Scott Hartman carries a calm demeanor, but when it comes to ideas, he’s anything but quiet. The president and CEO of Rutter's has high aspirations that drive his success. With a mind that never stops asking questions, he finds inspiration everywhere, from everyday moments to global experiences.
Many of the people Scott Hartman has led and inspired over the years were in the room during the 2025 Retail Leader of the Year award dinner on Oct. 16 in Chicago, where he delivered an acceptance speech.
- Rutter’s is No. 79 on CSP’s 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.
“I see faces that go back nearly 40 years, and I see faces that go back through generations…” Scott Hartman said. “I hear people from other industries talk about us, and something that they always say is this industry is special and different, and I would agree 100% because we share, and we actually have friendships.”
Scott Hartman thanked his family, including his business partner Todd Rutter, the president of Rutter’s Dairy, and the 3,500 Rutter’s employees.
Passion for the industry
Chris Hartman, vice president of fuels, marketing and development at Rutter’s and Scott’s son, described his dad with one word: passion—not just for Rutter’s but for the industry at large.
Chris Hartman recalled watching his dad become the National Association of Convenience Stores chairman in 2006, attend meetings all over the world, co-founding the NACS Tech conference, sit on retailer boards for suppliers and be a staple at industry events, he said. Throughout all of his accomplishments, he prioritized bettering the industry.
At York, Pennsylvania-based Rutter’s, Scott Hartman has led transformative milestones: introducing alcohol and gaming, expanding stores from 8,000 to 14,000 square feet and achieving the lowest turnover rate in company history.
“It's taken a lot of time and sacrifice to get to this point,” Chris Hartman said.
Chris Hartman quoted one of his dad’s favorite leaders, former Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, or Coach K: “When you are passionate, you always have your destination in sight, and you are not distracted by obstacles because you love what you are pursuing. Things like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop you.”
Honoring the handshake
Leadership, Scott Hartman believes, is at the heart of Rutter’s success.
Scott Hartman gave several pieces of leadership advice: listen, give and take critical feedback, coach instead of boss, motivate your team and honor the handshake.
Employees are well aware of these priorities, said Chris Hartman.
“When you're working on a project, you better be able to answer what the problem is you're trying to solve. When we talk initiatives, there's only one outcome—to be No. 1. And the worst thing you can say within our walls is ‘that's the way we've always done it,’” he said.
Scott Hartman also believes in failure that leads to growth.
“You can fail,” he said. “I use the term ‘make a mistake once, just don't make it twice.’ That should be your goal. And if you're going to make mistakes, great, because if you'll never succeed and get ahead, if you're afraid to make mistakes.”
He reminds his team not to forget charity, either.
In partnership with CSP, Rutter’s raised funds during the award dinner for Puppies Behind Bars (PBB), on the night of the award dinner. PBB trains incarcerated individuals to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders, police departments and other law enforcement.
Celebrating the wins
Underneath it all, Scott Hartman doesn’t forget to have fun. He takes his team on international trips and has learned how to enjoy and celebrate the wins, he said.
“We're never going to be the largest chain in the country, and we don't pretend to be always the best, but we do play to win,” Scott Hartman said.
His greatest passion, however, lies with his family.
“He, most importantly, has [passion] for his family, my mother Cathy, my sister Sara and her husband Ryan, me and my wife, Hillary, and the actual stars of the night, his grandsons, Samuel and Bennett,” Chris Hartman said.
Scott Hartman and his wife, Cathy, met 45 years ago sitting next to each other in their senior year global auditing class at George Washington University.
“We were dating for a few months, and he told me that he actually noticed me freshman year but was too shy to come and talk,” Cathy Hartman said onstage. “I have watched and listened Scott from the sidelines for all these years, and today, I would never describe him as shy.”
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