CEO At Hy-Vee Steps Down

Hy-Vee has announced that CEO Randy Edeker will step down from his position on October 1, but will continue to lead at the chain as chairman of the board. Vice chairman and president of Hy-Vee’s supply chain subsidiaries Aaron Wiese will assume the CEO position. Jeremy Gosch will stay on as COO and president at the company. Gosch and Wiese will still report to Edeker.

“Both Aaron and Jeremy have been trusted leaders of our executive team for many years, and I am thankful for the leadership they continue to provide our great company,” Randy Edeker, chairman of the board and current CEO of Hy-Vee in a statement. “With this announcement, I can continue to focus on Hy-Vee’s strategy and evolution in today’s changing environment while Jeremy can focus on overseeing our stores and Aaron can focus on the day-to-day operations of the overall company.”

Edeker has held the position of chairman of the board and CEO of Hy-Vee since 2012, and served as president from 2012-2021. He began his career at Hy-Vee as a part-time employee in 1981 in a store in Chariton, Iowa. From there, he moved up in the company, working at various stores including in Nebraska, Illinois and Missouri. His first store director assignment came in 1993 in Columbus, Neb. From there, Edeker has held several management positions at Hy-Vee including director of operations, assistant vice president of operations, vice president of marketing, senior vice president of retail operations, and executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Hy-Vee has more than 285 stores in eight Midwestern states: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The company’s distribution centers are in located in Chariton, Iowa, and Cherokee, Iowa, with a third perishable operation in Ankeny, Iowa. Their corporate office is located in West Des Moines, Iowa.