RICHMOND, Va. -- Richfood Holdings here has replaced an executive at its Super Rite division who had left the company after dozens of barrels of waste were unearthed near Super Rite's distribution center.
okely, president of Richfood Holdings, the parent of Richfood, Mechanicsville, Va. Fanning joined Super Rite in 1986 and previously was a distribution coordinator for P&C Foods, Syracuse, N.Y.
Shirey and Peter Vanderveen, Super Rite's president and chief operating officer, were suspended in May when 70 containers filled with a petroleum-based substance were found near the Super Rite distribution center. Shirey was "let go" because he was aware of the barrels, and last month Vanderveen took an early retirement, which he planned to do when Richfood acquired the wholesaler last year, Richfood reported. His retirement, as reported, was unrelated to the warehouse situation.
Vanderveen, who oversaw real estate and retail operations, has not be replaced. His responsibilities have been assumed by other associates, Stokely said.
Richfood still is awaiting the results of a probe by a consulting firm, Apex, to determine how the drums of waste were buried there. An environmental cleanup of the area is continuing, Stokely told SN.
Although some samples in the containers had a high lead content, the warehouse and the products shipped from there were not affected. In a separate announcement, Richfood reported that Michael Rotelle III was promoted to vice president of human resources for Pennsylvania. He is providing human resources support while the company reorganizes its Pennsylvania operations and consolidates various functions at the Super Rite and Rotelle operations. He reports to David Gundling, president of Super Rite's wholesale operations.
Rotelle previously served as vice president of human resources at Rotelle. He joined Rotelle in 1982.