Hy-Vee hires Saatchi & Saatchi X CEO as chief marketing officer

Midwest grocery chain Hy-Vee has hired a new executive to oversee its marketing and retail media network operations.

Jessica Hendrix will join Hy-Vee as chief marketing officer and president of RedMedia effective April 16. Hendrix most recently spent nine years as president & CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi X, a full-service and shopper marketing agency of parent company Publicis Groupe.

During her tenure, she led a client team that partnered with brands and companies including Procter & Gamble, Wendy’s, Kraft, Smucker’s, Samsung and Dreyer’s. She spent a total of 17 years with Saatchi & Saatchi X.

Hendrix will oversee Hy-Vee’s marketing efforts and serve as the driving force behind RedMedia’s growth and strategic operations. Hendrix will report to Donna Tweeten, president of Hy-Vee, Inc.

“The Hy-Vee brand has always been near and dear to my heart,” said Hendrix, an Iowa native. “The company provides unparalleled customer service, whether that’s for a shopper in a store or in how they work with their suppliers. The potential for Hy-Vee to continue to leverage that experience to make a lasting impact in the marketing and retail media space is substantial.”

Hy-Vee launched RedMedia in September 2023 to help CPGs and other brands precisely target the retailer’s shoppers, utilizing first-party data and “strategic placement to provide meaningful and personalized interactions with consumers.”

With Hendrix’s hiring, Anna Stoermer, executive VP at Hy-Vee, will transition from the chief marketing officer role into leading Hy-Vee’s merchandising efforts as chief merchandising officer.

“I truly believe bringing a leader of Jessica’s caliber on board at Hy-Vee is going to take our integrated marketing strategies to the next level,” said Jeremy Gosch, Hy-Vee’s CEO. “The talent and experience we have in this area is second to none, and with Jessica at the helm, I’m confident this team will bring even more value to our brand marketing efforts, the positioning of our image, and the advanced development of our retail media network.”

Based in West Des Moines, Iowa, Hy-Vee operates more than 550 business units across eight Midwestern states: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.