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Hy-Vee hires Jason Buhrow as chief data officer

Newly created position will lead food and drug retailer’s data strategy

Russell Redman

April 13, 2021

2 Min Read
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Hy-Vee said Buhrow also will be tasked with driving innovation in data science, analysis and visualization.Hy-Vee

Veteran IT consultant Jason Buhrow is joining Midwestern grocer Hy-Vee as chief data officer.

West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee said Tuesday that Buhrow is slated to start at the company on April 19. In the newly created role, he will oversee the development and governance of data strategy across the company, which totals annual sales of more than $11 billion.

Hy-Vee noted that Buhrow also will be charged with driving innovation in enterprisewide data science, analysis and visualization.

“We are excited to welcome Jason to the Hy-Vee family and are confident that his extensive experience in information management and strategy will enable Hy-Vee to continue delivering amazing customer experiences by leveraging data and analytics,” Randy Edeker, chairman, president and CEO of Hy-Vee, said in a statement.

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Buhrow (left) brings extensive experience in retail, insurance, finance, nonprofits and manufacturing, according to Hy-Vee. He comes to the company after more than seven years at FBL Financial Group, most recently as vice president of information technology, a role he held for nearly five years. He joined FBL in January 2014 as a systems app manager and then was promoted to director of IT in November 2015 before being appointed vice president of IT. Operating under the consumer brand Farm Bureau Financial Services, West Des Moines-based FBL provides financial products distributed by Farm Bureau agents. 

Related:Hy-Vee goes chainwide with COVID-19 vaccinations

At Hy-Vee, Buhrow joins FBL alumnus Casey Decker, who came to Hy-Vee last fall as chief information officer, taking the CIO reins from Matt Ludwig, who shifted to a new position as chief supply chain officer.

Before his career at FBL, Buhrow served as director of IT consulting at accounting and tax consultancy RSM US LLP (formerly McGladrey) and as team lead at Berkley Technology Services. Prior to that, he also was an IT analyst at wholesale printing company Colorfx.

Overall, Hy-Vee operates more than 275 stores in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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