Stater Bros. Names Pete Van Helden CEO

Pete Van Helden has been appointed president and CEO of San Bernardino, Calif.-based Stater Bros. Markets, effective Jan. 4, 2016. Jack H. Brown, Stater Bros.’ CEO for the past 36 years, will take on the role of executive chairman of the company’s board of directors. Markets. Van Helden will continue to report to Brown.

Van Helden, a 38-year veteran of the supermarket industry, joined Stater Bros. as president and COO in 2013, and is also VP of Stater Bros. Charities. Previously, he was EVP retail operations for Minneapolis-based Supervalu. Van Helden started out as a courtesy clerk for Rosauers in Libby, Mont., in 1977. The following year, he moved to Bozeman, Mont., where he worked as a clerk at Albertsons. Over nearly four decades, Van Helden has held a variety of leadership roles.

“Pete is well respected and will do an outstanding job as president and CEO,” noted Brown.

Stater Bros., the largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino and Riverside counties, operates 168 supermarkets and employs more than 18,000 associates.