2026 Star Women in Convenience winner: Ève Fontaine
Ève Fontaine
Distribution centre optimization manager
Circle K | Alimentation Couche-Tard
What do you like most about your job?
I’m lucky to work alongside people who are supportive, collaborative and genuinely care about one another. That sense of teamwork and shared commitment makes a meaningful difference every day.
Biggest challenge?
Navigating change and stepping outside of my comfort zone has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of my journey. Taking on new roles, adapting to different expectations and pushing beyond what felt familiar has not always been easy, but those experiences have driven the greatest growth for me, both professionally and personally.
What’s the best career advice you’ve received?
Trust yourself. Your instincts are shaped by your experiences, your values and everything you have learned along the way. You will not always have all the answers, but trusting yourself gives you the confidence to keep moving forward and embrace new opportunities with conviction.
What excites you most about the future?
I’m inspired to be part of an organization that actively recognizes, supports and empowers women in our industry. This environment encourages continuous growth, collaboration and the confidence to pursue new opportunities. I’m also energized by the constant evolution of our field through emerging technologies, expanding markets and innovative ways of serving our customers.
Nomination highlights
Ève Fontaine is a driving force behind operational excellence, continuous improvement and strategic transformation across the business. Widely respected for her disciplined, people-focused leadership style, she leads critical initiatives that strengthen compliance, improve financial performance and modernize supply chain operations throughout the organization. One of her most significant accomplishments is building and leading a high-performing optimization team focused on improving finance, inventory control, logistics and supplier management processes. Under her leadership, new operational programs, audit structures and training initiatives have delivered measurable gains in efficiency, profitability and long-term performance. She is also responsible for overseeing optimization strategy, analyzing audit and P&L results, managing budgets and providing data-driven recommendations to senior leadership that directly influence operational and strategic decision-making. Her ability to unite cross-functional teams around practical, scalable solutions has strengthened both business performance and workplace culture. Through her commitment to innovation, collaboration and accountability, she continues to help shape a resilient and forward-thinking future for convenience retail operations. In May, Fontaine changed roles and is now senior manager, foodservices, Eastern Canada.
Click here for a full list of the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winners
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