Temple, Texas-based McLane Co. Inc., a supply chain services company providing grocery and foodservice solutions, has hired Chris Smith as the new president of McLane Grocery, a $33 billion business unit providing supply chain solutions to more than 70,000 retailer locations.
Before joining McLane Co., Smith worked at Walgreens Boots Alliance as SVP and chief supply chain officer. He oversaw supply chain functions for 9,200 U.S.-based Walgreen stores through 16 distribution centers and 9,000 warehouse employees. Before Walgreens, he served as the EVP and chief supply chain officer at C&S Wholesale, the largest grocery wholesaler in the country. 
Smith also has held senior leadership positions in distribution and logistics with McKesson Corp., a Texas-based leader in healthcare.
“We are very pleased to have Chris join our team,” said McLane Co. CEO Tony Frankenberger. “He brings a wealth of supply chain and logistics leadership experience across diverse industries that will contribute to many areas of our business.”
Smith has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and serves on the board of Phillips Pet Food & Supplies.
“I am thrilled to join the McLane team and for the new and exciting opportunities ahead,” he said. “McLane has a long history, a great reputation and is a trusted supply chain services leader. I look forward to contributing to its near-term and long-term success.”
McLane Co. Inc. is one of the largest supply chain services leaders in the United States, providing grocery and foodservice solutions for convenience stores, mass merchants, drug stores and chain restaurants. Through McLane Grocery and McLane Foodservice, McLane operates more than 80 distribution centers and one of the nation’s largest private fleets. The company buys, sells and delivers more than 50,000 consumer products to nearly 110,000 locations across the U.S. Additionally, McLane provides alcoholic beverage distribution through its subsidiary, Empire Distributors Inc.
McLane is a wholly owned unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and employs approximately 24,000 teammates.
