ALDI U.S. Names New COO
A new leader is poised to head up operations at ALDI U.S. This week, freshly-minted CEO Atty McGrath shared on her LinkedIn page that Karla Waddleton has been promoted to fill McGrath’s previous COO role.
“Karla’s extensive experience and commitment to our mission have been instrumental in our success this far. I am excited to see how her leadership will help us continue to build momentum and enhance our operations,” wrote McGrath, who is succeeding CEO Jason Hart as he shifts to a Group COO officer on the executive board of ALDI South in Salzburg, Austria.
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In her own LinkedIn post, Waddleton expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm for the promotion. “I am honored and thrilled to take on the role of chief operating officer for ALDI USA. As I look back on my journey with ALDI, beginning as a district manager in St. Louis over 20 years ago, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to grow alongside an extraordinary team committed to our mission.”
She continued, “As we move forward, I am eager to harness the collective momentum, focus on driving innovation and deliver exceptional value to our customers. Thank you all for your trust and support as we embark on this exciting journey together.”
As Waddleton noted, she joined the company as a district manager in July 2001 and has steadily ascended through the company over the past 24 years, taking on roles including director of store operations in the Houston, Texas, market and, most recently, as a Houston-based VP. She earned a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Batavia, Ill.-based ALDI U.S. serves millions of customers across the country each month with more than 2,500 stores in 39 states. The company is No. 25 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named ALDI among its 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
