EXECUTIVE CHANGES 2008-01-21

DREILING JOINS DOLLAR GENERAL AS NEW CEO

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Former Safeway executive Richard Dreiling has been named chief executive officer of discounter Dollar General here. Dreiling, who served 33 years at Safeway, including as executive vice president of marketing, manufacturing and distribution at its Vons division, takes over at Dollar General Jan. 21. Most recently, Dreiling served as chairman, president and CEO of Duane Reade, a drug store chain in New York. Dollar General has been conducting a search for a new CEO since David A. Perdue resigned upon the company's acquisition by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts last summer. David Bere, who was serving as interim CEO, will resume his role as chief operating officer, Dollar General said.

WAL-MART NAMES TRIUS HEAD OF ASIA OPERATIONS

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores here said it has named Vicente Trius president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Asia — a new position that oversees 394 stores in Japan and 203 in China, plus a joint venture in India that is scheduled to open its first store late in 2008. Trius joined Wal-Mart in 1996 as vice president, operations, in the international division, and in 1997 he was named president and CEO of Wal-Mart Brazil. Succeeding him will be Hector Nunez, formerly executive vice president and chief operating officer of Wal-Mart Brazil.

RUNYAN TO ADVISE UNIFIED THROUGH 2008

LOS ANGELES — John Runyan, former president and chief executive officer of Associated Grocers, Seattle, said last week he plans to continue as an executive advisor to Unified Grocers through 2008, working part-time at the company's headquarters here. Unified acquired AG last fall, and Runyan at that time had committed to stay on through the end of 2007 as executive advisor to Al Plamann, Unified president and CEO, to lead the transition and to work on special projects.

ACOSTA NAMES CHAFFIN TO CIO POSITION

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mark Chaffin has joined Acosta Sales and Marketing Co. here as chief information officer. Chaffin, who will report to Robert Hill, president and chief operating officer, succeeds retiring CIO Chuck Wyckoff. In 2005 Chaffin co-founded Florida Technology, a technology consulting firm based here focused on business intelligence and application development. Prior to this he was North American business intelligence practice director for Avanade, Seattle. While with Avanade and Florida Technology, Chaffin worked with Acosta on other IT initiatives.