Justin Tichy, who was chief operating officer for Petco less than a month ago, announced via LinkedIn last week that he’s the new COO of Wawa. Tichy joins the convenience retailer after spending the past two years as COO of the San Diego-based pet retailer.
Tichy resigned from Petco on June 8 after the retailer announced several leadership changes in late May. The company has since eliminated its COO position.
It’s unclear if Tichy has already begun his role with Wawa. In a comment on his LinkedIn post, Tichy said he’s “super excited to join the team” and is “looking forward to meeting everyone soon.” Tichy also noted in the comments that he is relocating to Philadelphia for his new position.
“It's such an honor to join an amazing team with an iconic brand and a passionate customer following,” Tichy said in the announcement.
A spokesperson from Wawa declined to comment on Tichy’s hiring, noting that the c-store retailer “does not distribute releases or information regarding hires or promotions within our senior management team.”
Tichy joined Petco in 2018 as chief stores officer before becoming COO in August 2022. As COO, he led all operations for Petco’s 1,500-plus locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, according to the company’s website. Tichy also managed Petco’s logistics operations, including its distribution centers.
Before joining Petco, Tichy held numerous leadership positions with several companies, such as insurance broker Confie and retailers Best Buy, Target and Walmart, his Petco bio notes.
Tichy’s hiring continues a series of c-suite changes at Wawa in recent months. In March, the convenience retailer named Nelson Griffin, a former executive vice president at Red Lobster, as its chief supply chain officer. About a month later, the company named former Orangetheory Fitness chief financial officer David Hammer as its new CFO, according to Hammer’s LinkedIn bio. C-Store Dive could not confirm Hammer’s hiring at the time.
Wawa, which is in the midst of a major expansion, operates over 1,050 convenience stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington, D.C.
