CEO of Price Chopper and Tops Markets parent company to retire
Northeast Grocery Inc. has named its next chief executive.
The parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets said that CEO Scott Grimmett will retire, effective in February. He will be succeeded by former Tops Markets chairman and CEO Frank Curci.
In November 2021, Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets completed their merger, with the new parent company named Northeast Grocery Inc. (NGI). The merger virtually doubled the two Northeast grocers’ collective footprints, with a combined total of nearly 300 stores.
Grimmett is retiring after a 48-year career in the retail grocery industry. After 10 years at Price Chopper/Market 32, several of them spent working on the merger and then putting in place the right people and processes for the merged company’s first year, he decided to retire to spend more time with his family in Arizona, the company said. Grimmett will work with Curci to ensure a smooth leadership transition and also offer his consulting services.
After 10 years at Price Chopper/Market 32, several of them spent working diligently on the merger between Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets and then putting in place the people and processes to ensure the new company’s success during its first year, Grimmett recently informed the NGI board that he felt this was the right time for him to retire to spend more time with his family in Arizona and turn over leadership of the company. Grimmett will be working with Curci to ensure a smooth leadership transition and provide consulting going forward in support of the merger integration process.
“We have been extraordinarily fortunate to have Scott Grimmett lead us through the merger process and develop the strategies and plans to move the company forward,” said NGI co-chair Jerry Golub. “First at Price Chopper/Market 32 and most recently at NGI, Scott has shown exceptional leadership qualities and vision. We wish him the best as he retires.”
Curci’s 40-year career has included a diverse set of C-suite positions with multiple retail grocery organizations. Among other positions, Curci spent 14 years as the CEO of Tops, building the organization from the ground up after it separated away from Ahold. He has also led many critical, strategic initiatives that grew the Tops business such as the acquisitions of 79 Penn Traffic stores in 2010 and 21 Grand Union stores in 2012.
Curci, who is also an NGI board member, worked together with Grimmett during the merger process and is intimately familiar with the plans in place to move the company forward.
“I’m excited about the future of this company and implementing the plans Scott and I have put in place,” said Curci. “With our now-combined footprint of nearly 300 stores, we are better positioned to leverage increased value for customers; advance shared opportunities for innovation; and fortify the depth of our expanded workforce, community, and trade partnerships, making us stronger and more competitive.”
Curci will work from NGI’s headquarters in Schenectady, N.Y.
As previously announced, Blaine Bringhurst serves as president of the Price Chopper/Market 32 business and John Persons as president of the Tops Markets business. Dave Langless, formerly the chief financial officer of Tops, serves as NGI’s CFO.
Based in Schenectady, N.Y., Price Chopper/Market 32 operates 130 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores and one Market Bistro in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops Markets currently operates 160 grocery stores in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, including five that are run by franchisees.
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