Parker’s Kitchen – a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader that was recently honored as a USA Today Top Workplace – announced a strategic leadership transition, naming Brandon Hofmann as CEO and John Rudolfs as President and CFO, effective immediately. Hofmann and Rudolfs report directly to company founder Greg Parker, who is transitioning to Executive Chairman after serving as CEO for the past 50 years. Parker will continue to oversee the company’s growth, strategy and philanthropy.
“I plan to stay involved with Parker’s Kitchen because I love creating opportunity for others and giving back to the community in meaningful ways,” said Parker. “Truly effective leaders always try to replace themselves with leaders who are better than they were. Brandon and John are both truly outstanding leaders with bright futures."
Hofmann previously served as the President of Parker’s Kitchen and is the architect behind the award-winning company’s explosive expansion plans, strategic marketing campaigns and acclaimed Best Place to Work initiatives. A people-first leader who is dedicated to excellence, he oversees operations at nearly 100 Parker’s Kitchen stores across Georgia and South Carolina and is currently spearheading the company’s ambitious expansion into new markets, including Jacksonville, Fla.; Columbia, S.C.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Hofmann began his career in the convenience store industry at the age of 19, working as a third-shift cashier at a Parker’s store in Hinesville, Ga. Over the years, he has excelled in a variety of leadership roles at Parker’s Kitchen, serving as President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer and District Manager, working his way up to the company’s top executive role. He honed his operational skillset under the mentorship of Greg Parker, creating the modern-day Parker’s Kitchen brand, standardizing store layout and creating a template for future company growth. He also led the company’s rebranding from Parker’s to Parker’s Kitchen, emphasizing the company’s award-winning Southern-inspired, made-from-scratch menu.
“Brandon is an inspiring leader who truly serves as the heart and soul of our company,” said Parker’s Kitchen founder and Executive Chairman Greg Parker. “He’s data-centric and has his finger on the pulse of what makes Parker’s Kitchen exceptional. Brandon has worked his way to the top of our company, going from a third-shift CSR to CEO, which is a remarkable testament to his hard work as well as the incredible career opportunities at Parker’s Kitchen.”
Rudolfs previously served as the Chief Development Officer at Parker’s Kitchen and originally joined the company in 2021. An executive leader with a strong cross-functional management background and a former U.S. Navy officer, Rudolfs served as the Executive Vice President for Murphy Oil Corporation/Murphy USA and Chief Development Officer for MAPCO before joining Parker’s Kitchen. He has more than 20 years of experience in leading multi-million and multi-billion dollar companies, including a variety of fuel companies. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Rudolfs was awarded the U.S. Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and numerous other service medals and commendations.
“Over the past four years, John has been responsible for adding 29 stores to the Parker’s Kitchen portfolio,” said Parker. “He has had a dramatic impact on the success of our company, helping us professionalize the way we buy and price gas, creating standards for construction and inventing the template we use for site selection. I know that John has what it takes to guide Parker’s Kitchen through its next growth phase and to help us achieve our ambitious goals.”
Parker’s Kitchen was named the Convenience Store Chain of the Year by Convenience Store Decisions, which is the industry’s highest honor, and has been honored by Food and Wine as one of America’s Best Convenience Stores and by Convenience Store News as the Convenience Foodservice Leader of the Year. The company employs nearly 1,800 team members throughout Georgia and South Carolina and completes more than a million transactions weekly.
Since its founding in 1976, Parker’s Kitchen has become a nationally acclaimed company and has been included on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America seven times. The Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date.