(Schenectady, N.Y.) Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI) – the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets – today announced the upcoming retirement of CEO Scott Grimmett and named former Tops Markets Chairman and CEO Frank Curci to that position. Grimmett’s retirement will be effective in February.
Grimmett is concluding a distinguished 48-year career in the retail grocery industry. After 10 years at Price Chopper/Market 32, several of them spent working diligently on the merger between Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets and then putting in place the people and processes to ensure the new company’s success during its first year, Grimmett recently informed the NGI board that he felt this was the right time for him to retire to spend more time with his family in Arizona and turn over leadership of the company. Grimmett will be working with Curci to ensure a smooth leadership transition and provide consulting going forward in support of the merger integration process.
“We have been extraordinarily fortunate to have Scott Grimmett lead us through the merger process and develop the strategies and plans to move the company forward,” said NGI Board Co-Chair Jerry Golub. “First at Price Chopper/Market 32 and most recently at NGI, Scott has shown exceptional leadership qualities and vision. We wish him the best as he retires.”
“Working at Price Chopper/Market 32 and helping to lead the organization through this merger has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I want to thank all of the teammates and associates at Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops who have worked so hard to serve our customers, especially during these difficult times. I also want to thank the Golub family for trusting me to shepherd this exceptional company into the next phase of its near century of industry leadership,” said Grimmett.
The NGI Board is enthusiastic about Curci’s appointment as CEO. His storied, 40-year career has included a thorough and diverse set of C-Suite leadership positions with multiple retail grocery organizations. Among other valued experiences, Curci spent 14 years as the CEO of Tops, building the organization from the ground up after it separated away from Ahold. He has also led many critical, strategic initiatives that grew the Tops business such as the acquisitions of 79 Penn Traffic stores in 2010 and 21 Grand Union stores in in 2012. A proven industry leader, Curci will continue NGI’s success well into the future, working to continue to enhance the customer experience, as well as open the door for more opportunities for all employees.
Curci, who is also an NGI board member, worked together with Grimmett during the merger process and is intimately familiar with the plans in place to move the company forward. “I’m excited about the future of this company and implementing the plans Scott and I have put in place,” said Curci. “With our now-combined footprint of nearly 300 stores, we are better positioned to leverage increased value for customers; advance shared opportunities for innovation; and fortify the depth of our expanded workforce, community, and trade partnerships, making us stronger and more competitive.”
NGI’s headquarters remain in Schenectady and Curci will work from those offices. There are no other executive leadership changes. As previously announced, Blaine Bringhurst serves as president of the Price Chopper/Market 32 business and John Persons as president of the Tops Markets business. Dave Langless, formerly the chief financial officer of Tops, serves as NGI’s CFO.
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About Price Chopper/Market 32 Based in Schenectady, NY, Price Chopper/Market 32 operates 130 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores and one Market Bistro, employing 18,000 teammates in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The American-owned company, founded by the Golub family in 1932, prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, cutting edge brand development and store design, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. For additional information, please visit www.pricechopper.com.
About Tops Markets Based in Williamsville, NY, Tops Markets currently operates 160 grocery stores in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, including five that are run by franchisees. As the largest private, for-profit employer in Western New York, with more than 14,000 associates, the company is dedicated to providing sustainably sourced, high-quality products, while helping its communities flourish via support for programs that eradicate hunger and disease, educate youth and reduce environmental waste and energy consumption. For more information, visit www.topsmarkets.com.
