Montvale, N.J. – The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P) announced that Paul Hertz has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective immediately. Since joining A&P in 2010, Hertz has held the role of Chief Operating Officer. As president and CEO, Hertz will be responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the company, including oversight and implementation of all business and marketing decisions, as well as support of ongoing growth initiatives.
In addition, the company is pleased to announce that Christopher McGarry, formerly Executive Vice President and General Counsel, has been appointed Chief Administrative Officer and Nirup Krishnamurthy, formerly Chief Information Officer, will assume the additional role of Chief Strategy Officer. McGarry and Krishnamurthy, whose appointments are also effective immediately, will report to Hertz. Greg Mays will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Mays said, “Paul and his team made significant progress in 2013 in improving both the company’s operating and financial results. We believe that 2014 also holds great promise for further accomplishments; we expect to capitalize and improve upon last year’s performance, which will result in a stronger company and greater value for the company’s stakeholders. Paul’s mix of operational, managerial and retail experience makes him the ideal candidate to lead the company as we build on our operational momentum and focus on activities that will achieve projected sales results with a special focus on the needs of the customer.”
Hertz commented, “I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and the talented associates of A&P in this new capacity. A&P is a valuable franchise and a cornerstone in the communities in which we operate. We will work hard to meet the needs of our customers today and in the future.”
Hertz is a 27-year veteran of the retail industry, beginning his retailing career in 1987 as a manager with Fred Meyer, Inc., a division of The Kroger Company. Previously, he held a variety of senior executive positions at Wild Oats Markets, Shopko Stores and Fred Meyer. Prior to joining A&P, Hertz was Executive Vice President of Retail Stores for OfficeMax, which he joined in 2007.
McGarry has been an important member of the company’s senior management team since joining in 2006 and overseeing the company’s legal, risk, human resources/labor and real estate functions. Prior to joining A&P, he was Assistant General Counsel and Director of Real Estate at The Grand Union Company. McGarry also previously served as General Counsel for Exel, Inc., a leading global logistics services provider.
Krishnamurthy has more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, including extensive background in driving large-scale business optimization and transformation efforts. Prior to joining A&P, Krishnamurthy served as the Chief Information Officer at United Airlines and Chief Technology Officer at Northern Trust Bank.
About A&P
Founded in 1859, A&P is one of the nation's first supermarket chains. The company operates more than 300 stores in six states under the following trade names: A&P, Best Cellars, Food Basics, The Food Emporium, Pathmark, Superfresh and Waldbaum's.
Source: A&P
