep understanding of operations, strategy and industry trends that will greatly benefit PFMA and its members, the association said.

In his role at EG America, Saviers is responsible for the strategic direction, operational management, and overall success of Turkey Hill, Turkey Hill Midwest, Minit Mart and Certified Oil stores across Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. His career includes leadership roles at Applegreen and Circle K, where he gained insights into retail operations, supply chain management and consumer engagement.

"We are thrilled to welcome Carl to the PFMA board," said Alex Baloga, PFMA president and CEO. "His extensive experience in convenience retail, combined with his strategic leadership, will be invaluable as we continue to support and advocate for the food and beverage industry and wholesalers across the state."

PFMA represents a broad network of supermarkets, convenience stores, wholesalers and other food retailers across the state, advocating for policies that support the industry and providing valuable resources to help businesses thrive.

Pilot Co.

Pilot Co. appointed Kari Irons as vice president of brand, bringing her extensive retail-marketing expertise to lead the next phase of the travel center chain's brand evolution.

"Guided by our purpose of showing people they matter at every turn, Pilot is dedicated to creating meaningful connections with our guests that go beyond the pump," the company stated. "Leveraging Kari's extensive retail-marketing expertise, we will continue to create exceptional experiences that fill up, fuel up and lift up all the journey makers out here on the road with Pilot."

[CSN EXCLUSIVE: Pilot Debuts New Flagship Travel Center]

Prior to joining Pilot, Irons served as vice president of global brand marketing for Topgolf, where she held the role for two years. Prior to Topgolf, Ironsi spent 20 years at footwear company Journeys, her most recent role serving as senior vice president of marketing and direct.

Ruiz Food Products Inc.

Ruiz Foods, the largest frozen Mexican food manufacturer in the United States, appointed Jennifer Ginnetti as senior vice president, retail business unit. Ginnetti joins Ruiz Foods from Nestle USA, where she served as vice president of marketing for U.S. pizza in the pizza and snacking division.

"Jennifer is an experienced and innovative marketing leader who understands how to build food brands in complex environments. We're eager to have her help Ruiz Foods continue on the journey of making great food and introducing innovation that delights our customers and consumers," said Kimberli Carroll, president and CEO.

As senior vice president of the retail business unit, Ginnetti will lead the marketing and sales teams. She will be responsible for fostering the El Monterey brand strategy and sales execution that align with Ruiz Foods' vision of sustained growth and innovation. 

Upshop

Upshop, a leader in retail technology solutions, announced two strategic promotions in its executive leadership team. Lauren Kennedy has been promoted to senior vice president of strategic accounts, while Mike Weber has been appointed to the newly created position of chief growth officer. 

Kennedy's promotion builds upon her track record of leadership and deep expertise in driving growth strategies for North American food retailers, the company said. In her new role, she will oversee a high-performing team of account managers across the U.S. and Canada, delivering innovative solutions that drive long-term business success for Upshop's clients.

Previously, Kennedy was vice president of customer success and training. She was a 2024 Top Women In Grocery recipient from Progressive Grocer, a sister publication to Convenience Store News.

Weber was previously chief marketing officer at Upshop. In his new expanded role, he will be responsible for marketing and sales initiatives beyond Upshop's core grocery market, driving the company's expansion into new retail segments, including convenience retailing.

With a career dedicated to retail innovation, Weber brings valuable expertise in retail design and shopper strategy developed through work with prominent global retailers across big box, grocery and convenience store segments.

"These strategic promotions reflect our commitment to positioning Upshop for continued growth and innovation," said Chris Renda, chief revenue officer of Upshop. "Lauren and Mike have consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of our clients’ evolving needs. Their expanded roles will be instrumental in driving our next phase of growth while delivering exceptional value to the market."

Vision Group Network

Vision Group Network (VGN) — which brings together leaders from the retail, foodservice and mobility industries to create a knowledge base of experience and innovative ideas —added former convenience retailer Robert Hampton as director of strategic growth and initiatives. 

Hampton has been a leader in convenience retailing on and off since 1995, bringing decades of expertise in retail technology, business strategy and industry innovation, according to the group. Most recently, he held several leadership positions at Jacksons Food Stores, including chief information officer and vice president of retail services and innovation. He has also served on the Conexxus Board of Advisors and served on the NACS Content Creation Committee.

"Robert has been one of our most engaged members of [VGN's] Convenience Technology Vision Group since its inception almost three years ago," said VGN cofounder Myra Kressner. "Robert is the perfect asset to help VGN grow with additional Vision Groups, Vision Reports and ancillary products that our retail members."