The Giant Co. names John Ruane as its new president

After serving on an interim basis for nearly a year, John Ruane has been named president of grocery chain The GIANT Co.

“I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as president of The Giant Co.,” Ruane said in a statement. “Guided by our purpose of connecting families for a better future in all that we do, I’m looking forward to building on The Giant Co.’s incredible legacy and working with our entire team to do what we do best: ensuring we are always well-positioned to not only meet but exceed the needs of our customers and communities who’ve trusted us for the past century.”

Before serving as interim president of the grocery chain following the departure last August of Nicholas Bertram, Ruane served as senior vice president and chief commercial officer for The Giant Co. In that role, he led the merchandising and marketing teams in developing and implementing customer-centric strategies that support the continued growth of the brand, while also improving customers’ experience and the overall value proposition, according to a press release.

“We have been fortunate to have John lead The Giant Co. as interim president during a time of transition, and we are excited about this next step in his career,” JJ Fleeman, chief executive officer, Ahold Delhaize USA, said in a statement. “He has led the team during a very important time in the company’s history as it celebrates its 100-year anniversary this fall.” Ahold Delhaize USA is the parent company of Giant.

Ruane started his career in the grocery industry at age 14 at Foodtown in New Jersey, where he worked through college. He later joined Pathmark and held positions in retail and merchandising before joining Ahold Delhaize USA companies in 2011 and The Giant Co. in 2018.

Ruane serves as chairman of FMI’s Fresh Food Leadership Committee and on the board of directors at Philabundance, a hunger-relief organization serving the Philadelphia-area. Ruane attended Rutgers College and has completed post-graduate programs at Cornell University and Harvard Business School.

“John is a leader who cares deeply about his team and serving customers. He will continue to drive strong performance and advance many of the hallmarks of The Giant Co. brand, including growth in its local markets, innovation in operations and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health and sustainability,” Fleeman added.

The Giant Co., headquartered in Carlisle, operates 193 stores, 132 pharmacies, 107 fuel stations and over 180 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery services across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and New Jersey.

Source: Berkshire mont