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This article was originally published on Forbes.com by Peter High, President of Metis Strategy.
Love’s Travel Stops has named Tim Langley-Hawthorne as its new chief technology officer, a move that reinforces the company’s focus on aligning digital capabilities with its broader business priorities. Langley-Hawthorne will now report to the company’s president Shane Wharton and will lead initiatives that expand innovation, drive new product development and ensure that technologies such as artificial intelligence are introduced responsibly.
Langley-Hawthorne brings more than 30 years of experience across industries, regions and organizations. He most recently held the role of executive vice president and chief information officer at Hertz where he rolled out technology-driven solutions across thousands of locations worldwide and oversaw systems supporting a fleet of over 500,000 vehicles. Before that, he worked at Hitachi Vantara, guiding the technology side of several acquisitions from due diligence through integration. His background also includes leadership roles at Western Union and Information Services Group.
Known for building strong relationships with internal teams and external tech partners, Langley-Hawthorne is often described as a collaborative and hands-on leader with a deep commitment to execution.
“Innovation is one of Love’s core values, and we know Tim is passionate about leveraging technology and fostering a culture of innovation that will play a role in advancing our strategic priorities,” said Wharton. “His three decades of experience will help us to stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies and position Love’s as a market innovator.”
Langley-Hawthorne expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the company’s technology efforts. “It is an honor to join Love’s as chief technology officer and deploy technology enabled products to support our customers and employees,” he emphasized. “Love’s has a long history of innovation and focus on the customer. I’m thrilled to join the technology team and deliver on Love’s strategic growth and innovation goals by enhancing customer experiences.”
Love’s was founded in 1964 and has grown into a leading travel stop and convenience store operator, with 661 locations across 42 states and a workforce of nearly 40,000 throughout North America and Europe. As the company expands, its leadership sees technology as a key lever for improving service and staying ahead of evolving industry needs.
With Langley-Hawthorne now leading the technology function, Love’s is poised to strengthen its commitment to customer-focused solutions and long-term innovation.
