Mrs. Grissom’s Salads has appointed food industry veteran Alan Casey as its new VP of sales and brand development. Casey brings years of brand development knowledge and industry know-how from previous positions as VP of sales for Butterball and most recently as SVP of sales and brand development for Bubba Foods Inc., makers of Bubba […]
Category: Executive News
Grocery industry executive news: appointments, promotions and leadership changes at retailers, wholesalers and suppliers.
Follow every leadership change in Executive Moves.
Orgeldinger To Succeed Pohler As CEO Of IFCO Systems
IFCO Systems says Wolfgang Orgeldinger will become the company’s CEO, succeeding Karl Pohler who is retiring to pursue other interests. Orgeldinger also will succeed Pohler as group president of the Reusable Plastic Crates (RPCs) segment of IFCO’s parent company, Brambles Limited. Orgeldinger has been COO of IFCO since 2002, responsible for all aspects of the […]
Wenning Announces Retirement From NGA
Tom Wenning, EVP and general counsel for the National Grocers Association (NGA), has announced his retirement, effective in December. “It has been a real honor and privilege to be a legislative, regulatory and legal advocate on behalf of independent retail grocers and wholesalers for the last 40 years before Congress, presidential administrations, regulatory agencies and […]
J.C. Penney Taps Former Kraft Exec To Lead Marketing Efforts
Former Kraft Foods Group executive Debra Berman has joined J.C. Penney Co. Inc., where she will lead the retailer’s marketing efforts. As the company’s SVP of marketing, Berman will be responsible for leading J.C. Penney’s marketing efforts with a focus on revitalizing the jcpenney brand, building its brand architecture and communicating the brand promise. Berman […]
Cathy Green Burns Named PMA President
The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has appointed Cathy Green Burns as president, effective Dec. 1. The appointment, PMA says, is part of the organization’s continuing restructure of the senior leadership team. In this new role, Green Burns will focus initially on leading board and staff team development as well as lending her insight to business […]
Bertram Named SVP Of Store Strategy At Ahold USA
Ahold USA has appointed Nick Bertram as its SVP of store strategy and execution. In this role, which will be based in Carlisle, Pa., Bertram will lead the development, optimization and delivery of key operational support processes in partnership with Ahold USA’s retail divisions, as well as managing new business ventures. Bertram joins Ahold USA […]
Chief Restructuring Officer Now Running Belle Foods
The father-and-son team that founded Belle Foods in Birmingham just more than a year ago gave up control of the bankrupt grocery chain to New York-based Carl Marks Advisory Group (CMAG) on Monday. CMAG partner, J. Jette Campbell, will be running Belle Foods. Al.com reports that U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Jack Caddell ordered the move […]
Natural Grocers Elects Cerkovnik To Board Of Directors
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc. has elected Edward Cerkovnik to be an independent member of the board of directors. As a Class III director, Cerkovnik will hold that position until the annual meeting of stockholders in 2015. Cerkovnik is an additional, not replacement, member of the board—bringing the total number of board members to […]
Ocean Spray Appoints Global Chief Marketing Officer
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., a grower-owned cooperative, has appointed Thano Chaltas to the newly created role of global chief marketing officer. Chaltas will be responsible for global brand development and will be part of the cooperative leadership team. He will report directly to Ken Romanzi, SVP and COO of Ocean Spray Brands. “As the world’s […]
Supervalu Appoints New CFO
Supervalu Inc. has named Bruce Besanko as the company’s EVP and CFO, effective Aug. 7. Besanko joins Supervalu after serving as EVP of finance, CFO and chief administrative officer for OfficeMax. “I’m very excited to welcome Bruce to Supervalu,” said Sam Duncan, president and CEO. “Having worked with him during a successful turnaround at OfficeMax, […]
Chobani Adds Two To Executive Lineup
Chobani Inc. has appointed David Denholm as president and COO, effective July 29, and Peter McGuinness as chief marketing and brand officer, effective July 22. The company says the addition of these two executive leaders signals a continued focus on growing the business and the momentum behind the Chobani brand, which has reached more than […]
Shoppers President Leaves Company After Less Than A Year
Shoppers President Bob Bly has decided to leave the company to pursue new career opportunities. Supervalu, the Bowie, Md.-based chain’s parent company, made the announcement today. Bly was appointed president of Shoppers in August 2012. Prior to joining Supervalu, he was a VP for Sears Holdings Co. Bob Gleeson, VP of merchandising, and Micky Nye, VP […]
P&G Exec Flannery Joins GMA’s Senior Leadership Team
Jim Flannery has been appointed senior executive VP of operations and industry affairs for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA). “I am pleased that Jim Flannery is joining the GMA team,” says Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of GMA. “Given his life-long experience and success in the consumer packaged goods industry, and his in-depth knowledge […]
Compton Named To Crossmark Board Of Directors
Crossmark, a leading sales and marketing services company in the consumer goods industry, has named John Compton to its board of directors to serve along with principals of Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm. Compton spent most of his career as a senior executive at PepsiCo, most recently serving as president of PepsiCo. […]
Campbell’s Appoints Barroso SVP Of Global R&D
Campbell Soup Co. today appointed Carlos Barroso as SVP of global research and development, reporting to Denise Morrison, Campbell’s president and CEO. Barroso’s appointment becomes effective July 31. “Research and development is an essential ingredient in our recipe for delivering the meaningful, consumer-focused innovation needed to change our company’s growth trajectory,” says Morrison. “Carlos brings […]
Nash Finch Promotes Swanson To SVP Of Retail Operations
Nash Finch Co., a Minneapolis-based food distributor, today said that Tom Swanson, VP of retail operations, has been promoted to SVP of retail operations. Since joining Nash Finch in 2012, Swanson has led corporate retail through several key growth initiatives, including new store openings, implementation of innovative retail marketing and merchandising programs, execution of a […]
Khalaf Promoted To VP Of Industry Development At Kraft
Kraft Foods Group’s Omar Khalaf has been promoted to VP of industry development following the recent announcement that Regenia Stein intends to retire. Khalaf will be responsible for leading Kraft sales and industry development with a focus on category and customer development opportunities. “Omar’s various experiences in field and customer development roles will provide a […]
McCormick Names Kurzius As President Of Global Consumer, CAO
McCormick & Co. Inc. has appointed Lawrence Kurzius to the role of president of global consumer and chief administrative officer, effective July 1. In this role, Kurzius will have the responsibility for McCormick’s consumer business globally as well as several of the company’s corporate functions including IT, supply chain, R&D and quality assurance. Kurzius also […]
Safeway Names Land O’Lakes’ Libenson As New CIO
Safeway Inc. has appointed Barry Libenson as SVP and CIO. He succeeds David Ching, who retired from the role earlier this year after 19 years with the company. As CIO, Libenson will oversee Safeway’s information technology business functions. He will report directly to Safeway EVP Larree Renda and will assume his responsibilities July 1. Libenson […]
McIlhenny Co. Appoints New Sales And Marketing Leadership
McIlhenny Co., maker of Tabasco brand products, has made several changes to its sales and marketing leadership teams to strengthen and more closely align the company’s domestic and global business operations. McIlhenny Co. President and CEO Tony Simmons announced the following appointments: • Fifth-generation McIlhenny family member Harold Osborn, currently serving as SVP, will assume […]
