Haggen Adds Five Executives to Pacific Southwest Division

Haggen has added five senior members to its Pacific Southwest executive team as the Bellingham, Wash.-based grocer continues to roll out new stores acquired from Albertsons-Safeway.

“Each of our leaders has extensive experience in the grocery business as well as professional and personal connections to the Southern California marketplace,” said Bill Shaner, Haggen CEO Pacific Southwest.

The newly appointed executives are:

• Wendy Oliver: SVP, operations. She was formerly VP of the Southern California Division of Albertsons.
• Chris Linskey: SVP, marketing. A veteran of Vons, Linskey was most recently EVP, sales.
• Rich Winters: VP, fresh foods. He was formerly VP of sales and business development for Sun Pacific, and before that was VP, retail merchandising and marketing for the Northern California Division of Safeway.
• Jaime Prager: VP, center store, who was formerly director of Hispanic category management for Smart & Final.
• Melina Ranii: VP, human resources, formerly director of recruitment and development for Trader Joe’s.

Haggen's Pacific Southwest division will convert 100 new grocery stores in California, Arizona and Nevada, including five stores in the San Diego area opening this week, and an additional six slated for next week – three each in Orange County and Los Angeles.

Haggen is in the process of acquiring 146 stores, thereby expanding from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies to 164 stores with 106 pharmacies, with locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona.