You can’t drive around this region without seeing a Wawa. What started as a single fresh food market in Folsom, Pennsylvania, in 1964 today is a business with more than 650 convenience stores specializing in foodservice and gasoline in five mid-Atlantic states and now Florida. Wawa Inc., is No. 34 on the Forbes list of America’s largest private companies, with revenues of $9.7 billion and more than 22,000 employees.

Two top Wawa executives will discuss how this Pennsylvania-based company has achieved such success and popularity at this year’s first George Washington Leadership Series at Washington College. Richard D. Wood III ’91, director of government relations and sustainability for Wawa, Inc., and Howard B. Stoeckel, vice chairman of the board, will speak on “How Wawa Has Become an Endearing and Enduring Brand.”

The event on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, is at 2:30 p.m. in Hynson Lounge, and is free and open to the public.

Wood, who was an American studies major at Washington College, earned his masters in business at Saint Joseph University in Philadelphia. He’s been with Wawa for 17 years, after spending six years with the Coca-Cola Company. Stoeckel has been with Wawa for 27 years; prior to his current role, he served as president and CEO for eight years, as well as senior vice president of marketing, and vice president of human resources. He authored the book The Wawa Way in 2014.

Wood and Stoeckel will join a list of luminaries who have spoken as part of the George Washington Leadership Series since its inception in 2012. Created to honor the vision and values of founding patron George Washington—especially his belief in a better future achieved through education, scholarship, leadership, and service to others—the series has drawn leaders from a variety of professions to interact with students and faculty and to deliver a public address. Previous speakers include: Raghavan Seetharaman, group CEO of Doha Bank; Lance Weaver, former vice chairman and chief administrative officer of MBNA; Paul Reed Smith, founder and owner of PRS Guitars; Ellen J. Kullman, chair of the board and CEO of DuPont; H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. ’85, former CEO of Danaher Corporation; and Rebecca W. Rimel, president and CEO of The Pew Charitable Trusts.