2026 Star Women in Convenience winner: Raquel McGowan
Raquel McGowan
Category manager
Cenovus Energy
Career highlight?
My current role. It is incredibly rewarding to work in a role that combines strategy, innovation, vendor collaboration and customer insight. When new innovations or flavour launches are introduced, we often meet as a team to sample products, predict flavour profiles and share ideas. It creates a fun, collaborative environment and reinforces how diverse customer preferences can be.
What’s the best career advice you’ve received?
Take risks and make yourself visible within the organization. Be open to new opportunities, step outside of your comfort zone and actively contribute so others can recognize your skills and potential.
Biggest career challenge?
I have always been highly motivated to grow professionally and advance within the company. While there were times when opportunities for advancement were limited, those experiences encouraged me to continue developing my skills, building strong relationships and remaining focused on contributing value wherever I could. They also reinforced the importance of perseverance, adaptability and continuing to advocate for your own career growth.
What excites you most about the future of this channel?
The creativity and innovation behind the business—from signage, promotions and merchandising displays to marketing strategies, loyalty programs and value-driven offers that create excitement and engagement for customers. Loyalty programs continue to be a major driver. Canadians are increasingly focused on value and saving money, making price and promotional strategy more important than ever.
Nomination highlights
Raquel McGowan is deserving of the Star Women in Convenience Award for her dedication, resilience and consistent commitment to excellence throughout her 14 years in the convenience industry. Over the course of her career, she has held several impactful roles, including pricebook analyst, customer experience advisor and category manager, where she continues to drive growth through creativity, collaboration and strategic thinking. In her current role, she is responsible for category growth, product assortment, pricing, promotions and vendor relationships within the convenience channel. She collaborates closely with finance, operations, pricing and vendor partners to successfully execute initiatives that improve both profitability and customer experience. What sets her apart is her genuine investment in the success of retailers, vendors and colleagues alike. She consistently looks for innovative ways to strengthen the business while building strong, trusted relationships across the organization. Even during periods of significant uncertainty surrounding the company’s ownership, she maintained a high level of performance and positivity, helping sustain sales growth and expand key programs despite ongoing change.
Click here for a full list of the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winners
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