Northeast Grocery names CEO to succeed Frank Curci

John Persons has been named CEO of Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI), and will succeed Frank Curci, who is retiring. 

Persons, who now serves as NGI’s chief operating officer, will assume the new role on Feb. 26. NGI is the parent company of Tops Friendly Markets and Price Chopper/Market 32, which includes nearly 300 stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.

“The 43 years I have spent in this business have been challenging and rewarding beyond measure and, without a doubt, the recent years spent planning and then bringing NGI to life have been some of the most gratifying,” Curci said in a statement. “I'm delighted that John has been chosen to succeed me. He has been instrumental in our merger success to date, providing the necessary leadership over these past few years to position NGI for success. While John's strategic mindset is poised to lead our multifaceted business day to day, he also possesses great vision for our path forward.”

Persons began his role as COO in June of 2023, where he oversaw both supermarkets, along with the merchandising and marketing for Northeast Shared Services. He began his career with Tops as a cashier and rose to the office of president, the company said. 

He’s overseen a variety of functions at the company during his tenure, including operations, merchandising, sales, marketing, real estate, information technology, and organizational strategy.