Strength in community: Meet the 2023 Star Women in Convenience

The 2023 Star Women in Convenience stand apart from the crowd, but one characteristic unites them: Their passion for what they do. That “doing” encompasses everything from running a convenience store (and pub) in a small town in Ontario to managing marketing in Canada for a global beverage company to co-founding your own snack company.

The 48 women you will meet in these pages thrive on innovation and collaboration. They believe fresh ideas will continue to revitalize the c-sector, and those ideas come fastest and easiest when teams are engaged. Indeed, connections with teams is a central theme that runs through all the interviews. It’s not only internal relationships that are vital, however. The Star Women in Convenience point to the need for—and the benefits that come from—connecting with customers, suppliers, and vendors. There is truly strength in community.

There is also strength in overcoming barriers. Many of these award-winning women spoke openly and frankly about the walls they had to climb to be successful in a sector that has been dominated by men. They also spoke about the struggle to balance work and home life.

The path they’ve forged is making it easier for those who follow behind them.

Photos of all 48 winners with Q&A here.

 

SENIOR-LEVEL STARS

Émilie Coulombe: Director of marketing & sales and co-owner, Alex Coulombe Ltée.

Ashley Ehmann: Co-founder, Twigz Pretzels

Simran Kaur: Senior finance director, Canco Petroleum Ltd.

Jennifer Lai: Head of category management for marketing, Petro-Canada | Suncor

France Lessard: Director, legal department, JTI-Macdonald Corp.       

Michelle McGillivray: Director of business development, Big Chief Meat Snacks Inc.

 

SHINING STARS

Karen Allen: Convenience retail enablement manager, Shell Canada

Naila Ansari: Area leader – Calgary, 7-Eleven Canada

Rina Bauslaugh: Category manager, Petro-Canada | Suncor

Shawna Bickford: Sales manager, Now Prepay, by Payment Source

Marie-Andrée Bonneau: Manager, field operations, Canadian Tire Gas+        

Cristina Caruso: Category portfolio manager | Car wash, Petro-Canada | Suncor

Marietta Cini: Senior director of store operations and development, Hasty Market

Jessica Cnossen: Purchasing director, Core-Mark Canada

Fran Coons: Market manager, 7-Eleven Canada

Alison Daem: Asset protection specialist: 7-Eleven Canada

Johanne Deblois: Administrative assistant: Groupe Beaudry

Nicole Dubé: Manager, Canada merchandising execution, Parkland Corporation

Helena Fiore: Sr. sales strategy & planning manager, small format, PepsiCo Beverages         

Jamie Gnanapragasam: Manager, merchandising systems, Parkland Corporation

Shauna Hall: Category manager, Parkland Corporation

Anna Harte: Area leader, 7-Eleven Canada

Karla Hewitt: Category manager, beverage and automotive, Petro-Canada | Suncor

Heather Hildenbrandt: Marketing manager – Western Canada, Alimentation Couche-Tard |Circle K

Anne-Marie Jeanson: Regional sales director, Imperial Tobacco Canada

Kylie Landry: Director of marketing, Direct Plus Food Group 

Katie Logan: Category analyst, BioSteel

Alexandra Massam: Mobility district manager, Shell Canada

Sandy Mercer: Marketing manager, North Sun Energy

Nicole S. Monks: Manager, lottery field sales, Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corp. 

Joany Nadeau: Senior human resources manager, Alimentation Couche-Tard | Circle K

Nicki Newfeldt: Business development lead, Shell Canada

Marie-Pier Pagé: General director, Groupe Mondor 

Dayna Palmer: Marketing manager, Canadian channel execution, Parkland Corporation

Ingrid Palmer: Business development manager, Danone Canada

Julie Pepin: Sales analysis & administration manager, JTI-Macdonald Corp.

Reghan Peters: Trade marketer, JTI-Macdonald Corp.

Patricia Petretic: Category manager, centre of store, Parkland Corporation

Jackie Pink: Category manager, foodservice, Parkland Corporation

Tammy Poirier: National account executive, Coca-Cola Canada

Irene Reilly: Regional director of operations - Eastern, Alimentation Couche-Tard | Circle K                 

Sarah Richard: Sales team lead, Hershey Canada

Trina Roopnarine-Huether: Customer strategy manager, channels, Mondelēz Canada

Sylvie Savard: Category manager - Eastern Canada division, Alimentation Couche-Tard| Circle K

Kristina Schmidt: National category manager: Fresh foods, 7-Eleven Canada          

 

STORE-LEVEL STARS                                                  

Sridevi Gummadi: Owner/operator, Petro-Canada | Suncor

Binal Patel: Owner, Ding Mart Convenience Store

Mallory Sjaarda: General manager, Port Albert General Store & Pub