SpartanNash taps Speedway veteran Ryan Speakes to lead fuel center, c-store operations

Convenience store veteran Ryan Speakes has joined grocery distributor and retailer SpartanNash as vice president of fuel centers and convenience stores, a newly created position.

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based SpartanNash said Monday that Speakes is charged with providing leadership, strategic and operational plans for the company’s 37 fuel centers. Most of SpartanNash’s fuel stations include a convenience store, under such banners as Family Fare Quick Stop and D&W Quick Stop, and are co-located with company-owned-and-operated grocery stores, which total 147 locations in nine Midwestern states.

As part of his role, Speakes also will perform a key duty that will benefit fuel center customers: managing the rising cost of fuel.

Ryan Speakes, VP of fuel centers and convenience stores at SpartanNash. / Photo courtesy of SpartanNash

“The c-store market is growing globally, and SpartanNash sees tremendous opportunity to bring new innovations to this segment of our retail business,” Tom Swanson, executive vice president of corporate retail at SpartanNash, said in a statement. “Having served in a variety of leadership positions in the fuel center and c-store industry, Ryan brings valuable expertise that we are excited to tap into at SpartanNash.”

Speakes comes to SpartanNash from c-store giant 7-Eleven, where he most recently served as market leader of operations in a nearly two-year stint.

Before 7-Eleven, he spent 15 years at c-store chain Speedway, which was acquired by 7-Eleven in May 2021. At Speedway, he rose from district manager to regional manager and to regional leader of operations, “consistently exceeding his sales revenue targets,” SpartanNash reported.

The addition of Speakes comes amid SpartanNash’s consolidation of about a dozen retail grocery banners to four: Family Fare (conventional supermarkets), Martin’s Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market (upmarket grocery stores), and Supermercado Nuestra Familia (Hispanic grocery stores). The company operates stores in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.