Albertsons Regroups Itself Into Two Retail Divisions

BOISE, Idaho — A group of executives from the former Albertsons chain — who went to work for the less-profitable stores that originally comprised Albertsons LLC — will end up running the entire chain again, along with other companies, when the sale of those stores by Supervalu is completed next month.

Albertsons LLC here announced the organizational structure of the new company that will emerge, called AB Acquisition Inc., which will encompass a split into two segments — one to oversee the entire Albertsons chain and one to oversee the other retail operations it is scheduled to acquire in mid-March.

AB Acquisition will be headed by Bob Miller — who has presided over Albertsons LLC since 2006 — as chief executive officer.

One segment, Albertsons LLC, will oversee all Albertsons banner stores, while the other segment, New Albertsons Inc. (NAI), will oversee Acme Markets, Jewel, Shaw’s/Star Markets and all pharmacy operations.

Overseeing their respective functions at both Albertsons LLC and NAI will be Rick Navarro as chief financial officer; Mark Bates, chief information officer; Paul Rowan, general counsel; and Andrew Scoggin, currently senior vice president, human resources and public affairs, who will be promoted to executive vice president of those areas.

Under the new organization, Bob Butler will become chief operating officer for the Albertsons banners, and Justin Dye will become chief operating officer for NAI. Butler is currently executive vice president, operations, for Albertsons LLC and Butler is the company’s chief strategy officer.

At the division level, all of the executives appointed division presidents started their careers with the original Albertsons chain and subsequently worked for Albertsons LLC when it was formed seven years ago.

At Albertsons LLC, under Butler’s leadership, those executives will include the following:

• Dennis Bassler, who will become president of a newly formed Northwest division of Albertsons, based in Portland, Ore., encompassing 110 stores.  Bassler started with Albertsons in 1981 and ultimately was senior vice president, marketing and merchandising; at Albertsons LLC he is district manager, Southern division.

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• Wayne Denningham, who will become president of the Southern California division of Albertsons, Fullerton, Calif., encompassing 226 stores in California and Nevada. He started at Albertsons in 1977 and is now president of the Southern division of Albertsons LLC, Fort Worth, Texas.

• Susan Morris, who will become president of the Albertsons Intermountain division, based in Boise, encompassing 76 stores in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Morris, who began her career with Albertsons in 1985, is currently vice president of marketing and merchandising for the Southwest division of Albertsons LLC.

•Shane Dorcheus, who will remain president of the Albertsons Southwest division (formerly the Albertsons LLC Southwest division), encompassing 104 stores in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.  He joined Albertsons in 1980.

• Mike Withers, who will succeed Denningham as president of the Southern division of Albertsons, encompassing 88 stores in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. He is currently vice president of marketing and merchandising at Albertsons LLC. Withers joined Albertsons in 1976.

At NAI, the new division officers are as follows:

• Jim Perkins, who will become president of the Acme Markets division, based in Malvern, Pa., encompassing 113 stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland.  Perkins began his career at Albertsons in 1982 and became vice president, operations; he was subsequently director of operations for the Southern division of Albertsons LLC before leaving in 2010 to be vice president at Giant of Landover.

• William Emmons, who will be coming out of retirement to serve as president of the Jewel Osco division, Chicago, which includes 179 stores in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.  Emmons, who joined Albertsons in 1971, was president of the Southern division of Albertsons LLC at the time he retired in October 2010.

• Shane Sampson, who will become president of the Shaw’s and Star Markets division, which encompasses 169 stores in New England.  He started with Albertsons in 1983 and was president of the chain’s Intermountain division and later, of its Florida division; at Albertsons LLC, he had been vice president of marketing and merchandising for the company’s Southern division before leaving in 2009.

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