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SN Power 50 for 2009

The economy and the new regime in Washington are clearly the biggest players at work behind the scenes in this year's Power 50.

The Top 10

1. David Dillon, chairman, and CEO, Kroger Co.
2. Mike Duke, president and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores
3. Steve Burd, chairman, president and CEO, Safeway
4. Craig Herkert, president and CEO, Supervalu
5. President Barack Obama, president, United States of America
6. Charles Youngstrom, president, Aldi U.S.
7. John Rishton, CEO, Ahold
8. Danny Wegman, CEO, Wegmans Food Markets
9. Jim Sinegal, president and CEO, Costco Wholesale Corp.
10. Pierre-Olivier Beckers, CEO, Delhaize Group


Conventional Supermarkets

11. Charles C. Butt, chairman and CEO, H.E. Butt Grocery Co.
12. Peter Lynch, chairman, president and CEO, Winn-Dixie Stores
13. David Shapira, CEO, Giant Eagle
14. Ric Jurgens, chairman and CEO, Hy-Vee
15. Ed Crenshaw, CEO, Publix Super Markets


Food Wholesalers/Cooperatives

16. Rick Cohen, chairman and CEO, C&S Wholesale Grocers
17. Joseph S. Colalillo, chairman and CEO, Wakefern Food Corp.
18. Jerry Garland, president and CEO, Associated Wholesale Grocers
19. Al Plamann, president and CEO, Unified Grocers


Other Retailers Selling Food

20. Hank Meijer, co-chairman and CEO, Meijer Inc.
21. Laura Sen, president and CEO, BJ’s Wholesale Club
22. Rick Dreiling, chairman and CEO, Dollar General
23. Dan Bane, chairman and CEO, Trader Joe's
24. John Mackey, chairman and CEO, Whole Foods Market
25. Thomas M. Ryan, chairman, president and CEO, CVS Caremark Corp.


Manufacturers

26. Paul Bulcke, CEO, Nestlé S.A.
27. Bob McDonald, president and CEO, Procter & Gamble Co..
28. Michael B. Polk, president, Unilever Americas
29. Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO, PepsiCo
30. Irene Rosenfeld, chairman and CEO, Kraft Foods
31. Carlos Brito, CEO, Anheuser-Busch In Bev
32. Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO, Coca-Cola Co.
33. Gary Rodkin, CEO, ConAgra Foods
34. Kendall J. Powell, chairman and CEO, General Mills
35. David Mackay, president and CEO, Kellogg Co.
36. Douglas Conant, president and CEO, Campbell Soup Co.
37. David DeLorenzo, president and CEO, Dole Food Co.
38. David J. West, president and CEO, The Hershey Co.

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Other Players

39. Gary Chartrand, chairman and CEO, Acosta Sales and Marketing Co.
40. Joe Hansen, president, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
41. Cathy Green, steering committee chair, Produce Traceability Initiative
42. Robert Carpenter, CEO, GS1 US
43. The Private Label


Associations/Government

44. Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO, Food Marketing Institute
45. Pamela Bailey, president and CEO, Grocery Manufacturers Association
46. Thomas Zaucha, president and CEO, National Grocers Association
47. Tom Vilsack, secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
48. Margaret Hamburg, commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
49. Lisa Jackson, administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
50. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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Common Denominators: What traits do this year’s Power Players share?

This page presents new category breakdowns that group power players according to traits they have in common. This answers such questions as: Which leaders are recession busters?