One of the executives at the center of the 2014 drama surrounding New England’s Market Basket supermarket chain has been named CFO of 99 Cents Only Stores, headquartered in California. 99 Cents made the announcement that Felicia Thornton would assume the CFO and treasurer roles on Monday. In a news release discussing Thornton’s work experience, […]
Category: Executive News
Grocery industry executive news: appointments, promotions and leadership changes at retailers, wholesalers and suppliers.
Follow every leadership change in Executive Moves.
Liras Promoted To VP Of Manufacturing At Lipari Foods
Lipari Foods has promoted Spiro Liras to VP of manufacturing, according to the company’s president and CEO, Thom Lipari. Liras joined JLM Manufacturing, a division of Lipari Foods, in 2009 as the director of manufacturing when the facility was exclusively confections packaging. JLM has since expanded its operational space multiple times, along with several acquisition […]
AWG Makes Organizational Changes
A day after it announced the promotion of Jeff Pedersen to EVP of division operations, Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), based in Kansas City, Kansas, is making several organizational changes. Effective Dec. 7, Steve Arnold, EVP of merchandising, will transfer to the Oklahoma City Division to the position of SVP and division manager, reporting to Pedersen. […]
Biggs To Succeed Holley As Walmart’s CFO
Brett Biggs will succeed Walmart CFO Charles Holley, who has elected to retire. The change takes effect Dec. 31. Holley will stay on until Jan. 31, 2016, to help with the transition. Holley, 59, has served as Walmart’s EVP and CFO since December 2010. Since January 2014, Biggs has served as EVP and CFO of Walmart […]
Flowers Baking Co. Gets New President
Flowers Foods has named Chris Mulford president of Flowers Baking Co. of Thomasville, Georgia, a subsidiary of Flowers Foods. Mickey Miller, current bakery president, retires after 42 years of service with the company. Mulford began his career with Flowers in 1987. Holding several sales positions with the company, he most recently served as VP of […]
Dean Foods Names Scozzafava COO
Dean Foods Co. has named Ralph Scozzafava to EVP and COO, effective Oct. 1. He will continue to report directly to CEO Gregg Tanner. In his new role, Scozzafava will continue to oversee the commercial functions of sales, marketing and R&D along with the addition of operations and procurement and logistics. “I’ve really enjoyed the […]
Kroger Names Group VP Of Corporate Affairs
The Kroger Co. on Tuesday appointed Jessica C. Adelman group VP of corporate affairs, effective Nov. 1. She will take over for Lynn Marmer, who recently announced her retirement. “Jessica brings a wealth of public affairs leadership experience and deep knowledge of the food supply chain,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “We look […]
David Smith To Succeed Jerry Garland At AWG
Associated Wholesale Grocers’ (AWG) EVP of operations, David Smith, will succeed Jerry Garland as president and CEO in January. The Kansas City, Kansas-based wholesaler made the announcement Thursday. Smith began his career in the food industry as an independent store owner and has worked in various assignments at the wholesale level. He joined AWG in […]
Target Creates COO Role For Mulligan, Names CFO
Target Corp. on Monday promoted John Mulligan to the newly created role of EVP and COO, effective Sept. 1. Mulligan will assume oversight of stores, supply chain and properties. Joining Target as EVP and CFO will be Cathy Smith, a seasoned retail business leader. Both Mulligan and Smith will report to Target Chairman and CEO […]
Food City Promotes Glei To EVP Of Merchandising/Marketing
Food City has promoted Dan Glei to EVP of merchandising/marketing. Glei previously was VP of center store operations for the Virginia-based supermarket chain. That role has been filled by Ross Purdy. Glei brings more than 25 years of industry experience to his new position. “Dan has done a great job with our center store, leveraging his […]
SEG Shakes Up Leadership Teams, Focuses In On Harveys Banner And S. Fla. Market
Southeastern Grocers (SEG), parent company of the Harveys, Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo banners, is laying off some of its executives as it makes new leadership appointments to its store operations and merchandise teams. “As we are all aware, the supermarket business continues to intensify as our competition grows and we work hard not only to defend […]
Martindale Assumes Newly Created Position Of CEO Of Rite Aid Stores
Rite Aid Corp.’s president and COO, Ken Martindale, has been promoted to the newly created position of CEO of Rite Aid stores. Martindale, 55, will continue to report to John Standley, Rite Aid Corp.’s chairman and CEO, and will retain his role as president of Rite Aid Corp. “Ken is a proven leader who, since […]
Kroger’s First Female Corporate Officer To Retire Next Year
The Kroger Co.’s group VP for corporate affairs, Lynn Marmer, plans to retire in early 2016 after 18 years with the company. She joined Kroger in 1997 as a senior attorney in the legal department. When appointed to her current position in 1998, she became Kroger’s first female corporate officer. “Lynn has always appreciated the […]
Former Nash Finch, 7-Eleven Exec Now A Partner At Kainos Capital
Kevin Elliott has joined Kainos Capital, a firm specializing in acquiring and managing food and consumer businesses, as a partner. Elliott most recently was president and COO of Nash Finch Inc. before the sale of Nash Finch to Spartan Stores Inc. He brings more than 25 years of operating, turnaround and mergers and acquisitions experience […]
Dollar Tree Names New COO
Dollar Tree Inc., a discount variety store operator, has named Michael Witynski as COO. Witynski, 52, will be responsible for store operations and real estate for Dollar Tree bannered stores in the U.S. and all retail operations and real estate in Canada. Witynski has served as SVP of stores since joining Dollar Tree in 2010. […]
Feeding America Appoints CEO
Feeding America will soon get a new leader. Diana Aviv, who currently serves as president and CEO of Independent Sector, the national leadership network for America’s nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs, will become CEO of Feeding America on Oct. 1. Aviv has led nonprofit organizations in their efforts to serve low-income and vulnerable people […]
Kroger’s President And COO Retires
The Kroger Co.’s president and COO, Mike Ellis, has retired after 40 years with the company. Ellis joined Fred Meyer in 1975 as a parcel clerk at age 16, and went on to serve in a series of operations and merchandising leadership positions in stores, division management and as a corporate officer. He was VP […]
Kroger Atlanta Exec Headed To QFC Division In Portland
The Kroger Co. has promoted Micheal Cristal, director of retail operations for Kroger’s Atlanta division, to VP of merchandising for the company’s Quality Food Centers (QFC) division. In his new role, Cristal will oversee merchandising efforts in the Puget Sound region of Washington State and in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. “Throughout the years, Micheal […]
Spear Takes Helm Of GMDC On June 1
The Global Market Development Center (GMDC) will complete its management transition on June 1 during the organization’s annual General Merchandise Conference, May 28-June 1 in Orlando. Industry leader and GMDC CEO Dave McConnell will transfer his role to GMDC President Patrick Spear. McConnell served as GMDC president and CEO for 15 of his 35-year career with […]
Clorox Executive Chairman Knauss To Retire July 1
The Clorox Co. Executive Chairman Donald R. Knauss has decided to retire from the company and the board, effective July 1. Knauss served as chairman and CEO of the company from October 2006-November 2014, when he stepped into a newly created executive chairman role and Benno Dorer was appointed CEO. “Don was an outstanding CEO […]
