Chief Executive Officer, President & Director, Valvoline
Search every verified Lori Flees interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Lori Flees, CEO of Valvoline, spoke at a Rotary Club of Lexington meeting on December 5, 2024, describing Valvoline as a "50-year-old new company" following its 2023 separation from its product division, which was sold to Saudi Aramco. She stated that the company now focuses solely on retail services, operates approximately 2,010 stores, and has achieved 18 consecutive years of same-store sales growth. Flees outlined three strategic priorities: driving the core business, accelerating network growth, and preparing for future customer preferences, noting that Valvoline's stores are within a 10-minute drive of 30 to 35 percent of the population and that the company holds only a 5 percent market share of all oil changes in its markets. Flees discussed Valvoline's adaptation to industry changes, including a pilot program for electric vehicles in Mountain View, California, and a requirement in Connecticut to provide recall information to customers. She mentioned a target to grow the store network to 3,500 locations. Flees also highlighted the company's fundraising of $1.3 million for Children's Miracle Network charities and its focus on mental health support for employees, citing data that men in automotive service roles experience suicide at twice the rate of the average working American man.
“Valvoline is a 50-year-old new company with a unique blend of a legacy brand started in 1866 and a new focus on being a peer-to-peer retail services business.”
“In 2023, we completed the sale of the product division to Saudi Aramco and became two completely separate companies, with Valvoline focusing on retail services.”
“We have about 2,010 stores in our network and have achieved 18 years of same-store sales growth, which is incredible.”
“Valvoline's strategic priorities include driving the full potential of the core business, accelerating network growth, and preparing for the future with changing customer preferences.”
“Only 5% market share of all oil changes are done by Valvoline in our markets, indicating tremendous potential for growth.”
“The electrification of the car park is progressing slowly; currently about 1% of all vehicles driven are battery electric vehicles, and Valvoline is preparing to serve customers regardless of vehicle technology.”
“We recently did a pilot with EVs in Mountain View, California, to understand the services needed and how our trusted brand can provide a great experience.”
“We have a target to grow to 3,500 stores, having already doubled from 1,750 to over 2,000 stores in a short time.”
“Valvoline has raised $1.3 million for local Children's Miracle Network charities and is focusing on supporting children's health initiatives with an emphasis on mental health and wellness.”
“Men in automotive service and maintenance roles experience suicide twice as often as the average working man in America, which has led Valvoline to focus on mental health support within its workforce.”
The Rotary Club of Lexington KY meets in-person the first, second and fourth Thursday each month, from 12:00-1:00 PM, at Mane ...
Sign in to search the full transcript archive, filter by topic, and access every quote from Lori Flees.
The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →