LA TRACE SUCCEEDS MORROW AS PRESIDENT OF DELCHAMPS

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

MOBILE, Ala. -- Delchamps here has named Richard W. La Trace Sr. its new president. La Trace, 57, succeeds David W. Morrow, who continues as chairman and, on an interim basis, as chief executive officer of the 118-unit chain. When Morrow succeeded Randy Delchamps as chairman, president and CEO in mid-April, he said his service as president and CEO would be temporary, until a permanent successor could be found. "But the board asked Dave to stay involved a little longer," Timothy E. Kullman Sr., Delchamps' senior vice president and chief financial officer, told SN last week.

"Acceding to the board's recommendation, Dave felt it would be more appropriate for him to retain the CEO title. However, Richard La Trace has the entire company reporting to him." Kullman said he was not sure if La Trace would be named CEO at some point, and neither Morrow nor La Trace was available for comment last week. La Trace has been out of the food industry for nearly two years after serving as president and chief operating officer of Xtra Super Food Centers, Pompano Beach, Fla., from July 1992 until November 1993. Morrow was previously chairman, president and CEO of Xtra's parent company, Pueblo Xtra International, Pompano Beach, before joining Delchamps. La Trace was president of corporate retail at Wetterau Inc., Hazelwood, Mo. (now part of Supervalu, Minneapolis), from December 1990 through July 1992, and was senior vice president of operations at Abco Foods, Phoenix, from January 1988 through December 1990.