SpartanNash Names New President and CEO
SpartanNash Company has hired Tony B. Sarsam, most recently the CEO of Borden Dairy Company, as its new president and CEO.
The retailer currently operates 155 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery and Dan’s Supermarket. The company’s businesses also include distributing grocery products to independent and chain retailers, in addition to its corporate-owned retail stores and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges; as well as operating a fresh produce distribution network. SpartanNash serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Bahrain, Djibouti and Egypt.
Sarsam will assume the new role and join the board of directors on September 21, 2020. Interim president and CEO Dennis Eidson will continue in his role as chairman of the board and will serve as executive chairman for thirty days to ensure a smooth transition.
“SpartanNash’s board of directors has conducted an extensive search over the past year, and we are extremely confident we have recruited an exceptional leader to continue the legacy of our company as a trusted provider of grocery products,” said Eidson. “Not only does Tony possess the background and expertise to lead SpartanNash in the coming years, his core values and history of visionary thinking and strategic execution are in direct alignment to achieve our vision to be a best-in-class business that feels local, where relationships matter.”
Sarsam brings a unique blend of consumer products and supply chain expertise in the food industry to SpartanNash. He most recently served as CEO of Borden Dairy company where he led business growth and positive trends in a challenging industry. He successfully led Borden through its recent restructuring and restored the business to a new foundation for future growth before his departure in July 2020.
Prior to Borden, Mr. Sarsam served as CEO of Ready Pac Foods, where his focus on innovation and service transformed that business into a growth engine, delivering a 60 percent revenue increase in less than five years. Earlier in his career, Sarsam enjoyed over twenty years in progressive leadership roles at PepsiCo before joining Nestlé, where he served for three years as president of Nestlé’s Direct Store Delivery Company, a $4.5 billion pizza and ice cream business.
Sarsam holds a master’s degree in management from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Arizona State University.
"I am honored and humbled to be selected to lead this incredible organization," said Sarsam. "I think of SpartanNash as over 100 years young, with a rich history and a promising future. I am looking forward to working with our 19,000 dedicated associates to further strengthen our company and extend our success well into the future."