Sponsored By

Island Pacific Market names Herman Chiu as CFO

Longtime finance executive coming over from parent of 99 Ranch Market

Russell Redman

August 8, 2022

2 Min Read
Island Pacific Market store-Santa Clarita CA.jpg
Island Pacific operates 18 Filipino grocery stores, including 15 in California and three in Las Vegas.Island Pacific Market

Herman Chiu is joining Filipino grocery chain Island Pacific Market as chief financial officer.

City of Industry, Calif.-based Island Pacific said Monday that Chiu comes to the company from Tawa Supermarkets, owner of 99 Ranch Market, the nation’s largest Asian supermarket chain. Island Pacific didn’t provide a start date for Chiu.

Herman Chiu_Island Pacific Market.jpgThe Filipino grocer noted that Chiu (pictured left) brings more than 30 years of financial leadership experience to the Island Pacific organization. Currently, he serves as executive vice president at Tawa Supermarket, which he joined in June 2020. Prior to that, he spent more than 17 years as CFO of Santa Monica Seafood, a multi-state supplier and distributor of seafood in the southwestern United States.

During his CFO tenure at Santa Monica Seafood, Chiu transformed the organization into a goal-oriented company by orchestrating detailed budgets and forecasts to improve performance and profitability, with the company’s revenue growing from $35 million to $500 million, Island Pacific noted. He also centralized the banking function and leveraged technology to prevent fraud and sharpen the reconciliation process. As a result of these accomplishments, he was named the 2017 LA Business Journal CFO of the Year for Large Private Company, Island Pacific said.

Related:Island Pacific Market serves up COVID-19 vaccine incentives

Before joining the seafood company, Chiu spent eight years at beer wholesaler Harbor Distributing LLC, most recently as vice president of finance and technology. Island Pacific said that, in the dual role at Harbor, he streamlined and improved the efficiency of monthly financial reporting and was responsible for the network and information reporting systems for all related organizations nationwide. He came to Harbor in 1993 from accounting giant KPMG, where he most recently served as supervisor/senior accountant.

“Island Pacific is thrilled to have Herman Chiu support our mission of promoting Filipino food and culture to the rest of the world,” Island Pacific stated. “His more than three decades of executive leadership experience in various fields of finance and accounting is what Island Pacific needs to bring the company to the next level.”

Overall, Island Pacific operates 18 stores, including 15 in California and three in Las Vegas.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like