OKLAHOMA CITY --Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores has promoted a longtime employee to a key leadership position. Roger Ahuja has been named vice president of operations for the travel center company.
“With Roger’s experience and skills as an effective business strategist, he will be an exceptional leader,” said Tom Love, executive chairman and founder of Love’s. “He’s already mentored and coached many employees who have experienced success, so this is a natural transition for him.”
In his new role, Ahuja will oversee a large portion of Love’s retail operations at the store level. He will also manage operations for two new ventures: Love’s Hospitality and Love’s Storage Solutions.
Love’s currently operates three hotels in Texas and Florida under Love’s Hospitality, and two self-storage facilities in Texas under Love’s Self Storage.
The self-storage facilities are 70,000 square feet with 517 storage units, the company told CSP Daily News.
Love's Storage Solutions opened its first facility in Sweetwater, Texas, early this year, also next to a Love's truck stop, and the company has plans to open six other storage facilities in the next few years, a company spokesperson said. One is scheduled to open in Las Vegas and one in Bridgeton, Mo., by next summer. Four are still in the planning stage.
Love’s opened its first hotel outside of Texas, a Sleep Inn & Suites in Mossy Head, Fla., on June 30. It is also the company’s first Sleep Inn. It is located directly across from a Love’s Travel Stop. The Sleep Inn brings Love’s hotel count to three. Love’s Hospitality made its debut in March 2014 with the opening of a Mircotel Inn & Suites by Wyndam in Pecos, Texas. Its second Microtel location opened in March 2015 in Sweetwater, Texas.
The company will continue to move forward with development of both new businesses, it said.
Ahuja began his career with Love’s in 1994 as a manager of an Oklahoma City location and has held several management and director positions over the years.
Based in Oklahoma City, Love’s has more than 350 locations in 40 states. The chain provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, travel items, electronics, snacks and more, as well as a selection of restaurant offerings. On-site Love’s Truck Tire Care centers offer roadside assistance, tire care and light mechanical services for professional drivers. It also offers showers, CAT scales and other services for professional drivers. Love’s, which is family-owned and -operated, employs more than 12,000 people.
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