Associated Wholesale Grocers Gets New CEO
Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG) President and CEO David Smith has retired as of December 2023. His successor, Dan Funk, has now assumed the role of president and CEO.
Smith joined AWG in 2003 and became president and CEO in 2015. Under his leadership, AWG experienced significant growth and success, solidifying its position as a leader in the industry. Smith was instrumental in steering the company through various challenges and played a key role in shaping AWG’s strategic direction. During his time with AWG, the cooperative and membership grew from a Midwest company supplying 1,200 stores and three divisions with sales of $3.2 billion to a sprawling company with divisions across the central United States, with retail sales exceeding $24 billion and wholesale sales exceeding $12 billion.
[Read more: “Associated Wholesale Grocers Partners With Upside to Unlock New Profit Generation Opportunities”]
The National Grocers Association (NGA) paid homage to Smith during its Executive Conference and Public Policy Summit last October in Washington, D.C. At the board of directors dinner, Smith received an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. Additionally, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., added a tribute to Smith into the permanent record of the Senate, honoring his legacy at AWG and substantial contributions to the food industry.
Smith said: “It has been an incredible journey leading AWG, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. I am confident in the bright future ahead for the company under Dan Funk’s capable leadership.”
Funk started his career with AWG as president of AWG subsidiary Valu Merchandisers Co. (VMC) in October 2012. After two years leading VMC, he held roles of increasing responsibility, among them leading center store, merchandising and marketing, and supply chain, and, most recently, as COO, in which position he had responsibility for operations for the cooperative. Before AWG, Funk held numerous food retail and wholesale roles for leading independent and chain grocers.
“I am honored to lead AWG into its next chapter," said Funk. "I am committed to building on the strong foundation laid by David and working collaboratively with our talented leadership team, membership and board of directors to drive continued innovation and growth.”
“On behalf of the board, I want to express our deepest gratitude to David Smith for his outstanding leadership. Under his guidance, AWG has thrived, and we wish him a well-deserved retirement. We are confident that Dan Funk is the right leader to continue AWG’s success, and we look forward to working with him in this new capacity,” said Barry Queen, AWG’s chairman of the board.
Kansas City, Kan.-based AWG is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving 1,100 member companies and more than 3,400 locations throughout 31 states from nine wholesale divisions. Consolidated sales for AWG in 2022 were $12.3 billion. In addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company operates subsidiary companies that provide certain real estate and supermarket development services, health and beauty care, general merchandise, pharmaceutical products, specialty foods, and natural and organic products.
