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Former Haggen, Starbucks Exec Joins Albertsons As President, COO

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Last updated on March 9th, 2018 at 03:49 pm

Albertsons Cos. has appointed Jim Donald, former president and CEO of Starbucks, as its new president and chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately.

“Donald is an experienced retail operator with extensive knowledge of Albertsons Cos., having previously held senior leadership roles at both Albertsons Inc. and Safeway Inc.,” the company says.

Donald also served as a member of the board of directors of Rite Aid from 2008-13.

“Jim Donald has built an exceptional career in retail. His knowledge of our company and industry is unmatched, and I know his contributions will be invaluable as we enter the next chapter of Albertsons Companies,” said Bob Miller, Albertsons Cos. chairman and CEO. “We look forward to tapping his expertise in leading large consumer brands as we work every day to meet our customers’ needs, both in-store and online.”

As president and COO, Donald will have responsibility for the operations of the retailer’s 2,300-plus store portfolio and  for helping with the acceleration of the company’s growing omnichannel platform. Following the close of the recently announced merger with Rite Aid, subject to customary regulatory approvals and approval by Rite Aid shareholders, Donald will continue in this role and work alongside the rest of the combined company’s leadership team. Donald replaces Wayne Denningham, who retired earlier this year. Susan Morris, who was named EVP and chief operations officer in January 2018, will continue in her role.

Most recently, Donald served as CEO of Extended Stay America, a large U.S.-based hotel chain, from 2012-15. From 2009-11, he served as president and CEO of food and pharmacy retailer Haggen Inc. Prior to that, he spent six years at Starbucks, leading the company through a period of strong growth and performance, working his way up from president of its North America division to president and CEO of Starbucks Corp. Earlier in his career, Donald led Pathmark Stores Inc. and held a variety of senior management positions with Albertsons Inc., Safeway Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

“Having first worked at Albertsons 42 years ago, I have watched as an insider and from afar how their keen focus on customer service maintained a solid foundation for their team through the years,” said Donald. “Their acquisitive nature combined with their recent innovation efforts and strong Own Brands portfolio have helped them to build an even stronger company today. I look forward to being a part of the team that takes this great company into the future and continues to serve the food, health, and wellness needs of today’s busy customers.”


Keep reading:

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