Wakefern amps up its executive leadership with new addition and promotion

New Jersey-based Wakefern Food Corp. has named Elena Kabasinskas as group VP of strategy, planning and transformation, and Michael Day has been promoted to SVP of strategy, business development and architecture, the retailer-owned grocery cooperative announced on Monday.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Elena to the Wakefern family,” said Joe Sheridan, president of Wakefern Food Corp., in a statement. “She will play an important role as we look to further fuel growth across our entire business. Her deep experience in process improvement and business transformation will be pivotal as we look internally to strengthen our own operations and meet the challenges presented by a new digital world.”

In her new role, Kabasinskas will be responsible for leading transformation planning, strengthening business processes and Wakefern’s deployment of new technologies. She will report to Day.

As group VP, Kabasinskas will oversee the business processes and change-management efforts to develop strategies to help the cooperative meet customers’ evolving needs, Wakefern said in a statement.

Prior to joining Wakefern, Kabasinskas spent more than a decade with The Estée Lauder Companies, where she served as SVP in the company’s global transformation office and special projects. Before serving as SVP, she led financial and business operations for the cosmetics company.

In his new role as SVP, Day will spearhead Wakefern’s strategic planning across a range of business units. He will oversee key operations including information technology, real estate, business development, member services and strategic transformation. Day joined Wakefern in 1999 and has held a range of positions, having served most recently as group vice president of strategic planning, business development and retail services.

“Over his long, 23-year tenure with Wakefern, Michael’s leadership has proved to be instrumental in helping drive and steer our strategy and planning,” added Sheridan. “We’re grateful for his dedication to Wakefern and are looking forward to the impact that he will have in his new role as we improve and better serve our member companies and customers.”

Last month, Wakefern Food Corp. tapped Mike Stigers to take the helm as president of Wakefern on June 1, following the retirement of current President Joe Sheridan

Wakefern Food Corp. began as a small, local cooperative with eight owners and has now grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States, with members operating more than 300 stores under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England.