Cyclum Renewable Truck Stops, a new travel center operator based in North Carolina, has established its inaugural c-suite team as it embarks on an ambitious growth trajectory across the U.S.
The company announced last week that it named Brian Profitt, former division director of 7-Eleven and head of Speedway’s travel plaza and restaurant operations, as its CEO. It also appointed Polly Flinn, former president of GetGo Cafe + Market and BP’s U.S. convenience segment, as its chief operating officer and Pat O’Hagan, former chief financial officer of Brewer-Hendley Oil Company, as its first CFO.
Cyclum’s first executive appointments coincide with the company sharing its plans to open 400 “renewable” travel centers in the coming years.
Each location — expected to sit on between 15 and 24 acres of land — is expected to offer traditional fuels alongside zero-carbon solutions such as hydrogen, renewable compressed natural gas and electric vehicle charging, Miles Palmer, the company’s director of fleet sales, said in an interview.
Additionally, every travel center will feature in-store seating and a selection of fresh produce, artisan goods and snacks. It will also include an on-site health clinic, a fenced dog run, a family playground and a truck wash service.
“We're trying to kind of reimagine the idea of a travel center, truck stop kind of scenario,” Palmer said.
Cyclum was founded several years ago but has spent that time developing its concept, Palmer said. Those plans are now coming to fruition, as Cyclum is in the process of acquiring land with the intent to begin building locations next year. The first location should open roughly 18 to 24 months after breaking ground, Palmer added.
Palmer said the first phase of Cyclum travel centers will be focused on the West Coast with “a splash of a few others in and around” the region.
According to the company’s website, its most targeted market is California, where it’s looking to build truckstops near Sacramento, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno and Bakersfield, among other areas. Earlier this year, Cyclumn revealed that its first location will be in Tulare, about 50 miles south of downtown Fresno.
Cyclum is also targeting western Washington and Oregon, southern Arizona and Tijuana, Mexico.
“That's just kind of a rough outline of the planned path we’re looking to take over the coming years,” Palmer said.
