Supervalu Taps CPG Veteran as CIO 2010-04-19

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu here said it has named Wayne Shurts as its new executive vice president and chief information officer. Shurts, 50, most recently was global CIO for Cadbury PLC, and before that had been with Nestle in various financial, marketing and supply-chain positions. He is scheduled to join Supervalu April 26, and will report directly to Craig Herkert, president and chief executive officer. “Wayne is a strong and proven leader who understands the grocery industry as well as the systems behind supply chain and logistics within retail organizations,” Herkert said in a prepared release. Shurts succeeds Colin Cobain, who has been interim CIO since last June, according to reports. Former Supervalu CIO Paul Singer left the diversified retailer and wholesaler last year.

FMI NAMES STEGEMAN TO NEW POST

ARLINGTON, Va. — Food Marketing Institute here last week said it has hired Pamela Stegeman as vice president, business planning and development, a newly created position at the association. “We are very excited about adding this new position,” Lesile G. Sarasin, president and chief executive officer, FMI, told SN. “We are going to bring a more entrepreneurial spirit to what we do here at FMI, and this is our first step in that effort.” Stegeman will be responsible for leading the value creation, revenue generation, new business and community development activities for FMI, the association said. She most recently was president of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and previously spent eight years at Grocery Manufacturers Association, including as vice president, supply chain and technology.

BOND TO EXIT CEO ROLE AT ASDA IN U.K.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores last week said Andy Bond, the president and chief executive officer of its Asda chain in the U.K., will leave those positions and become chairman of the chain's executive committee. He will continue to oversee day-to-day management until a successor is named, the company said. Bond had been president and CEO of the Asda banner for the past five years and has been with Asda for 16 years. His new role will be a part-time position, the company said. “I'm very proud to have led Asda for the past five years and helped it find a new confidence to serve its customers better,” he said in a prepared statement.

ACOSTA ADDS MARKETING EXECUTIVES

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Acosta Sales & Marketing last week said Alfred Wittemen and Shannon Hodock have joined its marketing team. In his role as executive vice president of integrated marketing, Wittemen will oversee marketing strategy, business development, account management and creative for Acosta's marketing agencies. As senior vice president of shopper marketing, Hodock also will be working with Acosta's agencies, focusing on strategic program development for both new and existing clients. Wittemen has 40 years' experience in shopper marketing, sales, branding and product growth for CPG companies and marketing service agencies. He most recently was chief retail strategist at Omnicon-owned TracyLocke, where his clients included PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Kimberly-Clark, Hershey and T-Mobile. Hodock spent the last nine years at TracyLocke, where her clients included, Kimberly-Clark, Quaker Foods, PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, AT&T and Wal-Mart Stores.