Dollar General names new operating, merchandising chiefs
Dollar General is making multiple changes to its leadership team.
Most notably, the discount giant has promoted company veteran chief merchandising officer Emily Taylor to a new role. Taylor will now serve as chief operating officer, effective Nov. 16, 2025, and will oversee Dollar General’s store operations, global supply chain, merchandising, marketing and digital, real estate and store development, decision science, and process improvement organizations.
Taylor has held roles of increasing responsibility in numerous areas across Dollar General, including merchandising, pricing, merchandise planning, financial planning and analysis, and investor relations. She was named chief merchandising officer in 2020, and previously, she served as senior VP of channel innovation and led the development and launch of the Dollar General’s Popshelf stores.
This year, Taylor was named one of Chain Store Age’s 2025 Retail’s Top Women Awards honorees.
“Emily’s strategic vision and tenured understanding of the vital role DG plays in our customers’ lives will be invaluable as she expands her responsibilities as COO,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “During her tenure, Emily and her team have consistently enhanced the shopping experience both in-store and through various digital and delivery initiatives, elevated the Dollar General and Popshelf brands, and improved operational efficiency, benefiting customers across the more than 20,000 communities we serve.”
In conjunction with Taylor’s appointment, Dollar General has also announced the promotion of Bryan Wheeler to executive VP and chief merchandising officer, the transition of Pooh Vichidvongsa to senior VP and general merchandise manager, and the elevation of Shareeka Meadows to senior VP of Popshelf.
In his new role, Wheeler will lead all consumable and non-consumable merchandising initiatives, global sourcing, merchandise operations, global inventory management and in-store experience efforts for Dollar General and Popshelf. Wheeler’s career spans more than four decades in merchandising, operations and planning. He joined Dollar General in 2006 as VP, division merchandise manager and has served as senior VP, general merchandise manager since 2017.
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Vichidvongsa has served as senior VP of Popshelf since 2024, leading merchandising, marketing and store operations for all stores in 21 states. She now returns to the Dollar General line of business as its senior VP, general merchandise manager, leading categories within family care, including paper, home cleaning, pet and health & beauty, as well as private brand strategy. Vichidvongsa joined Dollar General in 2008 and has held several roles including VP and division merchandise manager for categories in home, holiday, health and beauty.
Meadows, who joined the company in 2012, has served as VP, division merchandise manager for Popshelf since 2024. In her new role as senior VP of Popshelf, she will oversee the entire Popshelf line of business including merchandising, marketing and store operations. Previously, Meadows held various roles of increasing responsibility at Dollar General including senior buyer, senior director, and VP, division merchandise manager of apparel and stationery.
“Elevating and expanding the roles of Bryan, Pooh and Shareeka recognizes the ongoing contributions of these three leaders, aligns with our strategic growth across merchandising, and supports an operating priority to invest in the growth and development of our teams,” said Vasos. “With a strong, experienced leadership team in place across store operations, supply chain, and merchandising, the company is well-positioned to advance under Emily’s leadership as COO.”
In addition to these organizational moves and effective Nov. 12,, Dollar General has eliminated the position of executive VP of strategy and development and has announced that Steve Deckard has left the company.
As of Aug. 1, 2025, the company operated 20,746 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and Popshelf stores across the United States and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico.
