C&K Market’s Chairman and CEO Karl Wissmann has announced his intention to retire and has shared that Rocky Campbell will take over as CEO, planned for July 1. Wissmann will retain his chairman position.
Much has happened at Medford, Oregon-based C&K Market Inc. since Wissmann joined in 2014. The company has remodeled 100 percent of its stores and has added thousands of new items and grocery sections, such as the healthy living, pet centers and foods of the world departments.
Wissmann also guided the company through the implementation of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), which was completed in 2020.
“Leading C&K Market has been a very rewarding part of my career,” Wissmann said. “Our team members work hard every day to make our stores the best they can be. They watch for opportunities for us to give customers the choices they want. As a result, customers win and so do our team members because they own C&K Market.”
Campbell will succeed Wissmann as president and CEO of C&K Market. The transition is targeted for July 1.
“I’m proud of the team we developed, and I’m confident that Rocky will be a great leader, growing the company and continuing to meet our customer’s needs,” Wissmann continued.
“Rocky has a very broad background with our company. He began in the stores and came up the ranks, managing several stores in a variety of geographic locations. He moved into the corporate office where he gained experience overseeing all operations, advertising and marketing. Most recently, he has served as our VP and chief operating officer. He knows the grocery business, yet more importantly he knows our stores, our customers and our team members. I’m excited about our future as we move forward.
Campbell said, “Over my 43-year career, I’ve learned that each community we serve is unique and the importance of taking pride in going the extra mile for our customers. Many of our decisions are made based on what employees hear from customers. That’s how we follow a path of continual improvement, and I plan to follow that path as I lead the company forward.
“At our core, we’re a community grocery store that’s proud to serve its neighbors. As Karl [Wissmann] often says: ‘I view our company as a chain of independent stores rather than an independent chain of stores.’ Our goal is to tailor our programs to suit the individual communities we serve rather than follow a cookie cutter approach like many other chains. We plan to continue that culture and want to thank our team members for the role they play in making that happen.”
Campbell’s management team consists of:
- David Doty, EVP and CFO;
- Jon Wissmann, VP of perishables;
- Erick Winchell, VP of non-perishables;
- Aaron Sandahl, VP of operations; and
- Russell Dysert, VP and controller.
About C&K Market
C&K Market Inc. operates 38 grocery stores in Oregon and Northern California. The company’s flagship retail banner is Ray’s Food Place, a full-service grocery store that emphasizes quality fresh products with a local focus.
Read more independent store news from The Shelby Report.
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