2026-01-05T22:23:22.984Z
Sheetz announced on Monday that Stephen G. Sheetz, a longtime executive, had died at 77.
The company said he helped expand the family business from a handful of stores to a regional chain.
During his tenure, Sheetz started selling gas and built intense customer loyalty.
Sheetz announced the death of Stephen G. Sheetz, its former president, CEO, and board chairman, on Monday. He was 77.
Sheetz died on Sunday night, the company said. He spent more than six decades with the family-owned convenience-store chain founded by his brother, Bob Sheetz, in 1952.
According to the statement, Stephen Sheetz was just 12 when he began working for the company, then called Sheetz Kwik Shopper, long before it became a regional powerhouse. After graduating from Penn State University in 1969, he moved into management and oversaw operations at all four stores then in business.
He later partnered with his brother to accelerate expansion. By 1983, Sheetz had grown to 100 locations in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Sheetz remains a family-owned business, according to the company, and Stephen Sheetz has guided multiple generations of Sheetz family members into leadership roles.
During his time as president and CEO, Sheetz introduced made-to-order food, expanded into fuel sales, and pushed the company into new states. He also helped define the company’s focus on customer experience, which became a central part of its brand identity.
Usually open 24 hours a day, the chain has built a devoted fan base with a wide variety of food options and cheap gas. Industry rankings and customer surveys have consistently ranked Sheetz among the top convenience store chains in the US. A recent survey ranked it in second place, tied with its regional rival, Wawa.
This story was written using Business Insider’s AI tools and edited by a Business Insider editor.
