2026 Future Leader in Convenience + Car Wash winner: NICOLE DANCAU

With no experience in business or convenience retail, Nicole Dancau quickly learned all aspects of the channel and within a few months of joining Parkland (now Sunoco), she was managing full categories.

“My biggest career highlight has been earning trust and responsibility early on, stepping into category management for foodservice and CPG merchandising and being given the chance to make an impact,” says Dancau, who credits her senior manager, Jackie Pink, for taking a chance on her.

“She has been an incredible mentor in letting me take ownership and learn through doing. Seeing ideas turn into results, from launching new categories and promotions and running pilot projects with vendors to leading pricing audits and data cleanups is incredibly rewarding.”

Dancau has demonstrated her commitment to fostering an inclusive, dynamic vendor ecosystem, ensuring every vendor has a fair opportunity to introduce new products into stores. Being new and young in a fast-paced corporate space can feel intimidating, but Dancau learned to be resourceful by asking questions and seeking feedback.

“Sometimes, you must act before you feel ready and prove to yourself that you can handle it. That mindset has shaped my confidence and how I lead today,” she says.