MESA, Ariz. --The staff of CSPedia, Winsight's online encyclopedia of convenience-store chains, gathers news and insights and updates the listings for the nearly 500 retailers in its database on a daily basis. CSPedia delivers a monthly summary of these reports, often news not yet announced publicly, to its subscribers.
Here is a collection of some of the news and people updates from Jan. 2016.
People on the Move
- Circle K Gulf Coast. Trey Powell, who worked for Circle K before leaving in 2013 to join Kroger's Tom Thumb convenience division, is returning to Circle K marketing in the Gulf Coast business unit. The unit is based in Pensacola, Florida, and operates more than 600 stores after it absorbed some 250 Kangaroo Express sites in the region.
- Circle K Southeast. Michael Flitcra is handling the tobacco category for the Southeast business unit of Circle K. He formerly was with The Pantry. Wayne Cox, also formerly with The Pantry, is managing foodservice for Circle K Southeast. The Southeast business unit was realigned when Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired The Pantry and Kangaroo Express stores. It includes more than 600 stores in four states.
- Coen Oil Co. Ed Burcher has joined Coen Markets as chief operating officer, a new position. Burcher is an industry veteran who has been working as a consultant with Coen and other chains for the past few years. His career includes 18 years at Wawa, and then at Petro-Canada. Burcher will be responsible for leading foodservice, category management, operations and IT for Coen's Ruff Creek Market convenience stores. Based in Washington, Pennsylvania, the company operates 28 Ruff Creek Markets in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Burcher will work closely with Mary Beth Kohl, who is general manager and director of retail for the chain.
- CST Brands Inc.Hal Adams has been named president of retail operations, a new position. He formerly served the company as senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Stephane Trudel moves into the new position of senior vice president of growth and strategy. Steve Motz, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, plans to retire in the first quarter of this year. Christian Houle, senior vice president of Canadian retail, is also retiring after 20 years with the company and 40 years of retail experience. He has elected to retire in first-quarter 2016.
- Empire Petroleum. Robert Spurgeon has joined Empire Petroleum as director of merchandise and foodservice. He moved to Empire from Circle K Heartland, and before that was with Murphy USA.
- Giant Eagle / GetGo. Cecilia Ottenweller is center store merchandise manager. Shawn Smith handles dispensed beverages for the Pittsburgh-based chain of nearly 200 convenience stores in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
- GPM Investments. Jack Coleman has joined the category management team for the store brands operated by GPM Investments, including Fas Mart, Shore Stop and Scotchman, among others. He is the buyer of salty snacks and has previous experience with Circle K as a buyer and district manager for 17 years. GPM Investments also announced the acquisition of Fuel USA (see below).
- Holmes Oil – Cruizers. Elisabeth Strickland has joined Holmes Oil as category manager for the company's Cruizers stores. The chain operates 25 stores in North Carolina.
- Midwest Retail Group. Peter Tedeschi, CEO of family-owned Tedeschi Food Shops before its sale to 7-Eleven Inc., has been named chief strategic officer of Midwest Retail Group LLC. MRG is based in Milwaukee and is one of the largest 7-Eleven U.S. franchise groups. The privately owned company has 16 locations, with plans to add more.
- Mills Gas Mart. Sherry Szadziewicz is no longer with the company. The former advertising and marketing manager left in July. Merchandise buyer for the Wisconsin company is Ed Oliveira.
- The Parker Cos. Brian J. Prevatt has joined The Parker Cos. as director of finance and administration. The Savannah, Ga., company operates 36 stores. Prevatt was previously employed as a tax manager for Hancock Askew & Co. LLP. He is a CPA and has degrees from Georgia Southern University.
- Petr-All Petroleum Corp. (Express Mart). James Borer has been named brand manager of the 85-store chain in Syracuse, N.Y. He formerly was a category manager. Travis McDowell is no longer with the company.
- TravelCenters of America. Jerry Goff, former category manager, is no longer with the chain. TravelCenters of America is seeking a replacement to handle tobacco and alcohol categories. Kenneth Betty is category manager for food. He is responsible for the chain's relationship with U.S. Foods and Orlando Bakery, and for recipes and menu development, deli operations, disposable goods and training and support. The Ohio chain has been acquiring c-stores for the past several months and now has about 200 stores, in addition to 250 travel centers.
In the News
- Michigan-based Armada Oil & Gas Co., leases nine stores branded BP, and most sites have a QSR on premises. The company is new in CSPedia. Armada helps operators with products and promotions.
- Massachusetts-based Cumberland Farms Inc. has completed the sale of Gulf Oil LP to Chelsea Petroleum Products Holdings LLC at the end of 2015. Now separate from Cumberland Farms, Gulf will maintain its headquarters in Massachusetts and retain its name and limited partnership structure. Cumberland Farms operates more than 550 c-stores in the Northeast and Florida.
- Diaz Inc. of Louisiana has been added to CSPedia. It operates 18 Diaz Market stores with fuel and plans to add two more in 2016.
- F.L. Roberts & Co. Inc., in partnership with Big Y Foods Inc., for its Big Y Express stores, will grow from two to five convenience stores in 2016 after entering into an agreement to acquire the operating assets of three O’Connell Convenience Plus stations in Massachusetts. Sites will be rebranded Big Y Express this winter. All of the Big Y Express sites are in Massachusetts.
- Virginia-based Fuel USA and its 42 convenience stores branded Apple Market are being acquired by GPM Investments LLC. The acquisition also includes about two dozen dealer-operated stores in Virginia and Kentucky. Fuel USA had acquired Workman Oil Co. in 2015, then sold 22 of those stores at the end of the year to independent dealers. The sale to GPM was announced in mid-January.
- Jacksons Food Stores has acquired the 15 stores and real estate portfolio of Premium Oil of Salt Lake City. Jacksons is based in Meridian, Idaho, and operates 227 stores.
- Maverik, based in Utah, has opened its newest store in early January in Logan, Utah, where it also recently put its name on the Utah State University stadium. Maverik operates 278 sites in the West and Northwest.
- Wisconsin-based SSG Corp.has agreed to sell its 31 Holiday stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota to CrossAmerica Partners LP, essentially departing the c-store industry. SSG continues to own and operate a few Northland Liquor stores.
- Tom Jones Inc. has been added to CSPedia. The Alabama company operates 13 c-stores branded Capitol Service Stations in Alabama.
- In an ongoing acquisition of c-stores, TravelCenters of America has picked up the four Meiners Market c-stores in Kansas and Missouri. Stores will be remodeled and rebranded as Minit Mart. TravelCenters has headquarters in Westlake, Ohio, and operates c-stores and travel centers in 11 Midwest states.
- Texas chain Victron Energy Inc. opened five new stores in 2015 and plans to add five more in 2016. The company is led by CEO Guhaina Sharaf, who took over the top role after her husband, Ari Sharaf, died a year ago. The company has 145 leased retail sites and distributes fuel to 175 dealer sites, all in Texas.
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