2024 Star Women in Convenience winner: Carmen Zukewich

Regional operations manager     

Parkland Corporation

How did you get into this business?

I found myself entering the industry within a month of my graduation from university and have never left. I’ve held a number of different roles, with three different companies, but I keep coming back to operations. There is just this unexplainable level of passion that I have for the convenience retail business, and I enjoy being able to bring our brands and products offerings to customers. It also doesn’t hurt that I’m probably one of my own best customers as I have a huge sweet tooth and love pretty much any snack we sell in an OTR convenience store!

What work-related accomplishment are you most proud of during the last 12-18 months?

One of the most important initiatives that our team has been working on recently is launching and building Parkland’s loyalty program, Journie Rewards. In late 2023, Journie partnered with Aeroplan, and all retail locations were tasked with launching this brand-new partnership at store level. While the partnership was built within the loyalty team, successfully delivering it to the customer hinged on our execution in the field. It was a massive group effort, but in the end my team was able to ensure 100% implementation on launch day.

The success of this program launch and initiatives throughout the calendar year helped our region reach 113% of our annual target. I am incredibly proud of this accomplishment, especially the way the team came together to achieve it.

What do you like most about your job?

If it’s not too cliché to say this, the people. Whether it be fellow Parklanders that I work with from various groups across the organization, the outstanding team I work with every day in retail operations, or the front-line retailers and their staff that represent our business and brands in the community, each individual brings their own sense of passion to our business. It’s an absolute pleasure to come to work every day and collaborate with such a focused and engaged team.

Career highlight/biggest achievement?

Just over two years ago, I was promoted to regional operations manager. It was a big step for me personally, since I have two young daughters at home, and professionally, as I would be leading the team I had previously been a part of. Through some excellent mentorship within Parkland, a very encouraging support system at home, as well as pure determination and hard work from myself, I am proud of the team that I have the privilege to lead as we continue to move our business forward. 

What excites you most about the future of this channel?

I think one of the coolest things about this channel is the adaptability and constant innovation we see. There is never a day in my current role when I don’t learn something new about our business or find a new way that we can meet our customers where they want, and with the product or service they are looking for. I’ve already seen so many developments in my career, whether it be a growth in innovative convenience store items or EV adoption, just to name two, and I don’t expect this to ever change. It’s exciting to see the industry grow and develop.

How do you define yourself as a leader?

I would describe myself as a hands on, compassionate, and respectful leader. There pretty much isn’t a task that I won’t step in and lend a hand with. I also believe that part of being a great leader is understanding the point of view from others. This doesn’t mean that everyone always has to agree, but working together in a respectful way to find a solution and plan forward that works for everyone, just adds further value to the team and helps the business grow.