Topco Associates recently celebrated its 80th anniversary with its member-owners at its 2024 Annual Membership Conference. While at the conference, the cooperative announced its 2024-26 board of directors while also notifying the membership of changes taking place on its operations team.
K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. President and CEO Steve Smith has been named Topco’s chairman of the board. K-VA-T has been a member of Topco since 1995, and Smith and his team have been impactful leaders within the Topco membership.
Smith replaces Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s executive chairman of the board of directors, who will be retiring from Hy-Vee this summer. Edeker’s leadership has been at the forefront of Topco’s growth since joining the board of directors in 2011, including serving as the chairman of the board from 2013-16 and most recently from 2022-24.
“Randy has been a highly visible leader in the membership for many years, and I can honestly say that he has been a key driving force in helping transform Topco into the organization it is today,” said Randy Skoda, Topco president and CEO.
“Additionally, we look forward to Steve’s return to the chairman role, as he has a lengthy track record of driving successful decision-making and growing strong collaboration across the membership.”
Also departing Topco’s board of directors is Frank Curci, CEO of Northeast Grocery. Curci recently announced his retirement from NGI – the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets – after a 43-year career in the industry.
2024-26 Topco Board of Directors
- Steve Smith – president and CEO of K-VA-T Food Stores;
- Brad Brookshire – chairman and CEO for Brookshire Holdings;
- Chris Coborn – chairman and CEO of Coborn’s
- Michael D’Amour – president and CEO for Big Y Foods;
- Brian George – president and CEO of Alex Lee;
- Jeremy Gosch – CEO and vice chairman for Hy-Vee;
- John Persons – CEO of Northeast Grocery Inc.;
- David Rice – president and CEO for Associated Food Stores;
- Tony B. Sarsam – president and CEO of SpartanNash Co.;
- Todd Schnuck – chairman and CEO for Schnucks Markets;
- Randy Skoda – president and CEO of Topco Associates; and
- Pete Van Helden – CEO and chairman of the board for Stater Bros. Markets.
Changes to Topco’s operations team also were announced at the annual conference, including a new co-chair. Stepping into the role of co-chair is Rebecca Calvin, SVP and chief marketing officer at Stater Bros. Markets.
Calvin replaces outgoing co-chair Dan Glei, EVP of merchandising and marketing at K-VA-T Food Stores. Glei spent the last two years serving as co-chair and will remain a member of the operations team.
“I’d like to thank Dan for his leadership and productive tenure, and I look forw ard to working with Rebecca to advance our operations team’s objectives,” said Mike Ferguson, Topco’s SVP and operations team co-chair.
“Many of Topco’s key initiatives and successes come as a result of recommendations from the operations team. Rebecca has demonstrated her ability to provide insightful and impactful thoughts that benefit the entirety of the membership.”
2024 Topco Operations Team
- Nick Albrecht – president of the Fred W. Albrecht Grocery Co.;
- Chuck Alexander – SVP of procurement and merchandising for Alex Lee Inc./MDI;
- Randy Arceneaux – president and CEO of Affiliated Foods;
- Brett Bremser – COO for Hy-Vee;
- Rebecca Calvin – SVP and CMO of Stater Bros. Markets
- Michael Cormier – SVP of sales and marketing for Big Y Foods;
- Ryan Cuba – CMO of Schnucks Markets;
- Jeff Culhane – SVP of sales and merchandising for Northeast Grocery Inc.;
- Mike Ferguson – SVP of commodities, fresh and member development of Topco Associates;
- Bob Gleeson – SVP of merchandising and marketing for Weis Markets;
- Dan Glei – EVP of merchandising and marketing of K-VA-T Food Stores;
- Christine Heffernan – SVP of center store sourcing and supply chain for Topco Associates;
- Jerry LeClair – EVP and chief merchant and retail operations officer for Brookshire Holdings;
- Bennett Morgan – SVP and CMO of SpartanNash Co.;
- Danell O’Neill – EVP of brand, marketing, human resources, corporate communications and transparency for Topco Associates;
- Kris Roberts – SVP of merchandising of center store for Coborn’s;
- Jay Sharrock – SVP of merchandising and marketing of C&S Wholesale Grocers; and
- Roger White – EVP of sales and wholesale operations for Associated Food Stores.
About Topco Associates
Topco Associates is a privately-held, member-owned company that provides aggregation, innovation and knowledge management solutions for its leading food industry member-owners and customers, including grocery retailers, wholesalers, food service and pharmacy companies. Topco leverages the collective volume, knowledge and commitment of these companies to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace by reducing costs and offering winning business-building capabilities.
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