Parker’s has hired two convenience store industry professionals to help the chain continue to expand across coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
The new hires at Parker’s include Senior Director of Marketing Douglas Parker, who will lead the marketing team in category management, merchandising, price book, advertising and loyalty. A forward-thinking retail executive, Parker is responsible for brand and marketing strategies that will drive sales and profits while enhancing the overall customer experience. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the convenience store industry to his position at Parker’s, including serving as the director of category management for BP portfolio business Thorntons in Louisville, Ky.
Earlier in his career, he served in leadership positions with CEFCO Convenience Stores, Road Ranger, Kroger Convenience Stores and GPM Investments’ FAS Mart Corp. Originally from Newport News, Va., Parker earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. He recently relocated to Savannah, Ga., from Louisville and works at the Parker’s corporate headquarters.
Director of Construction Thomas Rutledge will oversee the company’s construction department and plays a key role in the future growth of Parker’s and Parker’s Kitchen retail stores. Rutledge brings 15 years of experience in convenience store construction development to his new position at Parker’s. Before joining Parker’s, he served as the project manager at Wawa for over a decade, where he managed all aspects of construction activities and spearheaded the development of a diesel program.
Earlier in his career, Rutledge worked as a project manager for Green Mountain Construction in San Antonio and D’Astuto Construction in Bellmawr, N.J. An accomplished project manager, he is the recipient of multiple Dale Carnegie Certificates of Achievement. Originally from Philadelphia, Rutledge attended Gloucester County College in Sewell, N.J., and holds OSHA and Xerxes Underground Tank certifications. He recently relocated to Richmond Hill, Ga., from Palm Harbor, Fla., and is based at the Parker’s corporate headquarters in Savannah.
“We’re delighted to welcome Douglas Parker and Thomas Rutledge to our growing team at Parker’s,” said Greg Parker, founder and CEO of Parker’s. “We are confident that Douglas’ goal-oriented approach to marketing and Thomas’ extensive knowledge of convenience store construction will help us achieve our goals in 2022 and beyond.”
Parker’s employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout South Carolina and Georgia and completes more than 125,000 transactions daily. The Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date.
