A day after it announced the promotion of Jeff Pedersen to EVP of division operations, Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), based in Kansas City, Kansas, is making several organizational changes.
Effective Dec. 7, Steve Arnold, EVP of merchandising, will transfer to the Oklahoma City Division to the position of SVP and division manager, reporting to Pedersen.
Arnold joined AWG in 1995 as a Price Chopper sales manager. In 1997 he was promoted to director of grocery merchandising, and later that same year became the VP of merchandising in the Oklahoma City Division. In 2001, Arnold earned the position of SVP and division manager for the Oklahoma Division where he spent the next six years until his promotion to SVP of grocery products in 2007. Arnold was promoted to EVP of marketing in 2014. Throughout his career at AWG, Arnold has played a key role in company’s growth in private label sales, which exceeded $1 billion in sales under his leadership, according to the wholesaler.
Concurrent with Arnold’s move, Dan Funk, SVP of grocery, has been promoted to EVP of merchandising and marketing, reporting to David Smith, president and CEO-elect.
Funk joined AWG from Supervalu in October 2012 as president of Valu Merchandisers Co. (VMC) where he successfully grew VMC sales. His leadership opened new doors in the area of general merchandise, seasonal and specialty foods. Funk assumed the leadership of grocery in 2014 where he has continued to build center store sales and marketing programs to support AWG members within their markets.
Replacing Funk in the role of SVP of grocery is Danny Lane, SVP and division manager, Oklahoma City Division.
Lane has led the Oklahoma City Division since 2013. Prior to his most recent role, Lane was the VP of merchandising and marketing for the division. He began his grocery career in 1982 and has held senior-level positions in the retail and wholesale grocery industry during this time.
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