2022 Star Women in Convenience winner: Jeanette Kernaghan

Account business partner, channel delivery

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG)

How did you get into this business? 

I started many years ago in the gaming industry but left the industry after having children. When my children were young, I became the owner/operator of a gas bar/convenience store with a 100-seat restaurant. After selling the business, I returned to gaming and have worked my way through the OLG organization and am back doing what I love in the convenience and gas channel.

What do you like most about your job?

I love the fact that my efforts directly contribute to the people of Ontario. By interacting directly with our lottery retail partners, I also get to impact small business owners in our province. Over the years, I have met so many people whom I have learned from and continue to learn from each day.

What's the best advice you ever received? 

To venture outside my comfort zone, to challenge myself, to learn a new role instead of pursuing the career path I was following. The advice, quite simply, was to dream big and champion change.

What's your career highlight or proudest achievement?

There is no one highlight or achievement that stands out. Every day in this industry is a new adventure; this is a fast-paced environment, and I leave each workday with a sense of accomplishment and reward for OLG and my retailers.

What are you most proud of during the last year? 

This past year I am proud of my continued growth through COVID, unlearning old habits, and adapting to new ones. This past year has taught me flexibility, patience, and a renewed appreciation for those around me. During this past year and the year before, it has been a truly amazing experience working closely with my category partners and retailers to overcome obstacles together, pivoting, and finding solutions to new challenges as they arose.

What excites you most about the future of this channel? 

Simply being part of it! Whatever the future holds, I look forward to adapting with it, being part of a team that looks to innovate the convenience industry and bringing our products and services to consumers in a way that is sustainable and profitable to our retailers.