Last updated on October 31st, 2023 at 04:33 pm
The Giant Co. has named Rebecca Lupfer as CFO and Dave Lessard as SVP of operations, customer experience and perishable distribution, effective Oct. 16.
Both will report to John Ruane, president of the Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based company.
“Rebecca and Dave are talented, passionate and results-driven leaders, with vast retail grocery experience and a deep awareness of our customers and their evolving needs,” Ruane said.
“During their tenures with The Giant Company, they’ve made numerous contributions to our business and their teams, and I know they will continue to do so in their new roles, setting the stage for our company’s continued success.”
Lupfer will lead the finance, format, real estate and strategy departments while Lessard will oversee the retail operations, perishable distribution and transportation teams.
Rebecca Lupfer
After beginning her career at Highmark Blue Cross, Lupfer joined Ahold Financial Services in 2005 as a business analyst and held various internal audit positions of increasing responsibility before joining Ahold USA in 2016 as a portfolio lead for seasonal merchandising.
She joined The Giant Co. in 2018 as director of merchandising planning and was promoted to VP of merchandising and center store in 2019.
Most recently, Lupfer served as divisional president of the company’s mid-atlantic division, overseeing retail operations at 100 Giant and Martin’s stores in Central and Western Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, a role she has held since February 2022.
Lupfer serves on the board of directors for the Academy of Food Marketing and The Food Marketing Educational Foundation at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. She is also a founding board member and VP of the West Perry Mustang Foundation, which supports students in the West Perry School District.
In addition, she serves as the executive sponsor of the LINC business resource group at The Giant Co.
Dave Lessard
Following a nearly 25-year career at The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co., Lessard joined the Ahold Delhaize family of brands in 2002 as director of produce at Giant Landover, where he also served as VP of produce.
At Ahold USA, he held a variety of roles including director of produce and VP of produce and floral, helping to lead the transformation of the company’s produce department in 2014.
Lessard joined The Giant Co. in 2018 as VP of fresh merchandising, overseeing the produce, meat and seafood, bakery, deli, prepared foods, floral departments and the company’s perishable distribution center.
Lessard serves on the board of directors for the York County Food Bank and on the Food Marketing Institute Fresh Food Leadership Council. He also serves as executive sponsor of the Barrier Free business resource group at The Giant Company. Lessard previously served on the board of directors of the Southeast Produce Council, where he is now an advisor.
Lessard has received The Giant Co.’s President’s Award, the Produce for Better Health Foundation Award and was named a Legendary Champion of Change by the IDDBA.
Read more executive news from The Shelby Report.
