Pilot Company Diversifies Leadership Team as Part of 2022 Growth Strategy

Stephanie Myers, Manager, Media and Public Relations

Pilot Company, one of the leading suppliers of fuel and the largest operator of travel centers in North America, announced today its 2022 strategic growth plan and the addition of four vice presidents to its leadership team. The additional leadership positions will further position the company to strengthen its core business, build on its geographic expansion and drive innovation to enhance the overall guest and team member experience.

Pilot Company is investing significantly in growing and enhancing its travel center network this year with plans to add more than 34 locations, including 14 new travel centers and over 20 dealer sites. In partnership with Southern Tire Mart, the two companies are expecting to add 40 new Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J (STMPFJ) service centers to Pilot Flying J locations across the country. This is part of STMPFJ’s expansion plans to provide fleets with over 200 on-premises shop locations within the next few years.

In addition to network growth, Pilot Company is stepping up its initiatives to provide travelers and professional truck drivers with upgraded amenities, more offerings and new services that make the store experience easier, faster and more rewarding. Key initiatives will include testing new food concepts, facility upgrades, technology enhancements and introducing new partnerships, such as the recent addition of GNC wellness products to Pilot Flying J stores nationwide.

“We are always looking ahead and listening to our guests and team members to drive future innovation and strategic investments in our business,” said Shameek Konar, Pilot Company CEO. “As we move into 2022, we have made several key organizational changes and additions that diversify our leadership team and position our company for sustained growth by delivering on our promise to ensure the experience at Pilot is exceptional.”

Continuing to build on its people-first culture and history of giving back, Pilot Company will also focus on enriching the team member experience and exploring additional corporate sustainability programs. Through these initiatives, the company will assess and deploy impactful systems, tools and strategies to advance talent development, recognition and rewards, diversity and inclusion, and wellbeing for all team members. Pilot Company will further leverage its energy division and capabilities as one of the largest suppliers of biodiesel and alternative fuels to evaluate new opportunities and future innovations that will support the industry’s energy transformation.    

To support the ambitious goals of Pilot Company, three individuals have been recently promoted and a new hire added to round out the company’s leadership team.

Allison Cornish has been promoted to VP, Store Modernization. In her new role, Cornish will lead the design and execution of store improvement initiatives alongside Pilot Company’s construction and development team. Cornish is excited to meet and exceed the ever-changing needs of today’s consumers. Since joining the company in 1999, Cornish has held leadership positions in multiple capacities throughout the company, including her most recent role as Zone VP, Operations. Her substantial knowledge on store operations and its impact on the team member and guest experience will play a significant role as she oversees store modernization projects.

Cornish is originally from Lexington, KY and lives in Knoxville. She graduated from Maryville College with a BA in Business Administration.

Jamie Landis has been promoted to VP, Team Member Experience, where she will be responsible for the design, implementation, and elevation of the experience for all team members. This will include a focus on attracting, hiring, retaining top talent and delivering on Pilot Company’s overall Human Resources strategy. Landis joined the company in June 2021 as Senior Director, Human Resources Strategy and Operations. Prior to Pilot Company, Jamie held multiple cross-functional Human Resources leadership roles with Delaware North, Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, and Dick’s Sporting Goods where she drove talent strategies that enabled organizational growth and performance.

Landis relocated to Knoxville in 2021 from Buffalo, NY. She holds an MBA from University of Illinois and a BS in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.

Tim Langenkamp has been promoted to VP, Business Development – Sustainability. In this new role, he will focus on energy-transition strategies including developing EV charging infrastructure for passenger vehicles and medium- and heavy-duty trucks, developing a strategy for supporting low emission and zero emission vehicles, and continuing to provide low carbon fueling alternatives to our guests. He has been serving as General Counsel for the energy unit of Pilot Company since 2019, working with Pilot Company’s senior team on diversifying and growing revenues. Langenkamp has two decades of experience in private practice, advising clients on public and private securities offerings, corporate governance, M&A and joint ventures.

Langenkamp resides in Houston, Texas. Originally from Austin, Texas, he holds degrees from the University of St. Thomas (BBA) and the University of Houston (JD and LLM in Intellectual Property).

Jonathan Braatvedt joined Pilot Company as VP, Food and Beverage, to focus on expanding Pilot Flying J’s offerings into new business channels, improving operational efficiencies and enhancing guests’ food and beverage experiences. Braatvedt oversees more than 790 owned and operated restaurants across 14 brands, and 670 proprietary fresh delis’, from development to execution. His near-term focus will be to utilize technology to expand Pilot Flying J’s reach to guests beyond the travel center, create crave-able food innovations and provide a frictionless and easy dining experience. Prior to Pilot Company, he spent ten years at Taco Bell in numerous operation and development roles and was an Operational Consultant for municipal agencies prior to that.

Braatvedt relocated to Knoxville, TN, from Irvine, CA, where he immigrated from South Africa in 1999. He has a Masters degree in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a Minor in History, from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see many talented people being promoted internally and joining the Pilot family to lead our teams as we continue to expand and differentiate our business,” Konar expressed. “We are in the service industry and will continue to do everything we can to make a better day for everyone that walks through our doors.”

For more information about Pilot Company or to learn more about joining the team, visit www.pilotcompany.com.

About Pilot Company

Pilot Travel Centers LLC (“Pilot Company”) keeps North America’s drivers moving as one of the leading suppliers of fuel and the largest operator of travel centers. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Company has grown its network to more than 800 retail and fueling locations and as the third largest tanker fleet in North America, supplies more than 12 billion gallons of fuel per year. Its energy division also supplies DEF, bio and renewables and provides hauling and disposal services. Pilot Company serves 1.5 million guests per day and provides over 70,000 direct fleet customers with bundled solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, services and rewards. Its Pilot Flying J Travel Center network includes over 750 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 680 restaurants, 75,000 truck parking spaces, 5,300 deluxe showers, 6,200 diesel lanes and offers truck maintenance and tire service through Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J. The One9 Fuel Network connects a variety of fueling locations to provide smaller fleets and independent professional drivers with everyday value, convenience, credit and perks. More information on locations and rewards are available in the myRewards Plus^TM app.

Pilot Company is currently ranked No. 7 on Forbes' list of America’s Largest Private Companies. For additional information about Pilot Company, its 28,000 team members and commitment to giving back, visit www.pilotcompany.com.