2018 Midyear Report: 10 Industry Executive Changes

CHICAGO -- The first half of 2018 has been a period of leadership change at or near the top of several major U.S. convenience-store chains and gas-station brands.

Some of that change is the natural result of mergers and acquisitions. Some of it is a matter of generational succession or retirement. And some of it is about positioning the business for future success; a few of the companies this year have created a new position of chief marketing officer (CMO).

Here is a roundup of some of the prominent people moves so far this year …

Photo courtesy of Flazingo Photos

In January, Enmarket named Brett Giesick president. In this role, Giesick has top- and bottom-line responsibility for the Savannah, Ga.-based Enmarket chain and leads marketing, operations, accounting, foodservice, training, fuel procurement, logistics and pricing, real estate and construction, facilities, safety and security, and all other support teams.

• Click here for more about Giesick.

In January, Motiva Enterprises LLC named Brian Coffman, former senior vice president of refining for Andeavor, president and CEO. He replaced Dan Romasko, who led the Houston-based company for the past four years.

Prior to Andeavor, Coffman spent 30 years with Conoco in a variety of domestic and foreign leadership roles in refining, transportation, pipeline, marketing and strategy and planning.

• Click here for more about Coffman.

In January, MAPCO appointed Charles "Hal" Adams as CEO. Frederic Chaveyriat, who served as interim CEO during the search and remains executive vice president of MAPCO’s board, made the announcement.

Adams joins the Franklin, Tenn.-based company now owned by Compania de Petroleos de Chile COPEC SA (COPEC), Santiago, Chile, with 30 years of extensive experience in convenience-store operations, marketing, merchandising and strategy. He began his career as a night-shift associate working his way up to his most recent position as president of retail operations for CST Brands. He left CST when Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired the chain.

• Click here for more about Adams.

In April, Casey’s General Stores Inc. hired Chris Jones in the newly created position of chief marketing officer. In this role, Jones will oversee Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s marketing, advertising, foodservice and digital activities, among other responsibilities.

Casey's created the CMO position as a component of its recently announced value-creation plan, driven in part as a response to pressure from activist investors who were urging the company to explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale, which Casey’s has rejected.

Prior to joining Casey’s, Jones held leadership or executive positions with Mars Inc. and Athene USA (formerly Aviva USA). He most recently was the senior vice president of marketing for convenience-store operator Kum & Go, West Des Moines, Iowa.

• Click here for more about Jones.

In April, Gulf Oil hired Sue Hayden in the newly created role of executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Hayden is responsible for driving the overall strategy for branded and unbranded operations, brand marketing and customer service and credit-card operations for the Wellesley Hills, Mass.-based gasoline brand.

Hayden brings more than 35 years of petroleum-industry and leadership experience to the role. Prior to joining Gulf, she was vice president of fuel sales for BP, where she oversaw the branded, unbranded and commercial business for the company's North American segment.

• Click here for more about Hayden.

In May, Martin & Bayley Inc., the parent company of the Huck’s convenience-store brand, promoted Murat Tokad from executive vice president to president following the departure of CEO Todd Jenney.

Tokad started his convenience-store career in 1989 as a cashier in Atlanta. He joined Crown Central Petroleum as a store manager trainee in 1993. In his 12 years with that company, he held positions such as store manager, district manager, field recruiter, senior division manager and regional vice president. He joined Carmi, Ill.-based Huck’s in 2004 as a division manager in Carmel, Ind. He was promoted to regional manager in 2007, vice president of operations in 2008 and executive vice president in 2015.

• Click here for more about Tokad.

On May 1, Susan Dio, chief executive of shipping for BP, succeeded the retiring John Minge as chairman and president of BP America Inc.

Dio has supervised BP’s global shipping for the past three years. Before that, she was based in Houston as BP’s head of audit for refining and marketing. She has also held senior commercial and operating roles in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia during her 33 years with BP.

• Click here for more about Dio.

In June, Tanner Krause became president of Kum & Go LC, a fourth-generation, family-owned convenience-store chain. His father, CEO and President Kyle Krause has transitioned to the role of chairman and CEO.

As part of the newly separated position, Tanner Krause will oversee marketing, operations and human resources functions for the West Des Moines, Iowa-based company.

• Click here for more about Tanner Krause.

In June, Yesway named Derek Gaskins senior vice president of merchandising and procurement and Jeff Keune senior vice president of foodservice and innovation.

Along with Darrin Samaha, West Des Moines, Iowa-based Yesway’s current vice president and brand manager, Gaskins and Keune are sharing the role of chief marketing officer and approaching it collaboratively.

Since 2013, Gaskins has been chief customer officer for Rutter’s, York, Pa. Before that, he was senior vice president of marketing and merchandising for Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS), Richmond, Va.; vice president of marketing for NACS, Alexandria, Va.; and director of marketing for GetGo, Pittsburgh.

Keune previously was principal consultant and partner for the TruthPoint Consulting Group. Before that, he was CMO of Thornton’s Inc., Louisville, Ky.; senior vice president of marketing for Bob Evans Restaurants; and vice president of marketing for Wendy’s International.

• Click here for more about Gaskins, Keune and Samaha.

In June, Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of 7-Eleven Inc., Irving, Texas, and president of its 7-Ventures LLC investment arm, announced his retirement to spend more time with his family.

Previously, Delgado-Jenkins was president and CEO of Chicago-based GNI LLC, Chicago. He was also an owner of 16 Mother Hubbard's Cupboard stores. Before that, he was with PriceWaterhouse Strategy Consulting Group and Bourbon Street Partners. And he was vice president of operations and merchandising support services for Dominick's Finer Foods, Chicago, and CFO and deputy COO at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

• Click here for more about Delgado-Jenkins.