Safeway names new merch head

PLEASANTON, Calif. Safeway has announced the appointment of Kelly Griffith to president of merchandising, reporting to Diane Dietz, EVP and chief marketing officer.

Griffith will oversee the company’s entire perishable and non-perishable business units including grocery, general merchandise, produce, meat, seafood, bakery, food service, and floral.

Griffith joined Safeway 30 years ago in the company’s Seattle division. After working his way through a range of retail store management assignments, he was assigned to the company’s corporate retail operations team in 1999 and elected to VP the following year. He was promoted to VP retail operations in Safeway’s Seattle division in 2001, then returned to corporate office as SVP produce and flloral in 2004. Griffith was promoted to president of the company’s Portland division in 2005, and returned to corporate in 2008 as president and general manager of perishables.

“Kelly has a proven track record of successes and is an energetic and effective leader who understands the needs of our customers and how to achieve positive results,” said Dietz. “This newly created role will produce greater synergies between Safeway’s perishables and non-perishables teams, and will serve to enhance and strengthen the company’s overall centralized merchandising function.”