CARY — Convenience store operator The Pantry Inc. said Thursday it hired B. Clyde Preslar as its next chief financial officer.

Preslar has been CFO of railroad operator RailAmerica Inc. since May 2008. He will join The Pantry on Feb. 7.

The Pantry runs 1,572 stores in 13 states under names including Kangaroo Express. The company has changed CFOs twice in recent years: Frank Paci stepped down in September of 2010 to pursue other interests, and Paci's successor, Mark Bierley, resigned in May 2012 to take a job closer to his home in Michigan.

Its shares rose 11 cents to $11.80 in morning trading. That is just above their 52-week low of $11.25 almost a year ago. Its shares are down from a 52-week high of $16.36 in August.