Spartan Elevates Eidson to COO

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Spartan Stores here yesterday said it has named Dennis Eidson to the newly created post of executive vice president and chief operating officer. He had been EVP of marketing and merchandising. The new structure “integrates oversight responsibility for enterprise-wide marketing and merchandising, and retail operations under a single position,” the company said. Also, Alan Hartline, formerly VP of center store merchandising, was named to the newly created position of senior VP, corporate merchandising, overseeing merchandising strategies for the company's retail and distribution divisions. Brian Haaraoja was named to succeed Hartline as VP of center store merchandising.