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Harps Food Stores Promotes Six to VP, Touting Significant Growth Since 2020
Arkansas-based grocer promotes six to VP roles, touting 43% growth in the past two years. Harps has grown 43% in the past two years under newly promoted leaders' direction, Harps Chairman and CEO Kim Eskew said.
Diane Adam
March 11, 2022
3 Min Read
Springdale, Ark.-based Harps announced several top-level executive promotions within the company.
The company said in a March 11 statement that it named the following directors to vice president roles as of Jan. 3: Robert Acord, VP of pharmacy: Layne Chastain, VP of meat and seafood; Mike Roberts, VP of produce, Hydie Hale, VP of bakery-deli; Shannon Kincade, VP of general merchandise; and Randall Harp, VP of distribution & grocery procurement. Last month Harps named J. Max Van Hoose as its new president to lead the employee-owned grocer.
“We are thrilled to be able to promote these outstanding directors who have played a pivotal role as the head of their respective departments in driving our company’s success during their tenures with us,” Kim Eskew, chairman and CEO of Harps, said in a statement. “During the last two years, Harps has grown an incredible 43% under their capable direction. Having become a billion-dollar company in 2020, these promotions are overdue in my opinion, and we are excited to see what these new vice presidents will accomplish during the years to come.”
Robert Acord joined Harps Food Stores as the director of pharmacy in March 2008. Acord's more than 20 years of pharmacy experience includes roles in retail pharmacy operations, corporate supervision and IT systems. After completing undergraduate classes at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark., Acord attended the UAMS College of Pharmacy in Little Rock. He graduated from UAMS in 1987 and relocated to Springdale, AR.
Layne Chastain joined Harps as a meat-cutting apprentice with Harps Foods in 1978, eventually becoming meat market manager in Yellville, Ark. While at Yellville, Chastain was awarded meat manager of the year five times.
Mike Roberts started his career at a Food 4 Less in North Little Rock, Ark., in 1988 as a part-time produce clerk while attending college at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). During his tenure with Harps, Roberts has served in every role in the produce department, according to the company, from produce merchandiser and produce director to his current VP role.
Hydie Hale began her career with Harps in 1997 as a deli clerk. In 1999, she was promoted to deli manager in Fort Smith, Ark. She has served in bakery and deli management and merchandising roles, and in 2018, she was promoted to director.
Shannon Kincade joined Harps in 1985 as a part time sacker/stocker at Mountain Home, Ark. From there, Kincade transferred to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark., where he graduated with a B.S. in marketing. Harps said has served in numerous positions with the company, including general merchandise manager, general merchandise specialist and director of general merchandise—a title he held until his recent promotion to VP.
Randall Harp started working for Harps in 1979 as a sacker in Springdale, Ark. The company said he has also served on the board of directors and that he, too has held various roles with the company, including store manager, grocery merchandiser and district manager.
Employee-owned Harps operates 135 stores in four states: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Founded by Harvard and Floy Harp in Springdale, Ark., in 1930, the company now employs more than 6,900 associates.
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