Giant Eagle CEO Laura Karet is out after 11 years

Giant Eagle named Bill Artman, a 40-year veteran who started as a bagger, as interim CEO effective immediately, the Pittsburgh-based grocery retailer announced on Tuesday. Artman succeeds Laura Karet, who helmed the chain for 11 years as part of a nearly 23-year tenure with the grocer. 

Giant Eagle's board "determined to separate" Karet "pursuant to her contract," the retailer said in a statement.

The announcement also included the appointment of current lead independent director Bart Friedman as chairman of the board. Friedman has served on the board for over two years and will be the first non-family chairman in Giant Eagle’s history.

“We are pleased to welcome Bill into this new role,” said Bart Friedman, chairman of the Giant Eagle board, in a statement. “Bill has been a valued member of the Giant Eagle team for nearly 40 years, and we are more than confident he is the right leader for the next phase of this storied company. His experiences throughout his career with Giant Eagle give him a deep understanding of the unique heritage of this business and position him well to drive toward future growth and continue in our proud tradition of commitment to serving our team members, customers, and communities. We’re proud to see someone like him rise through our organization as a leader after starting his career bagging groceries as a customer service clerk.”

No details were provided on Karet's future plans. 

Artman most recently served as president of supermarkets, where he oversaw supply chain operations, retail innovation, real estate and construction, retail operations, merchandising, independent retailing/non-banner and culinary operations.

In addition to his role as president of supermarkets for Giant Eagle, Artman served in various other leadership roles, including EVP and SVP of retail operations.

“It is a privilege to continue to work with the talented team at Giant Eagle and I look forward to get started in this new role,” said Artman in a statement. “My main focus is and always has been continuing to support the great team at Giant Eagle, and delivering for our customers and the places where we live and work. Giant Eagle was built on a foundation of passion, hard work, innovation and competitive spirit and I’m proud to continue that legacy.”

Giant Eagle operates more than 470 stores in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. It posted $11.1 billion in annual revenue in 2022.