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Coborn’s taps retail veteran Keri Jones for board

Longtime Target executive brings diverse background at chain stores

Russell Redman

May 26, 2022

2 Min Read
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Jones most recently was president and CEO of women’s apparel retailer Christopher & Banks and, before that, served as chief merchant of Dick's Sporting Goods and spent 27 years at Target.Coborn's

Upper Midwest grocer Coborn’s had added Keri Jones, former CEO of women’s apparel retailer Christopher & Banks, to its board of directors.

St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborn’s said Thursday said Jones, who brings decades of experience at retail chains, started on the board effective May 24.

Keri Jones-Coborns board member.pngMost recently, Jones (pictured left) served as president and CEO of $350 million specialty women’s apparel retailer Christopher & Banks from 2018 to 2021. Coborn’s noted that she executed an 18-month turnaround for the business, reversing years of declining sales, losses and a shrinking customer base with the launch of an enterprise transformation that spurred sales growth, grew the customer base and boosted profit performance.

“As our organization continues to expand, we acknowledge Keri’s comprehensive and extensive retail experience and welcome her insight to our board,” Chris Coborn, chairman and CEO of Coborn’s, said in a statement.

From 2017 to 2018, Jones was chief merchant at Dick’s Sporting Goods, where she developed several growth strategies for the $10 billion national retailer and drove key operational improvements, according to Coborn’s. That came after 27 years at Target Corp. where from 1989 to 2016 Jones held a range merchandising and operations roles, most recently as executive vice president of global supply chain, executive vice president of merchandise planning and operations, and senior vice president of health and beauty.

Related:Coborn’s names Dave Meyer president

As executive VP of global supply chain at Target, Jones led the mass merchant’s efforts to modernize its supply chain and played a pivotal role in accelerating the chain’s omnichannel retail strategy and increasing sales, Coborn’s noted.

She began her retail career in 1986 as a buyer at Foley's Department Store, then part of the May Department Store Co.

“Keri is an incredibly accomplished executive and brings a diverse background in retail, as well as significant strengths in implementing business best-practices that will benefit our company’s family of stores,” Coborn added.

Overall, Coborn’s operates 66 supermarkets in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods, Hornbacher’s and Tadych’s Marketplace banners. The company’s retail network also includes stand-alone convenience stores, liquor stores and pharmacies, for a total of about 200 outlets. Coborn’s, too, operates its own central bakery, dry cleaning facility and grocery distribution center.

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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