Kroger, Publix and Walmart Execs Join GS1 US Board of Governors
The GS1 US board of governors has elected four industry leaders to join the body: Benjamin Hamilton, VP, supply chain planning at The Kroger Co.; Brad Oliver, SVP of product business development at Publix Super Markets Inc.; Greg Cathey, SVP, transformation and innovation at Walmart; and Greg Keller, SVP, national accounts, Sysco, SYGMA and Guest Worldwide. Further, Brian Dick, president and CEO of Golden State Foods, was appointed vice chairman.
These executives comprise a cross-industry board of governors that guides the GS1 US strategy to spur greater adoption and use of GS1 Standards to boost supply chain efficiency and visibility across the apparel, general merchandise, retail grocery, foodservice and health care sectors.
“As supply chains continue rapid transformation to meet rising consumer expectations, our board’s leadership is vital in shaping how industries work together to improve operations, transparency and customer experiences,” said Bob Carpenter, president and CEO of Ewing, N.J.-based GS1 US. “Each of these esteemed individuals brings valuable insight and proven leadership that will help strengthen GS1 US initiatives, leading to shared value for all the industries we serve.”
Hamilton leads supply chain planning at Cincinnati-based Kroger and aligns merchandising and distribution center operations through integrated business planning, forecasting and supply execution. Boasting nearly two decades of global supply chain expertise, he serves as a critical link between merchandising and distribution center operations, overseeing integrated business planning, demand planning, supply planning and execution.
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At Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix, the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States, Oliver leads purchasing and replenishment for grocery and fresh products. Having spent more than three decades at Publix, he brings to his work extensive experience spanning retail operations and product development across the company’s wide store network.
At Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart, Cathey oversees the strategic transformation of the retailer’s supply chain, store operations and last-mile delivery network. In more than 30 years with the company, he has held various leadership roles at Sam’s Club, Walmart International and Walmart US, including a stint as CEO of Sam’s Club Mexico.
Dick, who guides all global operations and functions for Irvine, Calif.-based foodservice company Golden State Foods, has served on the GS1 US Board of Governors since 2022.
The GS1 US board of governors features senior executives from such other leading organizations as Amazon, The Coca-Cola Co., Dot Foods Inc., Google; Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Target, Topco Associates LLC; Wakefern Food Corp. and and Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
Best known as a source for UPC barcodes, GS1 is a not-for-profit global data standards organization that creates a common language for companies to identify, capture and share trusted data that links their physical and digital supply chains.
Each week, approximately 270 million customers and members visit Walmart’s more than 10,750 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 19 countries. With FY2025 revenue of $681 billion, the company employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Kroger employs nearly 420,000 associates who serve more than 11 million customers daily through a digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The grocer is No. 4 on The PG 100. Employee-owned Publix has 255,000-plus associates and more than 1,300 supermarkets in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky. The company is No. 10 on PG’s list.
