Dive Brief:
- H-E-B has tapped COO Roxanne Orsak to be its next president, effective in January, the Texas grocery chain announced Tuesday.
- Orsak will replace Craig Boyan, who is retiring at the end of 2026 after serving as president of H-E-B since 2010.
- Orsak, who will be H-E-B’s first woman president, joined the retailer in 1988 as a store management trainee.
Dive Insight:
During Boyan’s tenure leading H-E-B, the grocer has expanded its footprint in numerous markets in the Lone Star State and across several different formats, including its discount, Hispanic and convenience stores.
Boyan also oversaw H-E-B’s adept response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which earned the company plaudits from across the industry, as well as an e-commerce expansion that incorporates automated fulfillment centers and the company’s own delivery service.
Since Boyan joined the grocer in 2005 as chief strategic officer, H-E-B’s annual sales have grown from $10 billion to $50 billion.
“Craig has guided significant and continuous company growth while strengthening the people-based values that are so important to H-E-B,” CEO Howard Butt III said in a statement. “His commitment to innovation, collaboration, and focus on people has positioned us strongly for the future.”
Boyan will become a strategic advisor to H-E-B and join the company’s board oversight and advisory committee when he leaves his position as president. He will also continue serving on H-E-B’s board of directors and remain chair of FMI — The Food Industry Association.
To replace Boyan, H-E-B has turned to an executive with a long history and deep understanding of the company. Since starting as a store management trainee nearly 40 years ago, Orsak has worked in leadership roles in nearly every area of the company. She became chief operating officer in 2022.
“At H-E-B, we are more than just a grocery store. We are committed to showing up for each other and working hard so we can run a business that improves the lives of our Partners, customers, and communities,” Orsak said in a statement. “I am honored to continue to shape the future of this great company with integrity, heart, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.”
Recently, H-E-B has focused on expanding its main grocery banner in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, where Kroger and Albertsons have sizable footprints. In January, H-E-B claimed top honors for the third year in a row in Dunnhumby’s Retailer Preference Index.
