2026 Star Women in Convenience winner: Anca Puiu
Anca Puiu
Account manager
Sunoco LP
How did you get into this business?
I entered the convenience industry through sales, where I quickly recognized the opportunity to drive measurable impact at store level. I was drawn to the pace, complexity and the ability to influence results directly through execution and strong retailer partnerships.
What are you most proud of during the last 12–18 months?
Over the past year, I delivered consistent year-over-year growth across my territory in a highly volatile environment impacted by fluctuating fuel prices and shifting consumer behaviour, while navigating the integration following Sunoco’s November 2025 transaction. By driving disciplined execution, elevating merchandising standards and staying closely aligned with my customers, I protected performance and accelerated growth despite significant market and organizational change.
What do you like most about your job?
I value the ability to deliver tangible results while building long-term partnerships. Helping customers improve profitability, optimize operations and navigate industry challenges is both demanding and rewarding.
What’s the best career advice you’ve received?
Stay curious and resilient. Challenges are part of growth and keeping a positive, solution-focused mindset makes all the difference.
Biggest achievement?
My biggest achievement has been consistently delivering growth and maintaining performance in a volatile market, while managing multiple accounts and being recognized as a trusted partner by my customers.
What excites you most about the future of this channel?
The continued evolution of convenience retail—especially through innovation, data-driven decision-making and enhanced customer experience—offers significant opportunities to further grow sales and modernize the channel.
Nomination highlights
Anca Puiu is an exceptional nominee for the Star Women in Convenience Award due to the impressive impact she has made in a very short time within the industry. She quickly established strong credibility at head office through her strategic thinking, reliability and consistent delivery of results. Her leadership abilities have been evident from the beginning, as she continually elevates her team, strengthens retailer partnerships and drives initiatives forward with confidence and professionalism. She oversees the performance of 18 sites, with responsibility for financial results, operational KPIs, merchandising standards, sales growth and customer experience. Under her leadership, her territory achieved significant KPI improvements and ranked at the top for both voice of customer results and basket size. She also successfully rebuilt the profile of her territory by strategically aligning retailers to improve performance and execution standards across all locations. Furthermore, she is recognized for her positive energy, strong customer focus and inspiring leadership style. She balances financial discipline with a people-first approach that motivates teams, strengthens retailer relationships and contributes positively to the convenience industry overall.
Click here for a full list of the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winners
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