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Former AmEx, Kraft executive Darryl Brown joins BJ’s as director

Wholesale club chain’s board expands to 10 members

Russell Redman

June 3, 2021

2 Min Read
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BJ's said Darryl Brown brings 30 years of CPG and financial services experience, including as Americas president for American Express and leader of Kraft Foods' North American retail sales arm.BJ's Wholesale Club

Darryl Brown, former Americas president at American Express, has joined the board of directors at BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Westborough, Mass.-based BJ’s said Brown’s appointment to the board, announced late yesterday, is effective immediately. His addition as a director expands the warehouse club chain’s board to 10 members.

“We’re pleased to add Darryl to our board and look forward to working with him,” BJ’s Executive Chairman Christopher Baldwin said in a statement. “His deep experience in the consumer packaged goods and financial services industries will be incredibly valuable as we continue to accelerate our transformation.”

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BJ’s noted that Brown (left) brings more than 30 years of experience in consumer packaged goods and financial services. Currently, he serves as president and CEO of Shadowbrook Investments, a family-run private equity firm in southwestern Florida, as well as a director on the boards of Atradius Trade Credit Insurance and Datanomers, an analytics firm.

Previously, Brown spent nearly seven years at American Express, including five years as president of the Americas and almost two years as executive vice president and general manager of global corporate payments. He joined AmEx after nearly 25 years at Kraft Foods, most recently as senior vice president of retail sales, a role in which he led the company’s North American retail sales and logistics organization.

Related:E-commerce sales lift BJ’s in Q1 amid tough year-over-year comparisons

Brown comes to BJ’s shortly after the company appointed new leadership following the April 8 death of President and CEO Lee Delaney. In late April, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Bob Eddy was named president and CEO and joined BJ’s board. Eddy was tabbed as interim CEO after Delaney’s passing, with Baldwin’s title changing from chairman to executive chairman. Laura Felice, senior vice president and controller, was promoted to executive vice president and CFO.

Overall, BJ’s operates 221 clubs and 151 BJ's Gas stations in 17 states. The company recorded fiscal 2020 net sales of $15.1 billion, up 17.1% year over year.

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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