SAVANNAH, Ga. (Feb. 24, 2025) – Parker’s Kitchen – a nationally acclaimed convenience and food service company that was honored as a USA TODAY Top Workplace – recently announced three strategic promotions in the areas of finance, information technology and construction to support the company’s strategic expansion into new markets, including Jacksonville, Fla.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Columbia, S.C.
Parker’s Kitchen promoted John Rhine to Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting, Scott Smith to Vice President of Information Technology and Tom Rutledge to Senior Director of Construction.
“John Rhine, Scott Smith and Tom Rutledge are rock stars at Parker’s Kitchen and have each played key roles in our company’s ambitious expansion strategy,” said Parker’s Kitchen President Brandon Hofmann. “We know they are strong leaders who will help us maintain our company standards as we continue to build new stores throughout our existing footprint and in exciting new markets.”
As the Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting, John Rhine is responsible for overseeing the organization’s daily finance operations, financial strategy and analytics, business intelligence, procurement and warehousing operations. He previously served as the company’s Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, providing strategic planning that played a crucial role in driving the company’s explosive growth throughout Georgia and South Carolina. His exceptional leadership earned him a place on Convenience Store Decisions’ “40 Under 40 Leaders to Watch” list. Prior to joining Parker’s Kitchen in 2020, he served as a Senior Valuation and Transaction Analyst with Hancock Askew Advisors, LLC in Savannah, Ga. and as a Financial Analyst at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation in Savannah, Ga. Rhine is a U.S. Army veteran and former Sergeant and Squad Leader with the 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and is originally from Fayetteville, Ark. He earned a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt and a Bachelor of Business Administration from South University, summa cum laude.
As the Vice President of Information Technology, Scott Smith oversees the company’s entire IT infrastructure, cybersecurity initiatives and emerging technology integration. He also works closely with executive leadership to drive digital transformation efforts that enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement. Since joining Parker’s as Senior Director of Information Technology in 2021, Smith has played a pivotal role in strengthening the company’s IT operations, optimizing security measures and implementing advanced digital solutions to support business growth. His leadership has contributed to the company’s continued expansion and ability to provide seamless, tech-driven convenience to customers across Georgia and South Carolina. He has been named a “Future Leader in Convenience” by Convenience Store News for his impressive professional achievementsand included on the Convenience Store Decisions “40 Under 40 Leaders to Watch” list. Originally from Baltimore, Md., Smith worked as the Director of Information Technology for a convenience and fuel retailer before joining Parker’s Kitchen and has more than 15 years of experience in IT leadership within the convenience retail industry.
In his role as Senior Director of Construction, Tom Rutledge leads the strategic planning and execution of Parker’s Kitchen construction projects, ensuring they are completed on time and with operational excellence. He also manages and mentors a team of construction project managers and vendors and oversees renovations, store improvements, ground-up buildouts and large-scale projects. In addition to his construction responsibilities, Rutledge now oversees environmental operations, further supporting the company’s commitment to sustainability and compliance while playing a key role in driving innovation, optimizing processes and supporting the company’s growth objectives. Rutledge has extensive experience in both the c-store industry and construction development and holds numerous certifications in construction and petroleum operations. Prior to joining Parker’s Kitchen in 2022, he spent over a decade as a Project Manager for a national convenience store company, where he oversaw construction and new market development. Earlier in his career, he served as a Project Manager for Green Mountain Construction in San Antonio, Tex. and D’Astuto Construction in Bellmawr, N.J.
Parker’s Kitchen is currently in the middle of an ambitious expansion and plans to expand into new markets including Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Columbia, S.C. The company employs more than 1,600 team members throughout Georgia and South Carolina and completes more than a million transactions weekly. Parker’s Kitchen was named the Convenience Store Chain of the Year by Convenience Store Decisions, which is the industry’s highest honor, and has been honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores and by Convenience Store News as the Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year. Since its founding in Midway, Ga., in 1976, Parker’s Kitchen has become a nationally acclaimed company and was honored as a USA TODAY Top Workplace in 2024.
ABOUT PARKER’S KITCHEN:
Honored by USA TODAY as a Top Workplace, Parker’s Kitchen 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 Georgia and South Carolina. Proudly headquartered in Savannah, Ga., Parker’s Kitchen has a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and has repeatedly been recognized as one of the nation’s leading convenience store and foodservice companies. The company 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 popular Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date. Featured on Inc. 5000’s list of the fastest growing companies in America seven times and honored as the Convenience Store Decisions Chain of the Year, Parker’s Kitchen employs nearly 1,800 team members and completes more than one million transactions weekly. Learn more: parkerskitchen.com.
