The new Albertsons unveils executive moves

BOISE, Idaho — With its acquisition of five retail grocery banners from Supervalu now complete, Albertsons LLC has outlined its new executive management team.



In January, Albertsons LLC sparked a flurry of industry buzz when it announced that its parent company, AB Acquisition, which is an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, signed an agreement to acquire from Supervalu the Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market stores and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacy operations — a move that reunites all Albertsons stores under one operator.



Following the recent completion of the transaction, AB Acquisition has selected the division VPs for its new operating divisions. The appointments include:

• Pharmacy division: Tom Rousonelos and Stewart Edington have been named VP pharmacy operations for the company’s NAI and Albertsons LLC divisions, respectively. Rousonelos began his career with Jewel-Osco in 1989, and held various positions, including pharmacy manager, store management, district pharmacy manager, regional manager managed care operations and most recently VP pharmacy operations for Jewel-Osco, Albertsons Intermountain West, Cub and Shop N Save. He has been with Albertsons stores since 2003, when he was hired as a pharmacy manager. In 2006, Edington joined Albertsons LLC as the division pharmacy manager and was promoted to VP pharmacy in 2011.


• Acme Markets: Most recently VP merchandising for the Acme division of Supervalu, Dennis Clark will retain his role at the division going forward. Clark began his retail career with Safeway in Utah and started with Albertsons in 1988. Acme also is retaining Dan Croce, who joined Acme in 2005, as VP operations.


• Albertsons Northwest division: Most recently a district manager in the Seattle area for the Intermountain West division of Supervalu, and previously VP sales and merchandising for the same area, Dennis Schwarz began his career at Albertsons in 1976 in Washington. Schwarz has been named the Northwest VP marketing and merchandising.


• Albertsons Intermountain division: Most recently sales merchandising manager for the Intermountain West division of Supervalu, and previously a VP marketing and merchandising for the Dallas Fort Worth Division of Albertsons, John Colgrove began his career with Albertsons in 1977 in Colorado. He has been named the Intermountain VP marketing and merchandising.


• Albertsons Southern California: Most recently SVP operations in the Southern California division of Supervalu, Greg McNiff began his career at Albertsons in 1981. He has been named VP marketing and merchandising. In addition, Wendy Oliver has been named VP operations for the division. Most recently area VP operations, Oliver began her career with American Stores in 1988.


• Albertsons Market Southern division: Most recently a district manager for the Southern division’s West Texas stores, David Urby began his career at Albertsons in 1984. He has been named Southern VP marketing and merchandising.


• Albertsons Market Southwest division: Greg Matteri — most recently meat sales manager for the Southwest division — joined the company in 1973. He held several key leadership positions, including director of meat and seafood and director of fresh for Albertsons and Supervalu. Matteri has been named Southwest VP marketing and merchandising.


• Jewel Osco: Formerly VP marketing and merchandising of the Southwest division of Albertsons LLC, Ken Diehl has been named Jewel Osco’s VP marketing and merchandising. He began his career at Albertsons in 1993.


• Shaws & Star Markets: Most recently senior director of merchandising at Nash Finch, Paul Gossett started with Albertsons in 1977 and held roles of increasing responsibility with the company, as well as Winn-Dixie and Nash Finch. Gossett is returning to the company after being named VP marketing and merchandising.

In other executive moves, company veteran Mike Massimino has been named to the new position of SVP marketing and merchandising; Rick Bunnell to the new position of SVP supply chain; and Justin Ewing to the new position of SVP corporate development and real estate.



Massimino’s career with Albertsons began in 1975 in Logan, Utah, where he started at a local store as a frozen food clerk. He held positions of increasing responsibility, eventually holding district leadership roles in merchandising and operations before moving to the corporate office in Boise as the director of grocery merchandising.  Massimino served as president of GM/HBC at Albertsons Inc.’s Scottsdale office prior to joining Albertsons LLC in 2006 as group VP of center store. Massimino will be responsible for leading the company’s national merchandising strategy and vendor partnership development.



Bunnell has been with Albertsons transportation management since 1983, when he started with the Brea distribution center, and held several leadership positions with Albertsons, culminating in his being regional VP supply chain with responsibility for the distribution centers located in the Southeast United States. He joined Albertsons LLC in 2006 in that same role, and was promoted to group VP supply chain in 2012. Bunnell will lead the company’s supply chain operation, which includes 12 distribution centers.



Ewing joined Albertsons LLC in 2006 as VP corporate development, after playing an integral role in the original 2006 Albertsons acquisition. At Albertsons, he has led numerous transaction, restructuring and financing projects, and in 2011 took on the role of VP real estate and development. Prior to his career with Albertsons LLC, Ewing worked for Cerberus Capital Management’s Operations Advisory team.