Turjo Wadud began working for his father as a teenager in their family’s gas station/convenience store. An eager-learner and a quick study, Wadud opened his first store at the age of 19 and launched several companies across different business sectors, including home entertainment, fitness, finance and gaming, before returning to the fuel and gasoline industry. His father’s gas station was leased from Mountain Express Oil Company (MEX), where Wadud became CEO in 2020.
Mountain Express Oil Company is a transformative force within the gas, fuel, retail and real estate industry. Grounded in history and experience, MEX has a rapidly expanding footprint across the United States and an ambitious goal to distribute more than a billion gallons of gasoline annually by 2025, while giving back to communities where it does business.
Just 24 hours before the U.S. declared COVID-19 a national pandemic, Wadud joined forces with business partner Lamar Frady to become a 50% stakeholder, co-CEO and co-owner of MEX. Together, they navigated unprecedented challenges and uncertain times due to the unpredictable nature of operating in a global pandemic.
During the last two years, Wadud has helped grow MEX into a billion-dollar company. Nearly 160 stores have been acquired this year alone, and by the close of 2022, Mountain Express aims to have 300 retail stores (convenience and travel stores) with a footprint across more than half of the United States. At just 37 years old (in 2022), Wadud is one of the youngest presidents in the fuel and gasoline sector, and he has raised more than three billion dollars in capital since 2020.
MEX and its CEO have earned several awards. In 2021, Wadud (along with Frady) was chosen for the Most Admired CEOs Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle. In 2022, he was named a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and MEX was awarded the Platinum Award from Exxon Mobil.
Wadud places a premium on building strong relationships with everyone, from gas station operators to investors to employees.
“There’s not just one attribute that leads to success, but I believe successful leaders have a passion for what they do,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s about maintaining your focus and discipline in something you are passionate about, backed by a relentless work ethic. “
He serves as a mentor to immigrants, providing hands-on advice about how to build from the ground up or elevate their business. When acquiring stores and gas stations, he tries to keep all the staff in place to save jobs, maintain a consistent management team, and keep workplace satisfaction high. MEX identifies gas stations and convenience stores in underserved areas and immerses itself in communities with a goal to imbue safety, quality offerings and convenience.
Beyond his own work in the fuel and energy industry, Wadud and his wife have built more than 50 homes in small villages in Bangladesh, with the goal of building 100+ homes during the next few years. Seeing transportation as the conduit to a career and income, Wadud also donated mopeds to Bangladeshis to provide better access to creating income.
