Kaplan Named Chairman of Smart & Final

LOS ANGELES — With the completion last month of the sale of Smart & Final to Ares Management, David Kaplan has been named chairman of the board.  

He succeeds George Golleher, who has retired.

Kaplan is a founding member and senior partner at Ares and co-heads Ares' private equity group. He is also chairman of locally based 99 Cents Only Stores, which Ares acquired in January 2012.

Read more: Ares Acquires Smart & Final

He was formerly a senior principal with Shelter Capital Partners and a senior partner at Apollo Management. He was also formerly a director of Dominick's Fine Foods, Chicago.

As previously reported, investment funds managed by Ares acquired the equity interest in Smart & Final from affiliates of Apollo Management, which had owned Smart & Final since May 2007.