Pilot Company hired Grant Leathers as vice president of energy technology last month, a company spokesperson confirmed to C-Store Dive.
In his role — a brand-new position at Pilot — Leathers provides leadership within the technology organization for every team within the Pilot Energy business, the spokesperson said.
“He is responsible for creating a unified approach to our energy platforms and the processes that will deliver industry-leading solutions for our customers and business partners,” Pilot’s spokesperson said of Leathers, who now reports to Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Andy Lupo.
Leather joins Pilot after spending the past five years as chief information officer for wholesaler SC Fuels, which Pilot acquired in 2021.
According to his LinkedIn bio, Leathers has held technology leadership roles with companies across several industries, such as fitness service Beachbody, credit report firm Experian Consumer Services, vehicle valuation company Kelley Blue Book, and automotive companies AutoCentro and Autobytel.
Leathers’ hire is the latest move Pilot has made to boost the roster of executives on its energy and technology teams. In recent months, the c-store retailer also hired Gary Hoogeveen as president of its energy division; Shannon Sturgil as senior vice president of alternative fuels; and Lupo as CTO.
Pilot’s most notable energy project is its electric vehicle charging program, which aims to build a network of 2,000 fast charging stations across 500 U.S. travel centers.
Besides its slew of energy and technology hires, Pilot has essentially revamped its entire c-suite team over the past year and a half. Besides Lupo, the company also appointed Adam Wright and Joe Lillo as CEO and CFO, respectively, in May 2023; Brad Anderson as chief operating officer last September; and Adrienne Ingoldt as the company’s first-ever chief marketing officer in February.
Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, operates nearly 900 travel centers across 44 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces.
