Dennis Eidson, President and Chief Executive Officer of SpartanNash
Company (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPTN), announced today that the Company
has promoted two Executive Vice Presidents to key positions within the
company. Dave Staples, SpartanNash’s current Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer
(COO), and Derek Jones, Executive Vice President, Food Distribution, has
been promoted to President, Wholesale and Distribution Operations. Both
appointments are effective March 1, 2015.
Dave Staples, Chief Operating Officer (COO) (Photo: Business Wire)
As Chief Operating Officer, Staples will oversee all three operating
segments of the company: retail, wholesale and military distribution.
His appointment will enable Eidson to focus more of his time on the
Company’s long term strategic plans and potential growth opportunities.
The Company has initiated recruiting efforts for a Chief Financial
Officer; Staples will continue to serve as CFO until his replacement is
hired.
“This appointment is part of our robust three year integration plan,”
notes Eidson. “The size and scope of SpartanNash today demands a
dedicated Chief Operating Officer. We are pleased to have had such an
exceptional internal candidate.” As CFO, Staples helped guide the
Company from $1.98 billion in 2003 to $7.9 billion in 2014. Eidson
notes, “Dave’s leadership was critical to our ‘game changing’ merger of
Spartan Stores and The Nash Finch Company in November of 2013. He also
has been an instrumental and respected member of our executive team,
helping to define our strategic direction, drive our customer centric
business model and cultivate strong customer relationships.”
Staples joined SpartanNash in January 2000, serving as the Company’s
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since November of
2000. In this capacity, Staples directed finance, real estate, the
treasurer’s department, internal audit, risk management and information
technology. Prior to joining SpartanNash, Staples held positions with
Kmart and Arthur Andersen. He is a certified public accountant.
Staples currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan
Chamber of Commerce and the Grand Rapids Symphony.
As part of the Company’s strategic development plan, Derek Jones,
SpartanNash’s Executive Vice President, Food Distribution, has been
promoted to President, Wholesale and Distribution Operations. Jones will
report to Dave Staples and oversee the entire supply chain, including
military supply chain operations. “This streamlined approach,”
emphasizes Eidson, “is critical to our mission to leverage our expertise
in food distribution and retail to develop, activate and provide
impactful solutions that exceed expectations for associates, customers
and partners. Derek’s extensive experience and expertise in food
distribution will result in increased efficiencies and a ‘one way’
operation with his leadership.”
As Executive Vice President, Food Distribution, Jones has embraced
SpartanNash’s customer focus core value and cultivated and strengthened
relationships with the company’s independent customers operating 2100
locations. Jones has also successfully driven growth as a value added
distributor while directing the operations of SpartanNash’s Wholesale
and Supply Chain Operations, including warehousing, transportation, new
business development, replenishment, and customer service. In his
expanded role, Jones will now oversee the military operations supply
chain.
Jones joined the Company in 2006 from Unisource Worldwide, Inc., where
he served as Vice President of Distribution for the company’s eastern
region covering 35 states, 48 distributions centers, and $3 billion in
annual delivery sales. Jones has also held senior operations management
positions with Office Depot, Walgreen’s, and Wal-Mart.
Jones currently serves on the Board of Directors of National Grocers
Association, and he served on the Board of Directors of the Heart of
West Michigan United Way from June 2011 to June 2014.
About SpartanNash
SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is the largest food distributor serving
United States military commissaries and exchanges in the world, in terms
of revenue. The Company’s core businesses include distributing food to
military commissaries and exchanges and independent and corporate-owned
retail stores located in 44 states and the District of Columbia, Europe,
Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Azores, Bahrain and Egypt. SpartanNash currently
operates 162 supermarkets primarily under the banners of Family Fare
Supermarkets, No Frills, Bag ‘n Save and Econofoods.
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