Stop & Shop President Mark McGowan to Depart
Ahold Delhaize USA has revealed that Stop & Shop President Mark McGowan has made the decision to leave the organization.
At the company’s request, McGowan will remain with the Quincy, Mass.-based banner through the end of the year to facilitate a smooth transition as Gordon Reid, currently president of Giant Food, takes the reins at Stop & Shop. Reid will begin transitioning to his new role in the next few weeks, officially assuming the role in late July.
Additionally, Ira Kress, currently SVP, operations at Landover, Md.-based Giant Food, will take on the role of interim president of Giant Food, also in late July.
“Mark McGowan has had a tremendous impact for the Ahold Delhaize USA brands, as well as the communities they serve, and we thank him for his 30 years of tireless service,” noted Ahold Delhaize USA CEO Kevin Holt. “Under his leadership, Stop & Shop has built a strong foundation for transformation and expanded success that continues through our ‘Reimagine Stop & Shop’ initiative. As Mark transitions, I have full confidence that Gordon Reid is the right leader to continue this transformation by repositioning the business for future success and rebuilding customer loyalty.”
“It’s been an honor and privilege to lead the Stop & Shop brand,” said McGowan. “I’m grateful for our associates who are incredibly dedicated to serving our customers every day, and I’m extremely proud of all that we have accomplished together. As Stop & Shop embarks on the next phase of its transformation, now is the right time for me to make this change. I look forward to working closely with Gordon and the entire team to ensure a seamless transition.”
U.K. native Reid, who joined Giant Food in 2013, has more than 35 years of international retail experience, having previously held a range of management roles at Tesco, Boots, A.S. Watson Group and The Dairy Farm Group.
“We are excited for Gordon to join the Stop & Shop brand,” continued Holt. “Gordon is an excellent leader of people, with a strong focus on serving customers, engaging associates and supporting local communities. During his time at Giant Food, the brand has successfully grown sales and market share, and has strong associate engagement results.”
Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is the parent company for Ahold Delhaize's U.S. companies, including its banners Food Lion, Giant Food, Giant/Martin’s, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop, as well as online grocery retailer Peapod; Retail Business Services, a U.S. support services company providing services to the brands, and Peapod Digital Labs, its ecommerce arm.
Cumulatively, Ahold Delhaize USA’s banners operate more than 2,000 stores and distribution centers across 23 states.
Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 4 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers on the United States.
