The Save Mart Cos.’ Nicole Piccinini Pesco has been promoted to CEO of the 206-store grocery chain. She most recently served as co-president and chief strategy and branding officer for the Modesto, California-based company. In July 2015, she led Save Mart’s launch of its first new concept store format in more than 20 years with the introduction of Lucky California in the Bay Area.
Pesco is the daughter of the late Robert “Bob” Piccinini, longtime owner and chairman of the chain, and grew up in the grocery business.
According to the bio on the company’s website, Pesco worked her way up from being a service clerk in the stores on her summer vacations into roles of increasing responsibility in accounting, private label, enterprise systems implementation, marketing and merchandising.
Pesco graduated from the Polimoda Institute of International Fashion Design in Florence, Italy. Following graduation, she ran fulfillment and logistics for Claudia Ciuti Shoes, a high-end Italian designer based in New York City. Before returning home to join Save Mart, she completed coursework in finance, management and marketing at New York University. She also completed undergraduate coursework at the University of California Los Angeles.
Pesco sits on the Save Mart CARES Foundation Board of Directors, as well as the Board of the California Grocers Association.
The Save Mart Cos. operates under the Save Mart, Lucky, Lucky California, FoodMaxx, S-Mart and MaxxValue in California and Nevada.
