Describe your current role at your company.
Marci Gagnon Senior Vice President of Sales responded: I lead the development and execution of our channel strategy within the utilities sector. This involves close collaboration with our marketing, sales and product teams to ensure we're building solutions that truly align with our customers' needs and support their long-term growth. In addition to shaping our go-to-market strategy, I’m also responsible for driving new sales opportunities and managing key strategic partnerships. My role bridges the gap between customer needs and product innovation, ensuring everything we deliver adds real value to our clients and strengthens our position in the market.
What would you say is the best lesson you’ve learned in your career?
When I was fresh out of college, I had the privilege of working for a wonderful mentor, Ranee Flynn. She was incredibly smart and generous with her time. I had been researching a major account for weeks, and it was a big opportunity. As we prepared to go into the meeting, she asked a simple but pointed question: ‘If the client asks how you calculated this number, what’s your response?’ I couldn’t answer. The numbers had come from another department, and I hadn’t dug deep enough to fully understand them. Because of that, she didn’t let me attend the meeting. It was tough love, but after our conversation and explanation of why, her message stuck with me. She taught me that clients spend a lot of money and extend a lot of trust to hire experts. And while my numbers were technically correct, I needed to understand every aspect of how they were derived, what they meant and how they would impact the client’s business. If I wasn’t prepared to answer those questions confidently and on-the-spot, I could unintentionally make the customer feel uncertain or, even worse, provide misinformation that could affect their business and potentially ours. In that case, I had no business being in the meeting. Since then, I’ve become known as someone who asks a lot of questions when reviewing reports or cost analysis, and I’ve never made that mistake again.
How do you personally, as well as your company, contribute to a promising future for the propane industry?
At Qualpay, we are continuously developing new tools designed to help our customers streamline their payment operations, eliminate unnecessary third-party costs and support long-term business growth. Our goal is to provide integrated, intelligent solutions that make payments more efficient and transparent. We believe the changes and advancements in payment technology happening today will play a critical role in helping businesses reduce costs, improve cash flow and better allocate resources in the future. By investing in smarter payment infrastructure now, companies can build a more scalable and resilient foundation for what’s ahead.
What’s the most interesting area of the propane industry right now?
I think one of the most interesting aspects of my area within the propane industry is surcharging. The regulations around it are constantly evolving, and as more companies look to offset credit card processing costs through surcharging, I’m particularly interested in how homeowners respond. I work with businesses every day that implement surcharges; some find success, while others return a few months later wanting to remove them due to consumer pushback.
What do you see as some of your greatest personal accomplishments?
At Qualpay, some of the personal and team accomplishments I’m most proud of include launching the Energy channel in 2019 and successfully navigating it through the challenges of the pandemic, resulting in nearly $3 billion in processing volume by 2025. I'm deeply honored to have earned the trust and support of my colleagues. It had always been a dream of mine to help build the kind of platform I believed the industry truly needed, and I’m grateful the team believed in that vision and brought it to life. I’m constantly inspired by our incredible product and engineering teams. Their ability to execute that vision so precisely still amazes me. On a personal level, my greatest accomplishments are the meaningful relationships I’ve built and nurtured with my family and friends. Those connections ground me and continue to be the most rewarding part of my life.
Have you ever felt “imposter syndrome”? How did/do you overcome it?
I’ve been in the recurring billing and utility industry since 2010. In the beginning, it was challenging to be a woman in such a male-dominated field, and it was often difficult to be taken seriously. However, over time, building strong relationships and becoming involved with organizations like Women in Propane and Women in Energy has been incredibly empowering. These connections have helped highlight the presence of brilliant women in the industry. The outpouring of support I've experienced over the years has not only shifted the way I view the industry, but also the way I see myself.
What skill do you think everyone in your role or a similar one should learn?
Our industry is built on relationships, and one of the most valuable skills we can have is the ability to truly listen to one another. Often, if we take a moment to listen just a bit more deeply, we can better understand the real need or request behind what’s being said.
In what ways do you prioritize collaboration and teamwork in your interactions with colleagues and industry partners, and how does this approach foster innovation and growth?
As an employee-owned company, collaboration and teamwork are at the heart of everything we do. I work closely with our underwriting, operations and support teams to ensure our partners and customers have the tools they need to succeed. Since we’re an integrated platform that owns all of our technology, everything we build is driven directly by the needs of our partners and customers. Our platform was designed to support the growth of the industry, so we spend a great deal of time listening to feedback to make sure we get it right.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
That’s such a tough choice, but if I could only eat one meal, it would have to be a charcuterie board loaded with fruits and vegetables.
Which historical figure would you most like to meet?
This might sound a bit silly, but I’ve always wanted to meet Eduard Haas, the inventor of the PEZ dispenser — such a fun and iconic idea!
Do you have any pets? If so, tell us all about them!
We have a goofy Cavanese puppy named Chispa that is never far from my side during work and often makes appearances on webcalls, along with several tanks of pet fish in a variety of species. It’s fascinating to watch them school and interact.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
Living in Maine, I spend a lot of time outdoors year-round with family and friends. Depending on the season, we enjoy bonfires, camping trips, hiking and skating. When the weather gets colder, I like to stay in and spend time sewing and working on crafts.
