SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI) says it has completed its executive team with the promotion of John Persons to the role of chief operating officer (COO) and a couple of other personnel moves. NGI is the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets. Persons has spent 39 years with Tops, […]
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI) says it has completed its executive team with the promotion of John Persons to the role of chief operating officer (COO) and a couple of other personnel moves.
NGI is the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets.
Persons has spent 39 years with Tops, most recently as the president of the grocery chain based in Williamsville, a Buffalo suburb. Persons will report directly to Frank Curci, CEO of Northeast Grocery.
As COO, Persons will oversee both the Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets operating companies, as well as the merchandising and marketing functions of Northeast Shared Services. That is an NGI subsidiary providing services to both operating companies.
With Persons’ promotion, Ron Ferri, a 34-year Tops veteran, will succeed Persons as Tops president, the Schenectady–based NGI said in its June 29 announcement.
During his tenure at Tops, Persons has had oversight for various functions, including operations, merchandising, sales and marketing, real estate, information technology, and organizational strategy, all leading to his appointment as president in 2015.
In addition to Persons’ promotion, NGI has named Mike Miller chief administrative officer (CAO). Miller was previously senior VP of human resources and executive VP of human resources and administration at Northeast Shared Services.
In his new role, Miller will lead the human resources, legal, government affairs, corporate communications, public relations, and risk management functions, as well as oversee merger integration.
“Promoting John to COO and Mike to CAO fills out our executive leadership team and bolsters our experience and expertise in many of the functional areas that continue to contribute to our combined company’s growth,” Curci said. “I’m confident that our executive team, which also includes Dave Langless (CFO), Scott Kessler (CIO), Blaine Bringhurst (Price Chopper/Market 32 president), and Ron Ferri (Tops’ newly promoted president), is equipped to provide us with cutting-edge leadership.”
Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets collectively operate nearly 300 supermarkets across New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire and employ more than 30,000 people.