CHICAGO -- Winsight's CSP is honored to name Ari Haseotes, CEO of Cumberland Farms, as its 2017 Retail Leader of the Year.
For the past 15 years, CSP has recognized a convenience-retailing executive for leadership excellence, innovation within the chain and perseverance within his or her company, positively transforming the organization to new and higher levels. Past honorees include Bob Myers of Casey’s General Stores; Tony Kenney, president of Speedway LLC; Sam L. Susser, chairman of Susser Petroleum Partners; John MacDougall, president and CEO of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes; Don Zietlow, CEO of Kwik Trip; and Joe DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven Inc.
Last night, Oct. 18, CSP and Haseotes’ family, friends and Cumberland Farms team members celebrated his leadership and achievements at an awards dinner at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium during the NACS Show.
“Ari has pioneered a culture of community, from the customer to the employee to the executives to the store offering to the architecture. He is a total leader,” said Mitch Morrison, vice president and director of Winsight's Retail Executive Platform.
Founded nearly 80 years ago by Ari’s grandparents, Vasilios and Aphrodite Haseotes, Cumberland Farms has risen beyond its dairy-farm roots to become one of the convenience industry’s pioneers and most progressive vanguards. This is even as its c-store footprint has expanded to more than 550 sites in eight East Coast states, and fresh foodservice has become the focus of its retail offer.
Haseotes has brought a fresh, team-focused culture to Cumberland Farms, which is based in Westborough, Mass. In the past decade, the chain has also undertaken an exhaustive remodeling program and is building Colonial-designed c-stores that reflect the company’s New England roots. It is also an industry leader in progressive loyalty programs and has a highly successful coffee program.
“There’s more to Ari that makes him exceptional,” Morrison said. “He is incredibly humble, a passionate family man and someone who is far more comfortable bestowing praise than receiving it. Ari’s one of the finest people I know and one of the best role models in the convenience-store channel."
Winsight LLC is a recognized leader in business-to-business media and information services for the convenience-retailing, foodservice and grocery industries. Winsight has an extensive media portfolio, including five publications: CSP, Restaurant Business, FoodService Director, Convenience Store Products and Grocery Headquarters. Winsight also offers a suite of digital products, including websites, e-newsletters, webinars, video products, mobile and tablet apps, and custom marketing solutions. In addition to more than 12 major EduNetworking conferences and advisory meetings, Winsight also produces six exclusive, large-scale executive-level conferences: Restaurant Leadership Conference, Outlook Leadership Conference, Convenience Retailing University, FSTEC, MenuDirections and Restaurant Directions. Winsight also acquired Technomic Inc., a provider of primary and secondary market information and advisory services for the food industry. For more information on Winsight and its brands, go to winsightmedia.com.
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