The convenience-store industry continues to evolve, and the people in the industry continue to advance with it, whether it’s new hires, promotions or retirements. Read on for news about retailers, suppliers, associations and more.
Retailers
Tobacco and convenience-store retailer The Cigarette Store LLC, doing business as Smoker Friendly, has named Tom Allen as its new vice president of operations. Allen joined Smoker Friendly in 2016 as retailer operations manager, later acting as region director of the company’s business in the West. As a multi-generational family business, Allen joins his uncles, Smoker Friendly President Dan Gallagher and CEO and Chairman of the Board Terry Gallagher Jr., as an essential part of the operations team, the Boulder, Colorado-based company said. In his new role, Allen will be responsible for all day-to-day store operations.
The board of managers of Quality Oil Co. has named Don McIver as president and CEO following the retirement of Graham Bennett. McIver, 55, is a more than 15-year veteran of Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Quality Oil, most recently serving as executive vice president of finance. He will continue to serve in that role while the company reevaluates the position and searches for a replacement. McIver joined the company in July 2009 after serving as a partner at Ernst & Young. He started his career at KPMG.
EG Group’sMohsin Issa is stepping down as CEO, and Russell Colaco, previously CFO, will take his place. Issa said that after the sale of its U.K. business, the United States is EG’s largest region by sales, and the company needs its lead executives there. Issa will remain a substantial minority shareholder and remain on the board. As CEO of EG Group, Colaco will be based in the United States. EG America is based in Westborough, Massachusetts.
Rutter’s vice president of marketing, Robert Perkins, has retired from the York, Pennsylvania-based company. Perkins announced the news on LinkedIn and said his last day was March 31. Perkins had been at Rutter’s since 2007 and spent time at Impact 21 as principal consultant from 2006-2007; Irving Oil as director of marketing from 2000-2006; and 7-Eleven as market manager from 1982-2000. In 2011, Perkins was promoted from marketing director to vice president of marketing at Rutter’s.
Suppliers and services
Philip Morris International (PMI), Stamford, Connecticut, has named Seth Kaufman as chief commercial officer for its U.S. business. He will lead commercial strategy for smoke-free products, including Zyn nicotine pouches, General snus and the Iqos heat-not-burn device, the company said. Kaufman will report to PMI U.S. CEO Stacey Kennedy as a member of the U.S. executive team. Kaufman brings nearly 30 years of experience in growing consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses in the United States. He spent nearly two decades moving up the ranks at PepsiCo, including as chief marketing officer and president of PepsiCo North America Nutrition and The Hive.
Molson Coors Beverage Co. CEO Gavin Hattersley is retiring. The Golden, Colorado-based beverage company said Hattersley will retire by end of 2025 and that the company’s board has launched a search process to appoint the next CEO. He will retire after 28 years in the beer industry, including over six years as president and CEO of Molson Coors.
Smokeless tobacco company Black Buffalo, Chicago, has named Kellsi Booth as its chief legal officer. Booth joins the Black Buffalo executive team with over a decade of experience in heavily regulated industries, with a focus on nicotine and tobacco, the company said. Prior to her new position, Booth served as vice president of quality assurance and regulatory affairs at Turning Point Brands, where she oversaw regulatory strategy and compliance. She also held a series of progressive roles at Juul Labs, Washington, D.C., where she drove initiatives in regulatory, quality and policy matters.
C-store industry veteran Kevin Farley is now the president of Farley Retail Advisors, Dallas, Texas. According to the company’s LinkedIn page, Farley Retail Advisors’ mission is to help customers understand how the retail landscape is transforming to help grow their businesses. Prior to his new position, Farley was the chief client officer at Impact21, a W. Capra Company. He also spent 17 years at GSP Retail, Clearwater, Florida, in a series of progressive roles, including chief operating officer.
Buffalo, New York-based Rich Products, manufacturers of a variety of foodservice products, has named Jaimie Lowe as its new executive vice president and chief financial officer. With more than 25 years of experience and long tenures at companies like Unilever, Danone and most recently Tyson Foods, Lowe brings deep expertise in investment management, corporate development, financial planning and digital transformation, the company said. She will oversee Rich’s financial strategy and planning, risk management, capital structure and key growth initiatives
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