Parker’s Kitchen – a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader that was recently honored as a USA TODAY Top Workplace for 2024 – is delighted to announce that Director of Real Estate Amanda Thompson has been named to the 2024 “Top Women in Convenience” list by industry-leading publication Convenience Store News.

Thompson is part of an elite group of 107 female industry professionals who will be prominently recognized in the August issue of Convenience Store News Magazine and celebrated at the 2024 National Association of Convenience Stores show on Oct. 8 in Las Vegas. She is one of 43 professionals honored in the Senior Level Leaders category, which recognizes experienced female executives who have made a positive impact on their companies 

Thompson is a member of the largest class of Top Women in Convenience, the first and only convenience store industry awards program that recognizes women marking outstanding contributions to their companies and the industry. Honorees are divided into four categories: Rising Stars, Mentors, Senior Level Leaders and Women of the Year.

“Amanda is an accomplished professional who deserves this honor because of her tremendous impact on her fellow team members, our company and the c-store industry,” said Parker’s Kitchen founder and CEO Greg Parker. “Amanda is a people-first leader who brings out the best in everyone around her, which is truly something to be celebrated.”

As the Director of Real Estate for Parker’s Kitchen, Thompson is primarily responsible for the development and deployment of the company’s real estate growth strategy. She guides a high-performing team of real estate, development and entitlement managers through the acquisition, financial analysis and development process of new Parker’s Kitchen sites. Throughout her tenure at Parker’s Kitchen, Thompson has helped close 48 new sites. She also maintains a robust pipeline of new stores at varying stages of development as part of the company’s strategic expansion of the Parker’s Kitchen brand throughout the Southeast.

Parker’s Kitchen has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in South Carolina” by SC Biz News and was named the Convenience Store Chain of the Year by Convenience Store Decisions, which is the industry’s highest honor. The company has also been honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores and was voted the #4 Best Gas Station for Food and the #6 Best Gas Station Brand in America by USA TODAY readers in 2023.

Known for its commitment to charitable giving, Parker’s Kitchen is one of the most generous companies in the convenience store industry and in the Southeast. Since 2011, the Parker’s Kitchen Fueling the Community charitable initiative has donated more than $2 million to public and private schools in Georgia and South Carolina.

Through the Parker’s Community Fund, Parker’s Kitchen provided critical funding for Union Mission to open the Parker House for Women in Savannah, Ga., the region’s first facility for unaccompanied homeless women, and made a $5 million donation to Roper/St. Francis Healthcare in Charleston, S.C. to expand access to healthcare for uninsured and underinsured residents. The company also made a record $5 million donation to name the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University and endowed the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Ga 

Since its founding in 1976, Parker’s Kitchen has grown to become a nationally acclaimed, award-winning company that raises the bar for what customers can expect from a convenience store. The Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date. Parker’s Kitchen employs more than 1,360 professionals throughout Georgia and South Carolina, and completes nearly a million transactions weekly.