HARTFORD, Conn. -- Ahold has named Hans A. Kempers president and chief executive officer of its U.S. real estate operation here, effective Sept. 1.
The real estate company, ABS Development Co., will change its name at that time to Ahold Real Estate Co., or ARC.
Ahold, which is based in Zaandam, Netherlands, is taking "a new strategic approach" to real estate activities in the United States, the spokesman said. The approach involves corporate ownership of its supermarket properties.
Kempers was chairman of Noro Realty Advisors, Atlanta. In his new position, he will report to Eddy Moerk, a member of Ahold's five-member corporate executive board.
ABS Development had been a joint-venture real estate business owned by Ahold, Richard Bogomolny and Samuels. As partners, Bogomolny and Samuels owned First National Supermarkets in Cleveland and Windsor Locks, Conn., before selling the company to Ahold in the mid-1980s.
The ABS real estate business (named from the initials of Ahold, Bogomolny and Samuels) was formed in late 1989.
In June, the Ahold corporate executive board approved a new real estate ownership policy for its U.S. supermarkets and subsequently acquired full ownership of ABS by splitting the properties with Samuels and Bogomolny, essentially buying them out, the spokesman told SN.
Ahold operates six regional supermarket chains in the United States with a total of almost 600 stores. The chains are Bi-Lo, based in Mauldin, S.C.; Giant Food Stores, Carlisle, Pa.; Finast, Maple Heights, Ohio; Edwards Super Food Stores, Windsor Locks, Conn.; Tops Markets, Buffalo, N.Y., and Red Food Stores, Chattanooga, Tenn.