The energy was palpable as hundreds of leaders from across Canada gathered to honour the trailblazers, innovators and everyday champions of the convenience channel. Marking its ninth year, the Star Women in Convenience (SWIC) Awards, held at the Toronto International Centre on September 23, once again served as a powerful reminder of how women are reshaping the industry through authentic, visionary leadership during a time of dynamic change.More than a morning of accolades, the celebration and speakers underscored a collective commitment to empowering diverse voices, building inclusive teams and elevating female leadership across the country. In her opening remarks, Michelle Warren, VP of content and editorial director of convenience for EnsembleIQ, spoke about the program's roots and how the industry's steadfast support has helped shape SWIC into what is is today. “Convenience Store News Canada launched this program back in 2018 to spotlight the incredible women who innovate, lead and drive success across the channel and across our country. That first year, we celebrated 11 women and every year the program gets bigger and better,” she said, noting that in 2026 there were more than 160 nominations. “Today, we’re honouring 63 extraordinary women from across the country.”READ: Building Momentum, meet the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winnersLeadership as a legacyMilena Trentadue, managing director for Rothmans, Benson & Hedges stressed the importance of mentorship in her speech. “I have been very fortunate to have mentors, colleagues, and family members who have encouraged me to believe in myself and pursue opportunities without being limited by expectations or stereotypes,” she said. “I feel a responsibility to do the same for others. One of the things I'm most proud of is seeing the women across our organization step into leadership roles.” Trentadue’s quote resonated with the crowd, “When I became the first female managing director at RBH, it was an important milestone indeed, but what matters most to me is not being the first. It is ensuring that I am not the last.” Success starts with an inward journey Susana Pulla, the director of marketing, communications and digital for 7-Eleven Canada gave the keynote address. Pulla understands the challenges of being a women and an executive for a fortune 500 company, She emphasized that effective leadership requires creating environments where team members feel they belong and are safe to provide feedback. Pulla spoke from personal experience and voiced the challenges that many women face throughout their professional life. “How many times in our careers have we been faced with failures, setbacks and challenges where we question: Can I actually do this? Is this for me? And am I good enough? I'm sure we've all encountered that along our careers, or maybe you get the sense that others don't believe in you, and you start to spiral.” Pulla went continued, “I can't tell you how many times I've felt this way, but here's what I've learned: I've learned that it starts with kindness. Be kind to yourself first, and allow yourself in that moment to feel without judgment.” She emphasizes that effective leadership requires creating environments where team members feel they belong and are safe to provide feedback. Pulla highlit that elite performance comes from taking ownership of what is controllable rather than making excuses for external factors like inflation or market conditions.She continued with a quote from one of her mentors. “The average player looks outward, and the elite player looks inward.” Pulla urged the women in the room to take ownership to make “it” happen. “What's within your control? Do it. One of the lessons that I've learned is that when you're faced with a growth opportunity where there is uncertainty, is to tell yourself to start. Just start somewhere: You don't have to know how to get all the way over there. Make that first call, make that one connection, do that one thing that ignites it.” The future is femaleChristine McCarthy senior manager, sales strategy of Mondelēz Canada spoke as a gold sponsor for the Star Women in Convenience Awards. She highlighted that women hold over 35% of leadership positions in CPG companies.It is not a coincidence that Mondelēz values diverse perspectives and strong female leadership to drive industry growth: McCarthy underscored the importance of DEI as critical to any company’s success. “When I look around this room, I don't just see leaders,” said McCarthy. “I see the future of this industry: trailblazers, change makers, innovators who have delivered results that speak for themselves. At Mondelēz, we know that diverse perspectives and strong female leaders make our teams, businesses and our industry stronger, creating opportunities for women to grow, lead. Making an impact is something we care very deeply about and it's very important to have events like this because it gives us an important opportunity to celebrate the progress being made across the entire industry.”Industry leaders shared their organizations' dedication to multiculturalism and creating a supportive work environment within the convenience sector.The panel was moderated by Warren, who introduced Shannon Brown, foodservice and merchandising manager for Suncor Energy; Emily La Rochelle, senior account manager for Petro Canada, Suncor Business; May May Solomon, field marketing manager, Western Canada, Circle K, Alimentation Couche-Tard, and Sarah Trainor, operations manager, Proxy Network for Harnois Énergies.The panel participants discussed the driving forces behind their professional involvement in the petroleum and convenience industries.What drew you to convenience? Brown and Trainor both started their first job fresh out of college. “It was supposed to temporary,” laughed Trainor. “But 25 years later, here I am.” Brown said, “I cleaned up the whole entire store, made it my own. They basically let me take it over, and I learned how to run a business from there.” Both women have a commitment to their community, saying they build a relationship with the customers they see daily. “What caught me by surprise a little bit was the impact that this industry had in the communities where we operated,” Trainor shared. “We were seeing customers on some of their best days, but also some of their worst; We got to know their families. I had the opportunity to feel like I was really making a connection and an impact in the neighbourhood where I lived.” Solomon reflect on her journey as being “an amazing experience, so far.” Solomon stated that “the thing that is the most attractive thing about this industry stems from its name, ‘convenience.’ We know for a fact that convenience can never really be eroded. It's a core customer need: Knowing that customers want ease—people want ease of time, ease of shopping, ease in getting what they want whenever they want it, however they want it: That is a huge advantage in this industry.”What keeps you going? Solomon believes customer service is the key to success. “Without people, there's no industry. So it's all about the people that we serve, the people we work with and the communities that we are supporting,” She added, “at the end of the day, putting a smile on a customer's face is priceless, and that is something I deeply feel fulfilled about.”What accomplishments are you most proud of? Larochelle laughingly said, “There is special satisfaction from turning a competitor’s location into a beautiful site.” However, she was more serious about her accomplishment in working through a cybersecurity breach. With limited information at their disposal, Larochelle had to make a decision quickly. However, that key moment taught her a valuable lesson in leadership: “When we are working towards the same goal, we can overcome almost anything.”Did you have someone who shaped your career? Larochelle noted that every woman she had spoken to throughout her career in fuel is that women can often feel like "firefighters jumping from one challenge to another." However, she strongly believes that the right relationship can open doors and create more opportunities. “My mentor used to always say to me, ‘not every problem deserves immediate attention, but every problem deserves to be understood.’ So take your time, slow it down. To take action, first really understand the situation. And that stayed with me since.”Solomon added, “when I joined this industry, I learned the most from the store operators. Those are the people who are facing customers every single day. These are the people with depth of knowledge.”How do you lead your team? Larochelle said, “business relationships are a two-way street. If we want our teams to be engaged and invested, then we need to make sure that they feel as though we're invested in them.” Trainor added, “at the heart of that, it sounds really simple, but the hard part is in understanding what is important to each of those people because it's different depending on the person in front of you. So that takes time and paying attention, making sure that they understand that you prioritize whatever it is that is important to them, whether it be flexible scheduling or time off to spend with their kids' Christmas concerts.” Marie-Helene Jauron, senior director of sales for PepsiCo Canada, stated “The convenience industry continues to evolve, and the success of this industry will depend on diverse perspectives, inclusive leadership and the ability to attract and develop exceptional talent.”“Our focus is not only on supporting women with PepsiCo,” said Jauron. “But also on fostering meaningful partnership across this industry that helps advance inclusion and create opportunity for all.”Jauron invited previous SWIC award winners in the audience to stand up and be seen not just for their accomplishments, but to recognize their peers as women who have demonstrated courage and often adversity in the corporate arena. “We are here to live and support each other,” said Jauron to an enthusiastically clapping crowd. “I encourage you to wear this pin with a lot of pride, because you know you are a true representation of leadership and courage.” Kunsuk (KS) Oh, general manager Canada for JTI-Macdonald, discussed the importance of diverse perspectives and inclusive leadership in building stronger businesses. Oh expressed pride in how supportive initiatives like Star Women In Convenience are driving business forward.Professional recognition is more than an honour—it is a responsibility to pave the way for the next generation of female leadership.That was the central message delivered by Tammy Poirier, national account executive at Coke Canada Bottling Limited, during her address. A former SWIC Award winner herself in 2023, Poirier profoundly understand the impact mentorship has on women.She reflected on what industry accolades truly represent. "But it was what happened afterwards that was also really special to me. It was the conversations it created, the people I got to meet and the opportunities it gave me to then encourage other women," said Poirier. "It was a reminder that our hard work actually matters, and someone is paying attention."Poirier emphasized that winning a Star Women in Convenience award brings a duty to lift others as you climb. "The recognition is an opportunity," added Poirier. "I believe it's a responsibility to be part of the cycle to help pay it forward. To return today in a different role with the opportunity to celebrate and encourage others is a real privilege."The morning event culminated in the awards presentation. Those in the packed room cheered loudly for their peers and coworkers. Panelist Shannon Brown later described the room as “filled with a warmth and energy. I never felt anything like it…to hear people shout and clap for someone to win was electric.” As the event concluded, one thing became abundantly clear: the Star Women in Convenience Awards are more than a celebration of past achievements: They are a launchpad for the future.By leading with empathy, embracing diversity and looking inward to find strength through challenge, these trailblazers are rewriting the narrative of the gas and convenience sector. From front-line store operators to corporate executives, the message echoed across the room was simple yet transformative: when women lift each other up, step boldly into leadership, and lead with kindness and purpose, they don't just adapt to the changing landscape, they shape it. SWIC Networking Lunch Following, the morning event, 2026 winners gathered with SWIC alumni for the second annual Star Women in Convenience Networking Lunch. With the support of JTI-Macdonald, CSNC invited winners from 2018 to 2026 for a unique opportunity to connect in an intimate setting. Following a welcome and toast, winners enjoyed a buffet lunch, which culminated in a deeply authentic and engaging panel discussion moderated by Caroline Evans, JTI-Macdonald and featuring:Nancy Bourdon, JTI-Macdonald Corp.Nikoletta Charamis, Sobeys WholesaleHélène Drolet, Circle K | Alimentation Couche-TardOlga Pigeon, BG Fuels | Waypoint ConvenienceLinda Thompson, Fuel PartnersFollowing the panel, women discussed careers and shared personal stories as part of intimate table groups.
