Fareway Reveals Officer Promotions
Iowa-based Fareway Stores Inc. CEO Reynolds Cramer, recently revealed the following officer group promotions:
- Bret Wiltse, EVP of merchandising
- Rick Beckwith II, VP/supervisor
- Stephen Morgan, VP IT
The executives will assume their new titles effective March 1.
“These officers are important members of our team, having been instrumental in supporting and executing Fareway’s strategy. They contribute greatly to our core and expanding operations, and will be important to our continued success,” said Fareway CEO Reynolds W. Cramer. “We are excited to identify, foster, develop and grow talent at Fareway, and Bret, Rick and Stephen are three excellent examples of that.”
The Midwest grocer is also securing its future talent by recently presenting a $100,000 check to Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). The funds will be used to help build DMACC’s new 8,600-square-foot Transportation Institute that’s currently under construction.
“The new DMACC Transportation Institute will train the next generation of truck drivers, including future Fareway drivers,” said Cramer. “This profession plays a critical role to Fareway’s long-term viability, and we are happy to support DMACC by investing in a new facility to provide additional learning opportunities to students.”
The new facility will double the program’s current student capacity and result in a significant increase in enrollment. The project will be completed in 2025.
It's a busy time for Fareway as it gets ready to relocate its corporate headquarters from Boone to Johnston, Iowa, near Des Moines. The grocer will set up its new headquarters in the former Iowa Bankers Association building, located at 8800 NW 62nd Avenue. The 42,000-square-foot building will initially house approximately 100 Fareway employees. The move is expected to be completed this year.
Family-owned Fareway employs more than 12,000 associates in its 135-plus stores located in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota. The company is No. 90 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the grocer one of its Top Regionals for 2024.
