Reynolds W. Cramer Named CEO At Fareway Stores

Last updated on February 24th, 2014 at 12:37 pm

Reynolds W. Cramer has been named CEO of Boone, Iowa-based Fareway Stores Inc. He is just the fourth person to serve as CEO in the company’s 76-year history.

Cramer was elected to the position by the Fareway board of directors Feb. 17. He succeeds Richard P. Beckwith, who has been CEO of the grocery store chain since 2007. Beckwith will remain with Fareway as chairman of the board.

“I humbly accept this new responsibility. I have never been more excited about providing our customers only the best customer service and the highest quality of goods at affordable prices,” Cramer said. “I am blessed to be part of such a great team of over 9,000 employees who work hard each day to carry out these high standards.”

Cramer most recently served as an EVP at Fareway, but began his career at the company when he was 16 working at the Boone store. He moved to Decorah, Iowa, to attend Luther College. While there, he worked in the Decorah Fareway store meat department for three years.

He then worked in Oelwein in a full-time position while in management training before being promoted to assistant manager in Ames in 1993. After three years in Ames, he was transferred to open a new store in Cedar Rapids as an assistant manager. In 1997, he was promoted to store manager, opening the new SE 22nd St. Fareway store in Des Moines.
In 2000, he was promoted to district supervisor at the corporate office in Boone, where he began working with different territories of stores.

In 2008, he was elected to the real estate committee, which has been instrumental in choosing the strategic placement of new Fareway locations. In 2009, Cramer was elected to the board of directors for Fareway. In 2010, Cramer was promoted to regional VP, and in 2012 he was promoted to EVP in charge of all retail operations. In addition to his new duties, Cramer will continue to be in charge of retail operations.

“Reynolds respects the values and long-term vision of our corporation and will continue to build on our company’s success with his unwavering tenacity, drive and care for our customers and employees,” said Rick Beckwith.

In addition to his responsibilities with Fareway, Cramer is active in many charitable organizations, including MDA and Variety, the Children’s Charity, where he will serve as president beginning in May. He also is an advocate for animal rescue, having adopted several animals from various rescue organizations.

Fareway is a privately held company that operates 107 stores in Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota and South Dakota.