Key Points

• Marathon Petroleum’s Terminal Operations Manager Whitney Reinhart leads with grit, empathy and a people-first mindset shaped long before her 15-year career with the company.
• Through hands-on leadership and initiatives like Canton Field Days, Reinhart empowers teams and students alike to see what is possible in terminal operations and beyond.
• Grounded in her roots and guided by service, Reinhart builds community by showing up, lifting others and staying true to who she is.

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A Journey Built from the Ground Up

Today, Whitney Reinhart leads terminal operations in Canton, Ohio, but her path there began far from the energy industry she now helps power. What she learned early growing up in Glasgow, Kentucky, was that hard work isn’t optional, neighbors become family, faith in people is a must and you give back because someone once gave to you.

“Maybe it wasn’t always the easiest way or even the best way,” Reinhart said. “But if you showed up, did the work and took care of each other, it felt right. And things got done.”

Those early lessons, long before joining Marathon Petroleum as an intern, shaped the drive, optimism and people-first mindset that would later define her leadership approach.

Terminal Operations Northeast Area Manager Andy Schulze says Reinhart’s ability to ignite collaboration and energize those around her is what sets her apart as a leader.

“She has a fire like only Whitney can light in the best possible way,” Schulze said. “She makes people want to show up and give their best. Watching her grow as a leader and grow others along the way has been a true joy.”

Schulze said her individualism only strengthens that impact and elevates those around her while reinforcing a shared commitment to Marathon Petroleum’s Core Values.

“Whitney leads in a way that draws others into alignment with a shared commitment to doing the right thing,” Schulze said. “And that’s what makes her leadership truly inspiring.”

Reinhart’s career at Marathon Petroleum spans more than 15 years and multiple parts of the business. She has worked in Emergency Preparedness, Transport & Rail and Logistics & Storage (L&S) Terminals, building a strong understanding of operations and the teams who keep them running.

“I’ve learned something different in every role I’ve held,” Reinhart said. “Each one pushed me to see the business from a new angle and appreciate how much the work depends on people.”

And her “I’m not growing unless I’m growing others” approach to leadership quickly earned the respect of peers and mentors alike.

“Whitney has always been a leader, but the leader she has grown into during her journey at Marathon is the kind who brings out the absolute best in people,” said Supply Chain Midstream Operations Senior Director Kevin Sabol. “That kind of growth and that kind of impact doesn’t happen by accident.”

Today, Reinhart leads the Canton light products and Canton crude truck unload terminals with a clear priority: her operators and technicians come first.

“I tell my team this is their house,” Reinhart said. “My job is to make sure they have what they need, remove obstacles and help them grow.”

“Whitney has always been a leader, but the leader she has grown into during her journey at Marathon is the kind who brings out the absolute best in people.”

Leadership in Action

Over time, Reinhart realized leadership isn’t defined by title or role but by how you treat people.

“I have been through things in life that taught me empathy and grit,” she said. “If I can lighten someone’s load or help them believe in themselves even a little more that is a good day.”

She empowers operators to run the control center like it is their own. She calls out strengths they do not see in themselves. She pushes her people to stretch and stands right next to them while they do.

“I trust people to own what they do,” Reinhart said. “When someone feels supported and trusted, they rise to the occasion. That’s when the real work gets done.”

Community, the Whitney Way

Growing up in a place where everyone knows everyone shaped Reinhart’s belief that community only works when people show up. That belief is at the heart of Canton Field Days, a program she helped launch that now brings hundreds of local high school students to Canton terminal each year.

“For me, Canton Field Days is about opening doors,” Reinhart said. “Watching our team come together and seeing students realize they can do these jobs has been incredibly meaningful. It reminds all of us why showing up for our community matters.”

That same commitment extends well beyond the terminal gates, including volunteer efforts supporting organizations like Ronald McDonald House.

“Whitney has a way of bringing people together around something bigger than the task at hand,” said Leanne Benson, Lead Territory Manager for the Heartland Region. “No matter the setting, she creates space for people to care, contribute and take pride in what they’re doing.”

Reinhart is grounded in where she comes from and honest about the work it took to get comfortable being herself.

“To my core, I’m a Kentucky girl. Go Cats,” Reinhart said. “It took me years to realize life is too short to be anything other than who you truly are. I’ve learned to trust that, stay grounded in what matters most, and to encourage others to do the same.”