Kings Food Markets adds two to executive team

Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market have promoted Karen Roche to vice president of marketing and Stephen Palisi-Reynolds to vice president and controller.

In her new role, Roche will manage creative content, brand development, digital marketing, media and planning, budgeting and external agency team management, the Parsippany, N.J.-based grocer said yesterday. She will continue to report to Stephen Corradini, chief merchandising and marketing officer.

Roche (left) has served as senior director of marketing since joining Kings/Balducci’s in June 2012. The company noted that her diverse retail marketing experience spans direct mail, email, websites, social media and customer relationship management.

“At Kings and Balducci’s, we are looking to marketing to test and roll out new ways to attract and retain customers for both banners,” Chairman and CEO Judy Spires said in a statement. “Growing our marketing team and empowering them to develop innovative creative deployed with new technologies to reach new customers are the first steps, and I am thrilled to promote Karen Roche to the executive team to lead the charge.”

An 11-year Kings/Balducci’s veteran, Palisi-Reynolds (left) previously held the title of corporate controller. His new role brings additional duties for the treasury function at the company. He reports to Jim Moriarty, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Palisi-Reynolds started his career at the retailer in January 2008 in the finance department as general accounting and financial systems manager and in 2015 was promoted to controller, responsible for all of the company’s internal and external financial reporting, corporate tax filings, and accounts payable/receivable.

“Stephen has consistently demonstrated that he is a collaborative, results-oriented business manager, and we’re thrilled to expand his portfolio and elevate his role,” Moriarty commented.

With Roche taking on an expanded role, Kings/Balducci’s said it also has promoted Laura Wallace to director of marketing. She joined the company as a marketing manager in 2012, previously serving as a marketing director at the Food Network and Cooking Channel. Also, in her first move as vice president of marketing, Roche has hired award-winning art director Don Morris as senior creative director.

Under parent company AG Supermarket Holdings LLC, Kings operates 25 supermarkets in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, and specialty gourmet grocer Balducci’s has eight stores in Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Virginia. The retailer also two Balducci’s Gourmet On The Go locations, in New York City and in Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Hospital, plus a Balducci’s Express outlet at Philadelphia International Airport. Kings acquired Balducci’s in 2009.