Grocers were again busy making adjustments to their executive ranks during August. The changes included Brookshire Grocery Company’s naming of a permanent CEO, Trader Joe’s appointment of a new chief information officer and Festival Foods’ decision to promote a member of its leadership team to chief operating officer. In addition, PCC Community Markets announced that its CEO intends to retire next year.
Here’s a roundup of some of the most noteworthy executive-level changes in the grocery industry in August.
Albertsons brings on a chief marketing officer
The supermarket chain hired Emily Turner as senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Turner joined Albertsons after serving in a top marketing role at The Fresh Market. She is taking command of Albertsons’ enterprise marketing strategy at a time when the grocery company is trying to turn around flagging sales and revive its stock price.
Trader Joe’s appoints a new chief information officer
The specialty grocer named Prabash Coswatte, a former senior executive at Heritage Grocers Group, as its chief information officer. Coswatte served most recently as Heritage’s chief operating officer and also spent time as chief information officer of that grocer’s Cardenas Market banner.
Brookshire names a permanent CEO
The grocer appointed Jerry LeClair, who has served since February as its interim chief executive, as CEO. LeClair joined the company, which runs stores in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, in 2019 and has spent more than four decades in the grocery industry.
Heritage names multiple new executives
The Hispanic supermarket company filled multiple top-level roles in August. Among the new executives are four people from outside the grocer, including Maria McDonald, who became chief people officer; Gil Salzar, who assumed the position of chief information officer; Ryan Adams, who became division president for Cardenas Markets and Los Altos Ranch Market; and Jay Sharrock, who became division president of El Rancho Supermercado.
Heritage also promoted Adrian Castañeda to chief logistics officer, Vince Gambino to chief merchandising officer and Adam Salgado to chief experience officer.
Festival Foods gets a new chief operating officer
Adam Whitney assumed the position of chief operating officer of the Wisconsin-based grocery chain after serving as Festival Foods’ chief merchant since January. Before joining Festival Foods in late 2023, Whitney held several roles at Meijer, including vice president of the supercenter operator’s fuel and convenience business.
Smith’s Food & Drugs appoints new merchandising VP
The Kroger-owned banner named Jordan Poff as vice president of merchandising. Poff took over the position after serving as vice president of retail operations. He replaces Bryan Sant, who retired at the end of August after a 40-year career.
The Giant Company names human resources VP
The grocery chain appointed Jim Saccary as vice president of human resources. Saccary is returning to the chain after serving as vice president of business services for parent company Ahold Delhaize USA. Earlier in his career, Saccary spent three decades in a variety of human resources roles at the banner.
PCC Community Markets CEO announces retirement
The Seattle-based grocery cooperative announced that Krish Srinivasan will retire from his post as president and CEO in January 2027. Srinivasan has served as the co-op’s chief executive since 2022 and oversaw a financial turnaround. He formerly was PCC’s CFO.
