Giant-Landover president to exit at end of year

LANDOVER, Md. — Two-and-a-half years after joining the company, Robin Michel is leaving as president of the Giant-Landover division of Ahold USA to pursue other opportunities, the company confirmed Monday.

Michel will depart at the end of the month, according to Ahold USA spokesperson Sara Neumann. She will be replaced on a temporary basis as operations chief by Don Sussman, EVP supply chain at Ahold, while the company conducts a search for a successor.

Michel, a veteran of Milwaukee-based Roundy’s Supermarket, joined Giant in June 2008 as EVP and general manager. Her appointment as the Maryland-based supermarket chain’s top manager was part of a major overhaul in management and operational structure at both Giant and its Braintree, Mass.-based parent company, a division of the Dutch-based Ahold retail conglomerate.

As part of that realignment, Ahold USA broke its two U.S. divisions into four parts — consisting of Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop Metro New York, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle — to make them more nimble and responsive to local market conditions. In line with that change, Carl Schlicker, who formerly oversaw the Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover division under the old corporate structure, was named CEO of the four U.S. operations of Ahold USA Retail.

Schlicker praised Michel for leading a renewal at Giant-Landover, which operates 180 supermarkets and food-drug combo stores in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia.“Since joining the company in 2008, Robin has played an integral part in revitalizing the Giant Landover business through several ambitious initiatives including the implementation of the Value Improvement Program [VIP] and Project Refresh to renovate 100 aging stores across the chain,“ said Schlicker. “We wish her the very best in the future and thank her for her dedication to our customers and our business.”

The renewal effort is ongoing at Giant-Landover.

“Giant plans 26 new and remodeled or expanded stores during the next 12 months,” the company reported on its website, “with much larger produce departments and salad bars,” as well as gourmet meat shops, expanded delis, more natural and organic foods, pharmacies, Staples office supplies and “entertainment centers featuring books, magazines and DVDs.”