Katie Petru

Director of Communications, CASEYS GENERAL STORES INC

Search every verified Katie Petru interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Katie Petru, Director of Communications and Community at Casey's General Stores, discussed the company's loyalty program and customer engagement strategies in a September 2021 interview. She stated that she leads the communications team, covering internal communications, external brand PR, corporate communications, and community giving. Petru described the launch of Casey's Rewards in January 2020, a program where members earn points on in-store and online purchases and fuel, with options to redeem points as Casey's Cash, fuel discounts, or other rewards. She noted that the company quickly formed agile development teams to add features such as challenges and referrals based on customer feedback. Petru emphasized that partnerships should begin with insight into the audience and strategy, and that convenience has become a greater priority for customers. She said Casey's has a user experience team that conducts focus groups and interviews to understand guest preferences. Petru defined loyalty as an "unwavering commitment from a consumer to a brand," while acknowledging that convenience often drives consumer choice. She stated that Casey's aims to improve customer experience and foster deeper relationships, as the bar for experience is set by guests in every new interaction.