Stater Bros. appoints Peter Van Helden as president, COO

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — A former executive of Supervalu has been tapped for a top position at Stater Bros. Markets, the supermarket chain said.

Stater Bros. announced that former Supervalu EVP retail operations Peter Van Helden had been hired as president and COO of the privately owned San Bernardino, Calif.-based chain, which operates 167 stores in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Van Helden began working as a courtesy clerk at Rosauers in Libby, Mont., in 1977, becoming a clerk at a Bozeman, Mont., Albertsons a year later, eventually rising through the ranks to become president and CEO of the supermarket chain's California Food Division and joining Supervalu when it acquired Albertsons in 2006.

"Pete is a well-respected and long-time food industry executive," Stater Bros. chairman and CEO Jack Brown said. "I am confident that he will do an outstanding job as president and COO and will be valuable to the future growth of Stater Bros."