SAVANNAH, Ga. (Jan. 24, 2023) – Parker’s – a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader – recently hired two new team members to support the company’s growth and expansion across coastal Georgia and South Carolina through cutting edge marketing efforts, enhanced Parker’s Rewards loyalty program management and best-in-class talent acquisition.
New hires at Parker’s include the following accomplished professionals:
NICK HAND, Loyalty and Brand Manager – Nick Hand serves as the Loyalty and Brand Manager at Parker’s, designing and executing marketing campaigns that drive brand engagement, increase Parker’s Rewards loyalty program enrollment and create personalized customer journeys. Experienced in the food and beverage industry, Hand is the former Digital Marketing Manager for Tijuana Flats Restaurants, LLC, where he managed all digital aspects for more than 125 locations across four states. Under Hand’s leadership, Tijuana Flats’ Rewards Program was rated the #6 Loyalty Program in America in 2021 by Newsweek. Hand brings more than a decade of experience in graphic design, web design, search engine optimization, digital marketing and brand loyalty management to his position at Parker’s. Earlier in his career, he served as the Director of Digital Marketing and Technologies for 727 Digital, Digital Content and SEO Developer for AAA National and as a Senior Web Designer and UX Developer for GeoNorth, LLC. Originally from Alaska, Hand earned a bachelor’s degree in Digital Arts and Design from Full Sail University in Orlando, Fla. and graduated as the valedictorian of his class. He recently relocated to Bluffton, S.C. from Orlando, Fla. and works at the Parker’s corporate headquarters in Savannah, Ga.
VANESSA LEHNEN, Leader of Talent Acquisition – Vanessa Lehnen is an accomplished, analytical human resources business partner who recently joined Parker’s as the Leader of Talent Acquisition. In her new position, Lehnen is responsible for Parker’s recruiting strategies and oversees the recruiting team. She serves as a trusted liaison and advisor to the company’s leadership team and implements Talent Acquisition, diversity and inclusion initiatives as well as culture and engagement strategies that attract best-in-class associates, increase organizational effectiveness and leverage competitive advantage to accelerate growth. Prior to joining Parker’s, Lehnen served as the Talent Acquisition Business Partner for Goodwill Southeast Georgia; worked at CitiTrends recruiting department in Savannah, Ga.; and served as a Diversity Specialist and Recruiter for ATL Search Group in Atlanta. Originally from Colombia, she started her career working in Human Resource roles for several Colombian government organizations. She earned a B.A. in Mass Communications from the Universidad Del Sinú in Colombia and a Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources and Employment Relations with a concentration in Analytics and Artificial Intelligence from Pennsylvania State University. Lehnen currently resides in Savannah, Ga. and works at the Parker’s corporate headquarters in Savannah.
Parker’s stands apart as one of America’s most respected convenience store brands and is known for having the cleanest restrooms in the industry. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has enjoyed steady 20 to 24 percent annual growth every year for the past 24 years. In 2020, Parker’s was named the Convenience Store Chain of the Year by CStore Decisions, which is the industry’s highest honor. The company has been honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores, named the Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year by Convenience Store News and voted the #3 Best Gas Station Brand by USA TODAY readers.
Parker’s gives back to support every community where stores are located through the company’s Fueling the Community program and the Parker’s Community Fund. Since January 2021, Parker’s has donated more than $22 million to the Parker’s Community Fund to support charitable initiatives throughout the company’s corporate footprint in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
Since its founding in 1976, Parker’s has grown to become an award-winning company with a robust Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members and has saved customers more than $15 million to date. Parker’s employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout South Carolina and Georgia.
ABOUT PARKER’S:
Honored as the 2020 CStore Decisions Chain of the Year, Parker’s is strategically redefining the nation’s convenience store industry, offering customers high-quality products, freshly prepared food and superior customer service at retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina. Headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and foodservice companies. Parker’s Kitchen, the popular food-centric brand under the Parker’s umbrella, serves world-famous hand-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tenders as well as made-from-scratch mac ‘n’ cheese, a breakfast bar and daily specials. The company’s popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved Parker’s customers more than $15 million to date. Learn more: parkerskitchen.com.
RECENT AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
- Inc. 5000 List – Fastest Growing Companies in America – Inc. Magazine
- Hall of Fame Inductee – Convenience Store News
- Best Gas Station Brand Top 10 – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards
- Convenience Store Chain of the Year – CStore Decisions
- Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award
- Legacy Leader – Georgia Trend
- America’s Best Convenience Stores – Food and Wine
- Southeast Retailer of the Year – The Shelby Report
- Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year – Convenience Store News
- Top 10 U.S. Gas Station Brands – Gas Buddy
- 50 Most Influential People in Convenience Store History – Convenience Store News
- Best Convenience Store – Savannah Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards
- Best Convenience Store – Savannah Magazine Best of Savannah Awards
- Best Convenience Market/Gas Station – Connect Savannah Best of Savannah Awards
- Best Convenience Store – Statesboro Herald “Best in the ‘Boro” Awards
- Best Convenience Store – Bryan County Now “Best of Bryan” Awards
- Regional Economic Impact Award – Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
- Best Convenience Store – Island Packet
- Most Fab Convenience Store – Effingham Herald
- Most Fabulous Gas Station – Effingham Living
- Wayne County’s Favorite Convenience Store – Jesup Press-Sentinel
