The New Jersey Food Council has announced the election of two new members to its board of directors – Mary Demos of Whole Foods Market and Jonathan D’Orsi of ShopRite of Carteret – as Len Sitar steps down from the panel after nearly 50 years of service, the longest tenure in the organization’s history.
Sitar, president of ShopRite of Carteret, a single-store owner in the Wakefern family, joined the NJFC board of directors in 1977. During his tenure, he served as chairman of the board in 1992.
He has been active on the Government Affairs Committee and the board of governors for the Food Council Committee for Good Government, the organization’s political action committee.
“This transition is bittersweet; we are bidding a sad farewell to Len Sitar and his nearly 50 years of unmatched service to the New Jersey Food Council,” said Linda Doherty, president and CEO of NJFC.
“Len has been a steadfast voice for our members and for this industry. We are deeply grateful for his decades of leadership. While his absence on the board will be felt profoundly, we take comfort in knowing he helped prepare the next generation of leadership to carry that work forward.”
Demos is the operations team leader for the store receiving program at Whole Foods Market, where she guides the U.S.-based field support team responsible for execution of the receiving program across all operating areas.
In 21 years with the company, she has held roles spanning marketing, finance and operations, spending the majority of her career in receiving operations, with a specialization in new store concepts and urban logistics.
She is a Certified Partner on Pilots & Initiatives with the New York City Department of Transportation’s Office of Freight and Mobility and a contributor to the Federal Highway Administration’s Off-Hours Delivery Guidebook.
D’Orsi, Sitar’s nephew, joined ShopRite of Carteret more than 10 years ago after two decades on Wall Street.
He began his career in public accounting at KPMG and Ernst & Young, receiving his CPA, and completed his MBA at New York University before joining Lehman Brothers and later Bear Stearns, where he served as COO of the global equity division.
Since joining his family’s supermarket business, D’Orsi has led initiatives to modernize the store and increase profitability, including enhancing the perishable department and expanding own-brand penetration, while reducing shrink and employment costs.
In planning for the transition, Sitar nominated D’Orsi to the association’s Leadership Development Class to help prepare him for his role on the board.
“Mary and Jonathan bring exactly the kind of diverse perspective and real-world retail experience that further strengthens ourbooard,” Doherty said. 
“Mary’s deep operational expertise in logistics and receiving, drawn from one of the largest grocery organizations in the country, gives us invaluable insight as our industry navigates an increasingly complex supply chain,” she said.
“Meanwhile, Jonathan brings a rare combination of Wall Street financial discipline and hands-on, independent supermarket ownership, offering a perspective that reflects the realities facing our smaller members. Together, they add tremendous depth and diversity of thought to our Board, and we are thrilled to welcome them.”
The New Jersey Food Council represents nearly 400 companies, including 1,200 retail food stores, wholesalers, manufacturing and service companies that employ more than people in New Jersey.