(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers in North America, announced today that Kevin Wills will join the company as chief financial officer in February 2019.
”With 30-plus years in retail, professional services and utilities, Kevin has the right expertise to contribute immediately to the company’s success in a significant way,” said Ken Parent, president of Pilot Flying J. “His strong financial background will be critical to supporting our goal of being a great place to work and a great place to shop, as well as helping us deliver on making a better day for our guests.”
Wills will oversee day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial-related activities. In addition, he will continue to drive financial accountability in all areas of Pilot Flying J. Some of his duties include direct responsibility for company-wide financial operations, accounting, finance, forecasting, strategic planning, deal analysis, negotiations, procurement and aviation.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to join Pilot Flying J, a company that I have long admired,” Wills said. “It has a longstanding track record of excellence, and I am proud to join this talented team and organization.
My focus will be to identify and manage growth opportunities while helping take the company to the next level as an industry-leading travel center operator and retailer. I’m looking forward to ensuring the company’s financial success by leading data-driven decisions and metric-driven accountability.”
Wills joins Pilot Flying J from Tapestry, Inc., (NYSE: TPR), New York, where he is chief financial offer and serves on the executive committee and has responsibility for all financial operations. Prior to Tapestry Inc., he worked at AlixPartners, New York, as chief financial officer and was responsible for global financial operations. He also worked at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York, as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Wills holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, and is a certified public accountant. He serves on the board of directors of Tivity Inc. (NASDAQ), as chairman since November 2015.
The combined network of more than 750 Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers across North America serves more than 1.6 million customers daily.
In October 2017, Berkshire Hathaway made a $2.76 billion investment in Pilot Travel Centers.
Under the terms of the agreement, Berkshire will become the majority owner in five years.
© 2018 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.