Daymon CEO Miller Resigns

MARK HAMSTRA

STAMFORD, Conn. — Private-label sales and marketing specialist Daymon Worldwide said that Alex Miller, president and chief executive officer, has resigned after 30 years with the company.

Alex Miller

Allan Noddle, a Daymon board member and former customer who spent much of his career with Amsterdam-based Ahold, was named interim president. Milt Sender, a co-founder of the company, will retain the title of chairman and will assume the chief executive officer role again.

Andres Siefken, a spokesman for Daymon, said a search was under way for a permanent successor to Miller as president, but it was not yet known if that person would also have the title of CEO.

“I don't think it will take very long [to name a successor],” Siefken told SN. “Allan has been very vocal about this being an interim position for him.”

Miller had been named president in 2007 and was named CEO earlier this year. Shortly afterward, both Safeway and Supervalu said they were ending their relationship with Daymon and shifting the private-label functions previously provided by Daymon in-house at their respective companies — a move one observer told SN reflects the growing importance of private label at supermarkets.

Siefken said there was no relation between the departure of Miller and the loss of the two retail accounts.

“I will assure you that it is not related,” he told SN. “Alex was very successful — he did a lot for this company, both growing internationally and through diversification.”

Miller, who was 63, had told the board when he was named president that he only intended to keep the position for a “couple of years,” Siefken said. Then, on his 63rd birthday, he informed the company he wanted to resign to be able to spend more time with his family.

In a prepared statement, Sender said, “The company is looking forward to producing great results for our supplier partners and customers and is very optimistic that private brands will continue to flourish.”