Maureen F. Keenan

Class of 2019

Maureen Keenan will tell you the phenomenal people are what make the confectionery industry so much fun.

Born December 22, 1966 to John and Maureen Sullivan in Providence, Rhode Island, Maureen is a lifelong New Englander.

Graduating from Cranston High School East in 1984, she stayed close to home and attended Providence College.

Her tenure at CVS began more than 25 years ago in 1993. Starting as a Store Manager, she was responsible for all facets of the store and staff.

She would become Store Operations Specialist in 1999, supporting and managing various merchandising and marketing programs in addition to operations initiatives to drive sales, profits and customer service goals.

In 2003, Maureen would move on to the inventory side of the business and become Special Conditions Inventory Planner, a position in which she supported and specialized in new store, store relocation and extreme store inventory planning.

Her career would cross paths with confectionery in 2005 when she was named Store Inventory Planner. She managed all store replenishment and allocation activities for the candy and beverage categories.

In 2012, Maureen took the leap and was named Seasonal Category Manager for Candy.

She says she has enjoyed every second of the past seven years as she fully manages all key seasons, developing an efficient process of collaborating, interviewing and negotiating with vendors on item selection, product strategy and seasonal planning.

She proudly serves as a mentor in the NCA Women’s Leadership Group, which she notes is a rewarding experience and a way to build long-term relationships.

Outside of the industry, Maureen is active in her community, taking time out of her busy schedule to do charity work at Amos House Soup Kitchen and serving as treasurer at her local church.
She stays physically active by exercising with friends and spending time with her nine nieces and one nephew. Maureen says many people don’t realize she spent 11 years as a receptionist for Weight Watchers before her candy buying career.

Maureen and her husband, Mark, have been married for more than 25 years and currently reside in West Greenwich, Rhode Island.

“Maureen is very passionate about everything candy, and still makes time in her busy schedule to do charity work,” says Joe Melville, of candy.com.

She tells us she is extremely humbled to be inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame, saying: “The experience has made me realize the impact of the relationships that I have built with such great people in this industry. I wouldn’t change it for the world! I am one lucky lady!”

In 2021, Maureen was honored with the NCA Confectionery Leadership Award, presented in conjunction with Candy & Snack TODAY magazine.