Albertsons Hires Mike Theilmann to Head HR

Albertsons Cos. said Mike Theilmann has been named EVP and chief human resources officer, effective Aug. 19.   

Andy Scoggin, Albertsons EVP of human resources, public affairs, government relations and labor relations, has announced plans to leave the company at the end of the calendar year.

Theilmann has a 30-year career in human resources including at Yum Brands, Diageo, J.C. Penney and PepsiCo.  

At Yum, Theilmann held senior human resources positions, including VP of people services, VP of human resources for its Europe operations and SVP and chief people officer for the international business. Theilmann also was chief human resources and administration officer of J.C. Penney from 2005 to 2009, where he partnered with the executive team to accelerate growth through highly-engaged associates with a customer-centric focus. He was promoted to group EVP in 2010, where he led store operations, supply chain management, human resources and administration.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Albertsons Cos.’ leadership team at such a pivotal moment in retail,” Theilmann said in a statement. “At no other time has the retail game been changing faster than it is today. Our omnichannel, technology-driven world isn’t just transforming how we shop; it’s influencing how companies attract, retain and develop talent in order to grow and sustain results too. I look forward to the opportunity we have across Albertsons 2,200 stores to build the best workforce in the industry, and to create a culture that people can’t help but want to be part of as employees and as customers.” 

“Mike brings to Albertsons Cos. both proven HR leadership and a winning track record in developing strong cultures of employee engagement and development. His experiences across many industries, in large service-centric companies, and his ability to connect operating priorities to talent and culture priorities will be invaluable as we navigate this new era in retail,” said Vivek Sankaran, president and CEO of Albertsons, said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Mike as we continue to grow and develop as a locally great, nationally strong omnichannel retailer.”

Davidson Takes Over Portland Division

Separately, Albertsons announced that Gineal Davidson has been named president of the company’s Portland division, which operates more than 140 stores in Oregon and Washington.

As previously reported, former Portland President Greg McNiff is joining Stater Bros as its president. Davidson most recently was Intermountian Division VP of merchandising and marketing.

Davidson started with Albertsons 30 years ago as a courtesy clerk in Boulder, Colo.  Since that time, she has held positions of increasing responsibility including service deli sales manager, store director, district manager and director of sales support.

She was named division VP, marketing and merchandising of the company’s Shaw’s Division in 2016, and returned to the Intermountain Division in 2017 when she was named VP of strategic initiatives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

“We’re thrilled to have an operator of Gineal’s caliber to lead our Portland Division team,” said Susan Morris, EVP and chief operations officer. “Gineal is a dynamic leader with a fantastic track record of leading winning teams, and we look forward to her taking on this key role within our company.”