Giant Co. Names SVP of Customer Experience
The Giant Co. has named Glennis Harris SVP of customer experience, effective March 22. Harris succeeds John Ponnett, who will retire from the company on April 2. In her new role, Harris will have responsibility for all of the company’s stores and e-commerce fulfillment centers, as well as asset protection and safety, delivery operations and store support. She will report directly to Nicholas Bertram, president of Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based Giant Co.
“Glennis is more than a brilliant operator; she’s also unusually skilled at developing talent and creating an irresistible culture,” said Bertram. “Her rapid advancement in the fashion industry was no surprise to me, having appreciated her growth mindset while in grocery. I’m delighted to welcome her to The Giant Co.’s leadership team, and I am convinced that she will elevate the experience of our millions of customers no matter when, how, or where they engage our brands.”
Harris started her grocery industry career in 1987 at Supervalu as a store director. Over the next decade, she rose through the ranks across multiple functions, among them operations, marketing and merchandising, in the process earning recognition as a 2012 Top Woman in Grocery in the Rising Stars division. Also in 2012, Harris joined Dublin, California-based Ross Stores Inc., which operates the Ross Dress for Less off-price apparel and home fashion chain, and dd’s Discounts, as district manager, becoming zone director in 2014. Five years later, she took on the role of regional VP for Ross in the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., areas.
“My career began in grocery, so I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the industry; joining The Giant Company is a homecoming of sorts, and I couldn’t be more excited,” said Harris. “I’ve been impressed with how The Giant Co. is transforming the business and all that they have achieved over the last few years, and I am looking forward to working with Nick and the entire team to create an omnichannel experience unlike any other in the industry.”
“On behalf of the entire Giant Co. team, I thank John [Ponnett] for his dedication and many significant contributions to our company over his 30-year career, most notably the leadership he displayed last year during one of the most challenging times in company history,” added Bertram. “From his beginning as a part-time clerk at our original Middletown, Pennsylvania, store to his current role, John’s tremendous influence on our business will not be forgotten, and his legacy will live on in the many team members he’s mentored over the years."
With more than 35,000 associates supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 107 fuel stations, and 150-plus online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of ZIP codes, The Giant Co. encompasses the following banners: Giant, Martin's, Giant Heirloom Market, Giant Direct and Martin's Direct. The Giant Co.'s parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in the United States.
