TRADING PLACES 1995

LISA A. TIBBITTS

Shoppers weren't the only ones walking in and out of supermarkets' revolving doors. Grocery executives used those doors, some leaving companies they had been with for years.

Other executives stepped aside when their family-owned companies were taken over by nonfamily members, while some rose to new heights within their companies.

After resigning from his positions as president and chief operating officer of Big V Supermarkets, Florida, N.Y., in November 1994, Stuart A. Rosenthal accepted the posts of president and chief operating officer at Smith's Food & Drug Centers, Salt Lake City, in January. In November he resigned from Smith's.

Joseph V. Fisher was selected as the new president and chief executive officer of Big V Supermarkets in September. Since joining the chain in 1992, Fisher held the post of as vice president of store operations and later executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Ronald E. Johnson assumed the titles of president and CEO at Kash n' Karry Food Stores, Tampa, Fla., when Ronald J. Floto resigned to serve as president of Kmart Corp.'s Super Kmart Centers in January. In March, he added chairman to his list of titles.

One month later, Johnson brought Dennis V. Carter on board as vice president of food for Super Kmart Centers. Carter had spent 23 years with Kash n' Karry and he most recently served as executive vice president of operations and a member of the board of directors.

This fall, Johnson hired two more grocery executives: Joseph P. Bullara, senior vice president of marketing at Kash n' Karry, was named vice president of food merchandising, and Mike Racine, vice president of marketing systems for Safeway's northern California division, was named director of grocery operations.

Dean G. Miller, the co-founder, president and CEO of Megafoods Stores, Mesa, Ariz., resigned in February. Robert Ling, Megafoods' senior vice president and general counsel, served as acting president and CEO until April. At that point, William J. White, a former executive with Kessel Food Markets, Flint, Mich., as well as Bruno's and Piggly Wiggly Southern, took over as president and CEO.

In April, Gerald F. Lestina was named president and CEO of Roundy's, Pewaukee, Wis. He succeeded John R. Dickson, who stayed on as chairman emeritus until his death earlier this month. Lestina had been the company's president and chief operating officer since October 1993.

Randy Delchamps resigned as chairman, president and CEO of Delchamps, Mobile, Ala., in mid-April. He was succeeded by David W. Morrow, who had been chairman, president and CEO of Pueblo Xtra International, Pompano Beach, Fla.

One month later, Richard W. La Trace Sr. was named president of Delchamps. He had retired as president and chief operating officer of Xtra Super Food Centers, Pompano Beach, Fla., nearly two years earlier.

Guy R. Sykes was named president and CEO of Camellia Food Stores, Norfolk, Va., in June. He succeeded Walter Grant, who retired after 21 years with the company. Sykes, who formerly served as vice president and chief operating officer, retained the title of chief operating officer.

Later during the month, Richfood Holdings, Mechanicsville, Va., named Donald D. Bennett chairman and John E. Stokely president and chief operating officer. Bennett, who had been president and CEO, retained the CEO title. Stokely had been executive vice president of finance and administration.

In June, L.S. "Sam" Skaggs stepped down as chairman of American Stores Co., Salt Lake City, because of health problems. Victor L. Lund, president and CEO, succeeded

him as chairman and retained the CEO title. David L. Maher, formerly senior executive vice president and chief operating officer for drugs at American, was elected president. He retained his title of chief operating officer.

In September, David Jenkins, former chairman of Shaw's Supermarkets, East Bridgewater, Mass., retired as a director of J. Sainsbury, Shaw's London-based parent company. Also in September, Big Bear Stores, Columbus, Ohio, a division of Penn Traffic Co., Syracuse, N.Y., named Stephen V. Breech president and CEO.

Jenai Sullivan Wall was named president of Foodland Super Market, Honolulu, in November.

Bill Vitulli, vice president of government and community relations at A&P, Montvale, N.J., retired in October after 60-plus years with the company.

Jean Roch Vachon, who had been chairman and CEO of Phoenix-based Smitty's Super Valu since 1990, stepped down from those positions in November. Vachon was succeeded as chairman by Ron Burkle, chairman of Yucaipa Cos., Los Angeles, which acquired the 28-store chain in June 1994. Succeeding Vachon as CEO was David Green, who had been president and chief operating officer of the company since 1991. Roger E. Stangeland, who retired as chairman of Vons Cos., Arcadia, Calif., in May, became chairman of Grand Union Co., Wayne, N.J.

Larry Del Santo succeeded Stangeland as chairman of Vons. Eagle Food Centers, Milan, Ill., named Robert J. Kelly president and CEO in May.

Harry Blazer, founder of Harry's Farmers Market, Roswell, Ga., relinquished his duties as president and CEO in early September, only to reclaim them weeks later.

William J. Bolton was named chairman and CEO of Bruno's, Birmingham, Ala., following its acquisition by Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts, New York.

Bolton succeeded Ronald G. Bruno, who left the company his family founded 63 years ago.

In January, Mark Hollis, president and chief operating officer of Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla., is scheduled to retire.