Harps CEO Succeeded by COO

Roger Collins, CEO of Springdale, Ark.-based Harps Food Stores Inc. for nearly 17 years, is stepping down and will be succeeded by Kim Eskew, currently president and COO, who was elected the new CEO, according to published reports. Collins will remain with the company as chairman.

An employee of Harps since 1977, Eskew began his career with the company as a college student and rose through the ranks to become EVP in 2002 and president and COO in 2008.

“Kim has the experience and proven leadership skills to be our next CEO,” said Collins. “He has been overseeing marketing and operations, and has been instrumental in helping produce 11 consecutive years of record earnings. He is a man of integrity, and I am confident that he will do a skillful job moving Harps forward.”

Employee-owned Harps has 85 stores in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas.