Richard D. Wood Jr., the visionary leader behind Wawa's significant expansion and success, passed away on Friday, July 10, at the age of 88. Wood, who served as president, CEO, and chairman for decades, was instrumental in developing Wawa into a major convenience store and gas outlet with over $12 billion in annual sales and 850 stores spanning from New Jersey to Florida.
Wood's tenure saw the introduction of 24/7 operations, the addition of gas pumps, an expanded inventory, and the popular employee stock ownership plan. He oversaw Wawa's growth to more than 36,000 associates and helped make it one of the largest privately held companies in the country. A key aspect of his leadership was a commitment to a people-first philosophy, which included offering flexible schedules and tuition reimbursement for employees, and fostering a strong company culture.
Beyond his business achievements, Wood was also a significant philanthropist. He and his family donated $25 million to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in 2021, leading to the establishment of the Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment and the Richard D. Wood Jr. and Jeanette A. Wood Endowed Chair in Pediatric Diagnostic Medicine. He also initiated a volunteer services program at CHOP.
Wood became president of Wawa in 1977, CEO in 1980, and chairman in 1982. He retired as CEO in 2004 but remained chairman of the board until 2020, when he was named chairman emeritus upon his 50th anniversary with the company. His leadership, which focused on innovation and a strong associate-ownership model, fundamentally shaped Wawa into the widely recognized brand it is today.
