CRESSON, Pa.- Last month The New York Times ran a front page story about two juggernaut convenience store giants – Sheetz and Wawa - primarily serving Pennsylvanians, but also travelers in surrounding states. The Mount Aloysius College Spring Honors & Business Lecture will feature two executives behind these parallel success stories. The event will take place Thursday evening, March 21^st at 7:30 p.m. in historic Alumni Hall.

Mr. Harry McHugh, retired COO of Wawa, Inc. and a Wharton MBA, will serve as featured speaker discussing “Hospitality as a Business Imperative — How To Stay In Business Over Two Hundred Years: The Wawa Story.” Attendees will also have the privilege of hearing Mr. Stan Sheetz, president and CEO of Sheetz, Inc., a close-to-home example of success through strategic planning, convenience and great service.  Mr. Stan Sheetz will introduce Mr. McHugh that evening.

Mr. McHugh’s Lecture is part of the College’s yearlong theme of “Hospitality, Finding Home in a Changing World.“

Mount Aloysius President Tom Foley noted that the theme could not be better illustrated, from a business perspective, than through the success of the two service-oriented businesses and these two leaders. “Mr. Sheetz and Mr. McHugh represent successful corporations that have systematized hospitality; applying exceptional intelligence to marketing, service and consistency,” he said. “Business success is yet another facet of the discussion surrounding `Hospitality’ and I think our students are in for an interesting dialogue.”  

Harry J. McHugh, Sr., joined Wawa, Inc. in 1973. Mr. McHugh has served WAWA in many capacities including as director of systems, strategic planning and real estate; and as vice president of real estate, and store operations. He retired recently as senior vice president of operations. During his tenure, Wawa grew from 103 convenience stores to over 500 with sales approaching $1.8 billion.

Prior to joining Wawa, Mr. McHugh served as a software consultant to NYSIIS and NASA and as manager of business systems responsible for human resources, financial and purchasing systems for the Franklin Mint. Mr. McHugh received his MBA from the Wharton School in 1979. In addition to serving on the advisory board for Pegasus Systems, he also serves on the board of directors for the Children's Miracle Network, the board of directors and The President's Council of Immaculata College, and the board of governors of the Academy of Food Marketing for St. Joseph's University and The Food Marketing Educational Foundation. He served as chairman of the Southeastern PA Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Mr. Stan Sheetz, son of founder Bob Sheetz, became president and CEO of Sheetz, Inc. in 1995. Sheetz maintains a unique and successful family business with five family members serving on the executive committee. Since 1952, Sheetz has grown from a small dairy/deli in Altoona, PA, to one of the fastest growing family-owned convenience stores in the world, with more than 437 locations across six states — Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina — and more than 14,500 employees.