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Buehler’s taps SpartanNash’s Amy McClellan for board

Veteran grocery executive oversees distributor’s retail fresh merchandising

Russell Redman

October 28, 2021

2 Min Read
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Buehler’s cited Amy McClellan's leadership and store operations experience in appointing the SpartanNash executive to its board of directors.Buehler's

Ohio grocer Buehler’s Fresh Foods has named Amy McClellan, vice president of fresh merchandising for retail operations at SpartanNash, to its board of directors.

Wooster, Ohio-based Buehler’s said Thursday that McClellan joins the board effective immediately. The supermarket chain cited her leadership and store operations experience as a key addition to its board membership.

“We are thrilled to have Amy join our board,” Dan Shanahan, chairman, president and CEO of Buehler’s, said in a statement. “Her background as a senior executive, combined with store operations and P&L accountability and frontline hands-on in the stores, gives her a great perspective on our business. Her appointment was unanimous, both with our board and ESOP trustee.”

Currently, Buehler’s operates 14 supermarkets in northeastern Ohio, including locations in Wooster (two), Medina (two), Galion, Wadsworth, Akron (Portage Lakes), Orrville, New Philadelphia, Massillon, Dover, Coshocton, Canton and Ashland. In 2017, the retailer transitioned to an employee-owned company, in which Buehler family-owned E&H Family Group sold the chain to its workers via an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), with the new company led by Shanahan.

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McClellan (left) joined grocery distributor/retailer SpartanNash in January 2019 upon the closing of its acquisition of Indiana grocer Martin’s Super Markets, serving as division vice president of retail at SpartanNash and senior vice president of retail operations and merchandising for Martin’s. She started her grocery career at Martin’s as a part-time cashier while in high school and advanced to roles of increasing responsibility, including communications specialist, market research supervisor, loyalty and marketing program manager, director of marketing, and vice president of sales and marketing.

Related:Buehler’s promotes Rich Bidinger to lead real estate, construction

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based SpartanNash promoted McClellan to her current post as vice president of fresh merchandising for retail operations this past March. In that role, she oversees fresh product categories and develops growth strategies for SpartanNash’s company-owned supermarkets and 2,100 independent retail locations.

Overall, SpartanNash operates 146 grocery stores in nine states, under the banners Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery, Dan’s Supermarket, Family Fresh Market, Forest Hills Foods/Ada Fresh Market, Fresh Madison Market, No Frills, SunMart, Supermercado Nuestra Familia and Dillonvale IGA. The stores are located in Michigan, Nebraska, Indiana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Iowa and Ohio.

Related:Former Lidl executive Paul Stefaniuk joins Buehler’s

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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