Lauren Conner

About Lauren Conner

PROFILE & VALUEExperienced Regional Director of Retail Operations, Business Leader and Interior DesignerWith a strong foundation in the General Contracting Construction industry, I transitioned to Interior Design with a focus on project management. I successfully owned and operated an Interior Design business and a sq. ft. retail space for over 12 years.I founded Crazy J Convenience Store in North Georgia and acquired two Bells Smoke Shops and Lottery stores. My extensive C Store retailer knowledge and team-building skills led to my recruitment by the Tennessee Lottery during its startup phase. Later, I was recruited by Mapco/Delek Oil, leveraging my expertise in high-profile roles within the Tennessee Education Lottery and the C-Store environment. I transitioned to The Pantry, which was acquired by CircleK. I have been with CircleK since 2014 serving as a District Manager for 4 years and a Regional Director of Operations of SC and now of TN since 2018.I excel in overcoming complex business challenges, making high-stakes decisions, and consistently delivering mission-critical results. My leadership style is driven by a need to strategize, innovate, and achieve the seemingly impossible. I am well-respected for my engagement, negotiations, vendor relations, and accountability.Specialties include:Visionary, Strategist, & ExecutorP & L Performance ImprovementCompany Startups, Acquisitions, Capitalization StrategiesFinancial & Legal Transactions, Purchasing, MerchandisingRisk Management & Inventory ControlCost Analysis, Growth Management, Business DevelopmentProduct Development and Rollout, Quality Control & Continuous ImprovementBoard Relations, Advisory & Decision SupportMotivating, Mentoring, & Team BuildingI am passionate about leveraging human capital, leading by example, and fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.

Experience

1. Frontier Division - Director of Operations Excellence at Circle K, Serving Tn,ky, Mo, Ar, Al,ms

   Circle K

   Apr 2025 — Present

Education

• Yale School of Management

  Executive Education, NACS Women's Leadership

• The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

  BS, Human Ecology; Interior Design/Marketing

Skills

• Business Development
• Negotiation
• Sales Presentations
• Event Planning
• Merchandising
• Forecasting
• Cold Calling
• Business Analysis
• Outlook
• Profit
• P&L Management
• Trade Shows
• Public Relations
• Sales Force Development
• Inventory Management
• Inventory Control
• Marketing
• Marketing Strategy
• Sales Management
• Advertising
• Strategy
• Succession Planning
• Visual Merchandising
• Budgets
• Food
• Finance
• Sales Process
• Team Building
• Management
• Direct Sales
• Recruiting
• Loyalty Programs
• Executive Management
• Business Planning
• Leadership
• Customer Service
• Retail
• Sales
• Small Business
• Microsoft Word