Fareway Makes 3 Executive Moves

Three Fareway Stores Inc. executives are taking on new roles as the grocer works to identify, foster, develop and grow its talent. Effective immediately, Aaron Irlbeck assumes the role of SVP – campus operations, John Cramer becomes VP – e-commerce operations, and Chad Hickcox is regional VP. 

Irlbeck joined Fareway in 1992 as a part-time employee, and in 2019 was he promoted to SVP of digital commerce, leading e-commerce sales and the online shopping team. Cramer began working for Fareway in 1990, became a corporate supervisor in 2012, and has been involved in the development and launch of Fareway’s e-commerce program since its commencement.

Hickcox, meanwhile, has been with Fareway since 1991, and worked his way up to a regional supervisor role after nine years as a store manager in Omaha, Neb.

“These officers are important members of our team, having been instrumental in supporting and executing Fareway’s strategy. They contribute greatly to our core and expanding operations, and will be important to our continued success,” said Fareway CEO Reynolds W. Cramer. “We are excited to identify, foster, develop and grow talent at Fareway, and Aaron, John and Chad are three excellent examples of that.”

Fareway has been busy over the past several months, having recently finalized plans to construct an approximately 24,000-square-foot store in a mixed-use development in Norwalk, Iowa. In November, the regional retailer opened a new location in Ogden, Iowa, which had been without a grocery store for more than three years after a previous market was destroyed by a fire.

Family-owned Fareway employs more than 12,000 associates in its 130-plus stores located in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota. The Boone, Iowa-based company is No. 77 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.