Village Super Market’s James Sumas Dies

James Nicholas Sumas, chairman emeritus of Village Super Market Inc., which owns and operates 30 ShopRite independent grocery stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, died July 7 in his hometown of Morristown, N.J. He was 84 years old.

“Jimmy,” as he was known, was an influential member, mentor and guiding force at Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. His tireless work ethic, understanding of the marketplace and intuitive grasp of customer needs enabled him to grow his family’s neighborhood grocery store into a thriving multi-store business. Late last month, in fact, Springfield, N.J.-based Village Super Market opened its first ShopRite store in the New York City borough of The Bronx.

Sumas also helped guide Wakefern in its formative years, serving on various committees and nurturing other co-op members. He became the cooperative’s grocery committee chairman in 1957, a post he held for almost 60 years. He was also vice chairman of Wakefern and a member of its board of directors for more than 30 years 

“Jimmy really represented the entrepreneurial family business spirit that defines Wakefern,” said Joseph S. Colalillo, the co-op's chairman and CEO. “He loved his family and associates, and was passionate about the values and the importance of our cooperative. But most importantly, Jimmy loved to teach and mentor others, and he helped all of us to grow. He wanted everyone to succeed not only because he cared about the business, but also because he cared about people. Jimmy will be greatly missed here at Wakefern.”

Born in Newark, N.J. in 1933, Sumas was the eldest son of Greek immigrants. He started out in the supermarket industry by working in the store his father and uncle owned in South Orange, N.J. After college and service in the U.S. Army, he returned to work in the family business, eventually joining the Wakefern co-op.

VP, treasurer and a director of independent grocer Village Super Market since its incorporation in 1955, Sumas was elected the company’s chairman of the board in 1989 and became CEO in 2002.

His survivors include his wife, Helen, two daughters and a son, two grandsons, and a brother and a sister-in-law, as well as a large extended family.  

A funeral ceremony will take place Friday, July 13 at 11 a.m. at Ss. Nicholas, Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, in Roseland, N.J., with entombment to follow at Somerset Hills Memorial Park, in Basking Ridge, N.J. Condolences and memories may be shared here.