Jessica Starnes

Director of Loyalty/Tobacco Category Manager at Weigel’s

Speaker

Jessica Starnes serves as the Director of Loyalty and Tobacco Category Manager at Weigel’s, where she oversees two of the most strategically critical areas of the business. In her role managing the tobacco category, Jessica leads with precision—navigating a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape while driving innovation in assortment, merchandising, and promotional funding strategies.

Her expertise has been pivotal in repositioning the tobacco category to adapt to industry headwinds, including double-digit cigarette declines and the rise of illicit vapor sales. Jessica has proactively leaned into Modern Oral Nicotine as a key growth driver—resetting backbar space, increasing vendor collaboration, and establishing Weigel’s as a regional leader in this emerging segment. Her ability to leverage loyalty-based vendor funding and optimize mix has helped protect margins and increase units in a challenging category.

Jessica’s category leadership is matched by her accomplishments in loyalty, where she has built one of the most effective rewards programs in the convenience retail industry. Her cross-functional approach ensures loyalty and category management are aligned—boosting customer frequency, retention, and gross margin performance.

A two-time Top Women in Convenience (TWIC) honoree—recognized as both a Rising Star and a Senior-Level Leader—Jessica was also named 2025 Category Manager of the Year for Loyalty. She holds a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional (CLMP) designation, a NACS Category Management Certification, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee. Jessica continues to raise the standard for customer-first innovation and category performance in convenience retail.