Shaw's Names Stigers President

SN STAFF

WEST BRDIGEWATER, Mass. — Shaw's Supermarkets on Thursday said that Larry Wahlstrom will retire as president of the chain this spring and will be succeeded by Mike Stigers, a former California retail executive who began his new role this week.

Wahlstrom, a 40-year industry veteran, had returned to Shaw’s as president last year after a previous retirement.

"Larry has been a strong leader whose many contributions have shaped our company. We wish him well in his retirement," said Pete Van Helden, executive vice president of retail operations at Minneapolis-based Supervalu, Shaw's parent company. "At the same time, we're delighted to have Mike join our company. Mike's long and diverse history in the grocery industry makes him uniquely qualified to lead Shaw"s and to unite our great associates as we fulfill our mission of becoming the leading neighborhood grocer in New England."

Stigers began his grocery career in 1974 as a part-time courtesy clerk at Safeway. During the next 14 years, he took on managerial positions of increasing responsibility before joining Jons Markets, an independent retailer based in Los Angeles. After a stint working for retail technology companies, he joined PW Supermarkets, San Jose, Calif., in 1999 as director of operations, and eventually became its chief executive officer. He most recently was a regional vice president at Sterilox Food Safety, a supplier of water-based food-safety products for retailers.