KEENE, N.H. — C&S Wholesale Grocers on Monday said it has appointed Mark Verdi, an experienced global finance and operations executive, as president, a new position at the company.
Verdi, who will assume his responsibilities on March 1, is taking over day-to-day operation responsibilities from Rick Cohen, C&S’s CEO and chairman. Cohen will remain in his position but transition to a role driving strategy and innovation at the wholesaler, C&S said.
A native of Springfield, Vt., Verdi joins C&S from Bain Capital, where he is a managing director and co-head of the private investment firm’s Global Portfolio Group, which works with the management teams of the businesses it owns to define and execute growth strategies, enhance their operations, and improve organizational effectiveness. Prior to joining Bain in 2004, Verdi led the financial services business transformation group at IBM Global Services, and was a member of the leadership team that spearheaded the acquisition and integration of the consulting arm of PriceWaterhouseCoopers into IBM. From 1996 to 2001, he was SVP of finance and operations of Mainspring, a publicly held strategy consulting firm. He started his career at Price Waterhouse in 1988, holding positions of increasing responsibility.
“Mark Verdi is a great addition to our management team who brings world class leadership and management skills and has a proven track record of strengthening teams and improving operations at large, fast-growing companies and global brands,” Cohen said in a statement. “I have gotten to know Mark well over the last two years, and am confident he will take our strategic execution and day-to-day operations to a new level as we continue to accelerate our growth, deliver exceptional service and value to our customers, and create rewarding career opportunities for our employees.”
Cohen will "remain fully engaged in driving the success of the business by focusing primarily on driving strategy and innovation" and on finding new ways to grow, C&S said.
Read more: Rick Cohen, No. 2 in Wholesaler Category on SN's 2013 Power 50 List
“I am delighted to partner with Rick and the management team of this extraordinarily successful company at an exciting time in its development,” Verdi said. “I have spent most of my career working with management teams across a variety of industries to execute growth strategies and improve operational excellence. I am excited to be a part of C&S as I wanted my next career chapter to be a leadership role in a growing company that has great opportunities ahead. And, this is in many ways a homecoming as my family is elated to return to the area where we grew up.”
