Personnel Updates

• Colvin Oil Co. (5) announced that Don Johnson has been appointed COO. The company also said Amy Brookshier has been named VP of Wholesale and Business Development.

• The Fresh Market Inc. (130) has appointed Dwight K. Richmond as its Director of Grocery and Jay Mandrillo as Director of Bakery.

• The Kroger Co. (242) announced Kendra Doyel has been promoted to VP of Merchandising at Ralphs. The retailer also announced its succession plans for Exec VP and CIO Christopher Hjelm, who is set to retire in August. Yael Cosset, currently the company’s Chief Digital Officer, has been named his successor effective May 1 as Senior VP and CIO.

• Lidl US, LLC (82) has appointed Roman Heini as Chairman of Lidl US starting March 1.

• New Seasons Market (187) announced Forrest Hoffmaster has been named CEO, and Kristi McFarland was named Chief Strategy Officer.

• The Parker Companies (19) has hired Brian Prevatt as its new CFO. The company also recently hired Corey McClimans as the company’s new Chief Human Resources Officer, and has promoted Brandon Hofmann, formerly Chief Marketing Officer, to VP of Marketing.

• Publix Super Markets Inc. (276) has announced that its VP of Manufacturing, Jeff Stephens will retire effective May 1, 2019. Director of Manufacturing Doug Harris will be promoted to VP of Manufacturing at that time.

• RaceTrac Petroleum Inc. (70) announced it has promoted Max McBrayer, CFO and Chief Supply Officer, to CEO. Billy Milam, the company’s President, will transition to COO, and the company has promoted Natalie Morhous to President. Robby Posener will transition to VP of RaceWay. The company has also has promoted Melanie Isbill to Chief Marketing Officer and Bart Stransky to VP of Merchandising. J. Gilmore will transition to VP of Energy Dispatch and Supply Chain. The company has promoted A.J. Siccardi to President of Metroplex Energy. With these changes, Carl Bolch Jr. will return to his role as Executive Chairman.

• SpartanNash Company (105) announced Lori Raya is joining the company as Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer, taking over from Larry Pierce, who is retiring.

• Thorntons Inc. (70) announced Simon Richards as its new CEO.

Real Estate

• Buc-ee’s Ltd. will soon open its first store outside of Texas, in Robertsdale, Alabama.

• Earth Fare Healthy Supermarkets has recently opened its 50th location in Charlotte, NC. The retailer plans to open another 50 locations across the country during the next five years.

• Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. announced it will open more than 40 new locations in 2019.

• Rutter’s Holdings Inc. recently opened its first store in the state of Maryland.

• Sobeys Inc. expects to open 12 FreshCo locations during 2019 in British Columbia and Manitoba.

Technology News

• Speedway LLC announced customers can now use Apple Pay to checkout at all of its stores nationwide.

Just because we don’t mention it here doesn’t mean it didn’t happen – or we didn’t capture it. In the past four weeks, we’ve updated more than 490 companies in the Supermarket, Grocery, & Convenience Stores PLUS Database, with many of those companies’ records updated at multiple points.