Moxietalk With Kirt Jacobs

Matt Thornton cites his desire to win as the trait that drives him in his roles leading Thorntons and contributing to the community. Thornton is president and CEO of Thorntons Inc., a leading, independent gasoline and convenience chain retailer with well over 170 stores. Originally founded by Thornton’s father, James H. Thornton, the first location opened in Clarksville, Ind., in 1971. For eight years, Thornton served as vice president of operations. During this time, Thorntons revolutionized the convenience store industry with a new award-winning prototype store, featuring a wide variety of fast food products, groceries, and beverages within a well-lit, customer-friendly environment. In 2001, Thornton was named CEO of Thorntons Inc. He practices “lead by example” in his role and it is not uncommon to see him picking up discarded items to ensure a clean store for his customers. The company is proud to be an ongoing member of Forbes magazine’s list of largest privately held companies in America, and for their