Big Y Foods made a number of changes to its senior leadership team effective Jan. 1.
Donald H. D’Amour, currently chairman and CEO, will be transitioning out of his day-to-day responsibilities as CEO. He will continue to serve as an advisor to the board in his new role as chairman emeritus. He was appointed CEO in 1980 and in 1997 succeeded his father and co-founder, Paul D’Amour, as chairman of the board.
Charles L. D’Amour, son of co-founder Gerald D’Amour, has been appointed CEO, succeeding Donald. He will continue as president, a position he’s held since 2006. As CEO, he will be responsible for helping to drive the overall strategic direction of Big Y along with the company’s vision and mission. In addition to providing overall leadership and oversight, key departments of finance, legal, real estate and development, employee services and information resources technology will report directly to him.
According to the company, these changes “align with the enterprise’s expanding business activities and the dynamic shifts that are occurring within the supermarket, convenience and retail liquor industries.”
“Our company continues to grow and evolve, and we are always developing opportunities to better serve our customers in the communities where we operate. Ushering in strategic change requires a dedicated group of professionals and leaders such as this team which is at the vanguard of the most innovative thinking in our industry,“ says Donald. “I’m proud of this seasoned, well-respected team that is well poised to lead our company now and into the future.”
Michael P. D’Amour, grandson of co-founder Paul D’Amour and son of Donald D’Amour, was appointed EVP in 2014 and has added the role of COO, a position formerly held by Charles, to his roster of responsibilities. As COO, Michael will be responsible for all operating aspects of the company including sales, operations, distribution and supply chain. He began his full time career at Big Y in 1996.
Guy W. McFarlane, Big Y’s VP of fresh foods since 2011 has been promoted to SVP of sales and marketing where he will oversee sales and procurement, pricing, marketing and data analytics. He will report to Michael. McFarlane began his career at Big Y more than 23 years ago and has been in the supermarket industry for 41 years.
Richard D. Bossie, Big Y’s VP of operations since 2016 has been promoted to the new position of SVP of operations and customer experience. Within this expanded role, Bossie will oversee all operational aspects of the company that impact the customer experience including labor planning, inventory control and ordering, checkout and customer service, and retail asset protection, along with all operational aspects of Big Y Express Gas and Convenience Division and Table and Vine, Big Y’s flagship beer, spirits and wine store. He also will report to Michael. Bossie began his career at Big Y more than 30 years ago and has more than 38 years of retail experience.
Nicole D’Amour Schneider, daughter of Donald and Big Y’s senior director of store operations, has been appointed to the new position of VP of supermarket operations with specific focus on the daily operations of the supermarket division. Along with the 5 district directors reporting to her, she will continue to be responsible for driving operational excellence throughout the chain. She reports to Bossie. Nicole began her full-time Big Y career in 1999.
