VERC Enterprises (http://vercenterprises.com), a 40+ year old, second-generation family business and leader in the convenience store/gasoline station industry, has promoted Jim Fitzgerald of Hanover, MA to the position of President.
In this role, Fitzgerald, who has been with the company for 22 years, will oversee the day-to-day operations of the growing company, while also working directly with owners Leo and Paul Vercollone on planning and implementing the company’s future growth.
Fitzgerald is the first non-family member to serve as the company’s President. He joined VERC Enterprises in 1995 as Director of Finance; in 2000 he was promoted to Chief Financial Officer and in 2011 he was named Vice-President/Chief Operating Officer.
The announcement was made by Leo Vercollone, who will serve as Chief Executive Officer but will turn over the day-to-day operations of the business to Fitzgerald. Vercollone announced the promotion of Fitzgerald in a letter which all of the firm’s 300+ employees received.
“Jim is absolutely the right choice for this role,” Vercollone said, noting that Fitzgerald has been a key member of the VERC family and team for more than two decades. He continued, “Jim is that steady hand that has guided us through a period of tremendous growth, as we have expanded into new communities and even into a neighboring state.” He continued, “Jim has been a major influence in our company’s development, continually showing the ability to direct many facets of our organization and help us get to the next level. I know that we are in excellent hands with Jim’s expertise and guidance.”
Vercollone, who said that his role will transition more to “big picture” growth and strategy items said, “I see big and impressive things ahead for us. This is the perfect time to be certain we have the strongest management team possible in place to guide us through this next phase of growth.”
Fitzgerald will lead the company’s management team which will also include Paul Vercollone, Senior Vice President, and Barry Ahearn, recently promoted to Vice President of Operations.
Prior to his affiliation with VERC Enterprises, Fitzgerald spent 12 years as a Senior Manager at the Rockland, MA CPA firm Needel, Welch & Stone, and he was also CPA/Manager for the Boston firm Vitale, Caturano and Co. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Stonehill College and a Master’s Degree in Computer Information Systems from Bentley College.
The Braintree, MA native is a member of the Massachusetts Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. He has also been active in industry organizations, including serving on the legislative committee of the New England Convenience Stores Association.
About VERC Enterprises
VERC Enterprises is the region’s leading, independent chain of convenience stores and gasoline stations, with locations throughout Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The company began more than 40 years ago, with a single car wash in Marshfield, in a business founded by Eugene Vercollone. Today two of Mr. Vercollone’s sons operate the company, with Leo as Chief Executive Officer and Paul as Senior Vice President. The firm has more than 300 employees and is a leader in hiring those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. VERC Enterprises has been recognized by the Boston Business Journal as a Best Place to Work in Massachusetts and as a Leader in Diversity and in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016 by the Boston Globe as a Best Place to Work in Massachusetts. For additional information, please visit the website, www.vercenterprises.com, or call 781-934-7300. To learn more about VERC, please view: https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLesS4W9hjtufdf6GhvnfUKMk2l2Q-r-MM
