Stater Bros. Markets Names IT SVP

Stater Bros. Markets has promoted Gil Salazar to the position of SVP information technology. Continuing to report to CEO Pete Van Helden, Salazar will drive innovation critical to meet the current and future needs of the grocer’s customers and all areas of the company.

“This promotion recognizes his outstanding leadership and innovation to navigate us into the future,” said Van Helden.

Salazar is also a member of the executive leadership team, which evaluates and sets key strategies for the company.

He brings more than 30 years of information technology experience to his role. Before coming to Stater Bros., Salazar was director IT services for Hyundai Capital America; director information technology for Partners Consulting, providing IT services to clients across multiple industries; associate VP of IT services at AIG; VP information technology for Ford Motor Credit; and senior manager systems infrastructure for ConAgra Foods Inc.

Joining Stater Bros. in 2013 as assistant director operations/technical support, Salazar was named VP information technology, his most recent role, three years later.

Salazar served four years in the U.S. Navy during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Southern Watch, is a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) Executive Management Program and a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, and sits on the Stater Bros. Charities board of directors.

The largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California, San Bernardino, Calif.-based Stater Bros. operates 169 supermarkets, and employs more than 18,000 associates. The company is No. 50 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.