Ascend Grocery, owner and operator of 33 Save A Lot locations across the greater Orlando region, has announced the promotion of Dean Little from COO to president and COO.
Little is an owner and founding partner of Ascend Grocery and has played a key role in establishing Ascend as one of Save A Lot’s largest retail partners.
Little has more than 40 years of food retail experience with a strong background in store operations, working his way up through leadership positions from his first role as a courtesy clerk/bagger. He has worked with brands including Vons/Safeway, Price Chopper and most recently at Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, where he served as COO.
At Ascend, Little has helped establish clear operational standards and reinvigorating the Orlando Save A Lot stores following Ascend’s acquisition earlier this year. In his expanded role, he will play an integral part in leading the company’s growth strategy.
“Since taking on the Orlando area Save A Lot locations in January, Dean has been instrumental in helping us to quickly elevate our operations and ensure we are delivering an outstanding experience for our customers,” said Chris Sherrell, Ascend CEO.
“I’m thrilled that Dean is taking on this added responsibility as we build our leadership team to position Ascend for continued growth. I have great confidence in his leadership and his ability to execute our plan to expand our network and impact beyond Orlando.”
Ascend Grocery was founded by a team of experienced grocery and investment executives to acquire and open new Save A Lot Hometown Grocer locations in established and new markets.
For more information visit SaveALot.com.
