Cindy Fitzgibbons, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, Stop’nGo of Medina Inc.
A relative newcomer to convenience store industry, but no stranger to the world of operations management, Cindy Fitzgibbons has climbed the ranks since joining Stop’nGo of Medina Inc. in 2010.
In her current position as general manager and chief operating officer at Stop’nGo convenience stores, Fitzgibbons is responsible for overseeing operations at the company’s corporate office, as well as all daily operations at the chain’s 10 locations in Medina and Wayne Counties in Ohio.
Fitzgibbons entered the c-store industry after a long background in operations management, when she joined Stop’nGo as an assistant general manager.
In just over a year she was promoted to general manager and chief operating officer in October of 2011. She credits her strong background that includes experience in human resources, accounts management and even corporate law, with helping her succeed and grow quickly in her new career.
Starting Out
Fitzgibbons’ career began when she graduated from Kent State University with an Associates Degree in office administration. “My education provided me with the fundamentals in business management, entrepreneurship, accounting and general office procedures,” she said.
She utilized those skills after graduation in positions as a legal administrative assistant for a corporate attorney at Roetzel & Andress Co.; staff accountant for the accounting firm TL Kelley & Associates CPA Inc.; and office manager for a 12-store Wendy’s franchise in Akron, Ohio. She also held the role of office manager for The db Group, a manufacturer’s representative company.
These roles provided Fitzgibbons with extensive experience in corporate law, human resource management and account management, which has aided her during her time at Stop’nGo. “The combination of my education and prior work history provided necessary skills to propel me into a leadership role as general manager of Stop’nGo,” she said.
Directly before joining the team at Stop’nGo, Fitzgibbons’ held the position of vice president of ActionLink, a company providing third-party retail merchandising labor, product demonstrations and assisted selling in the consumer electronics and office superstore industry.
“I was instrumental in the start up of the company through maturing it into a multi-million dollar producer,” said Fitzgibbons, who added she gained in-depth experience in managing and training people on technical items, as well as in operational disciplines, and managing corporate financials, all of which benefit her in her on the job in her current role today.
Growing With Stop’nGo
Moving into 2012, Fitzgibbons noted, she looks forward to leading Stop’nGo in human resource management, business growth and community involvement as the new general manager and chief operating officer.
Fitzgibbons added that her goal is to “learn as quickly as I can about this many faceted industry, take advantage of looking at our business with fresh eyes and build a strong team of managers and employees, making Stop’nGo a great place to work and providing great food, great people and great service to our communities.”
As for how she likes the c-store industry, Fitzgibbons added, “I believe the future for Stop’nGo and the convenience store industry is bright and challenging at the same time.”