The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) has appointed Gary Fechter, Wegmans SVP for the Pennsylvania Division, to its board of directors.
Fechter takes the seat previously held by Blaine Forkell. Fechter is responsible for the operations of 16 Wegmans stores across Pennsylvania.
He joined Wegmans in 2013, formerly serving as regional VP for Romano’s Macaroni Grill restaurants.
“We are very pleased to have Gary join our board of directors and look forward to his contributions,” PFMA President and CEO Alex Baloga said. “Gary is a leader in the food and beverage industry in Pennsylvania, and his more than 25 years of experience in management at retail and hospitality establishments will be a tremendous asset to our organization moving forward.”
Fechter has held senior multi-unit operations leadership positions spanning 20 years with large companies such as Boston Market, Blockbuster Video, Panera Bread and Qdoba Mexican Grill. He has corporate and franchise operations experience with both startups and turnarounds.
Fechter has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from the University of Florida. He has served as chairman of the Civic Engagement Committee, as well as a member of the board of governors for Leadership Palm Beach County. In addition, he has served on the board of directors of For The Children Inc. in West Palm Beach, Florida.
PFMA, a statewide trade association, advocates the views of nearly 800 convenience stores, supermarkets, independent grocers, wholesalers and consumer product vendors. PFMA members operate more than 3,200 stores and employ more than 150,000 Pennsylvania residents.
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