Industry Remembers Jewel-Osco President Doug Cygan

Industry figures from the sales floor to the boardroom expressed shock and sadness at the sudden passing of Jewel-Osco President Doug Cygan.

Admired for a cheerful demeanor, local market knowledge, support of younger colleagues and an ambition that took him from an entry-level job to the helm of the Chicago-based retail chain, Cygan died after a brief and undisclosed illness at age 55. He had been named president of Jewel-Osco by parent Albertsons Cos. a little more than a year ago.

“Doug knows Chicago customers and Jewel-Osco better than anyone in the business,” Wayne Denningham, the now-retired COO of Albertsons, said at the time of Cygan's appointment in April 2017. “Jewel-Osco’s secret to success has always been knowing what Chicago customers want – from local products to specialty items to offering the best in fresh. Doug’s 37 years with Jewel-Osco uniquely positions him to lead this fantastic team, and we’re excited to have someone of his caliber directing our operations there.”

“Doug was a popular president, a strong leader within the company and in the community,” a Jewel-Osco spokeswoman told WGB. “Everyone at Jewel-Osco is devastated by his passing.”

Cygan began his career with Jewel-Osco 38 years ago as a part-time clerk. He served in a variety of operational roles and marketing and merchandising positions, including store director, marketing director, VP of fresh merchandising and VP of grocery merchandising. He was VP of marketing and merchandising for Jewel when promoted to succeed Mike Withers as banner president.

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Cygan was an alumnus of Western Michigan University and was a member of the advisory board of the university's Food and Consumer Goods Marketing program.

“Doug Cygan was a Chicago legend and industry titan. Not too often do you see someone rise from pushing carts to become president of a major retail company. Everyone who ever called on Jewel Foods knew Doug,” Frank Gambino, director of the WMU program, told WGB in an interview.

“Doug was a class act, always willing to help and collaborate. One thing I always cherished about Doug was that he never lost sight of his humble beginnings; he was grounded and good-hearted. He stayed involved with his alma mater right up till the end,” Gambino continued. “As a member of our WMU Food Industry Advisory Board, he gave of his time to enrich the student experience as they prepare to become the future leaders of the industry. As recently as March, Doug attended and lent his support of our 53rd annual Food Marketing Conference. He will be sadly missed by all who he came in touch with during his life.”

Neil Stern of Chicago-based consultancy McMillan Doolittle said Cygan meant a lot to Jewel-Osco “because he was one of them.”

“He was a classic supermarket industry story of a guy who started out in a part-time entry-level job and wound up as president of the company,” Stern said in an interview. “Because he had come up through the ranks, he had generated a lot of respect among the employees. And because Jewel had been through a lot of different owners over the years, he brought some stability to the brand.”

Employees and suppliers on social media also checked in with fond memories of Cygan.

Cygan earned a bachelor’s degree in food distribution from Western Michigan University. He served on the boards of Northern Illinois Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Western Michigan University and NorthPointe Resources, a private, not-for-profit provider of developmental disability and behavioral health services in the Zion, Ill., area.

Cygan lived in a Chicago suburb with his wife, Shonna, and is the father of six children. Funeral arrangements were pending.