Longtime Hy-Vee executive Jay Marshall has been elevated to the position of vice chairman for the grocery chain, the latest step in his 38-year career with Hy-Vee. In this role, Marshall with serve as vice chairman of Hy-Vee, while also continuing to oversee the operations of Hy-Vee’s supply chain and subsidiaries. Marshall will assist Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker, alongside Hy-Vee’s board of directors, with leading the company through today’s rapidly changing retail climate.
“While Jay will oversee key areas of our company, he will also work on the larger challenges facing the retail industry today,” Edeker said. “Jay has worked in and led virtually every area of Hy-Vee throughout his career, and he is a great and trusted leader. I am confident that he will do an excellent job in this new role.”
Marshall has been with Hy-Vee since 1982, filling a variety of leadership roles at both the store and corporate level. Most recently, he has served as EVP, co-chief operating officer and president, Hy-Vee subsidiaries/commissaries, for the past two years. With this change, Hy-Vee’s EVP Jeremy Gosch will continue to serve as the company’s COO.
Additionally, Hy-Vee executive Brett Bremser recently retired from Hy-Vee with 35 years of service on Jan. 1. Bremser retired as EVP and chief merchandising officer.
“To say that Brett has been an integral part of our company is an understatement,” Edeker said. “Brett is one of the hardest working and most dedicated people Hy-Vee has ever seen. I wish Brett and his family all the best in his retirement.”
Bremser started with Hy-Vee in 1981 as a part-time clerk at a Hy-Vee in Council Bluffs, and spent several years in various management positions at Hy-Vee stores in the Omaha area. He received his first Hy-Vee store director assignment in 2002 at the Overland Park South Hy-Vee. In 2005, he was selected to lead the Perry store, and in 2007, became director of the Urbandale Hy-Vee store. He served on the Hy-Vee board of directors in 2008 before becoming an officer of the company as assistant VP, advertising in 2010. In 2012, he became VP, center store, and the following year, added overseeing general merchandise, HBC and fuel operations. In 2013, he was promoted to SVP, merchandising. Bremser was named SVP, western region, in 2014, and in 2015, he was promoted to EVP, western region. He moved into the role of EVP, perishables in 2016 and was promoted to his current position as chief merchandising officer in 2017.
With Bremser’s retirement, former Hy-Vee EVP Darren Baty took on the key role of EVP, chief merchandising officer. Baty will oversee merchandising, as well as other areas of the company, such as health and beauty, floral, procurement and advertising.
Craig Clasen, Hy-Vee’s SVP of retail business development, also retired on Jan. 1. Clasen oversaw several vendor and supplier relationships while also vetting new, innovative products and companies.
Based in West Des Moine, Iowa, Hy-Vee Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 265 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $10 billion annually.
