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The Fresh Market names Gerald Walden as head of diversity

Newly created role designed to further diversity, equity and inclusion at specialty grocer

Russell Redman

April 5, 2021

2 Min Read
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Gerald Walden's 17 years at The Fresh Market include a stint as head of legal.The Fresh Market

Gerald Walden has been appointed vice president, deputy general counsel and head of diversity at The Fresh Market.

Walden previously served as vice president and head of legal. As head of diversity, a newly created role, he will oversee The Fresh Market’s efforts to advance and integrate diversity, equity and inclusion values and practices across the company and with business partners and customers, the Greensboro, N.C.-based specialty grocer said.

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In his role as deputy general counsel, Walden (left) will continue to serve as a leader in The Fresh Market’s legal team through his deep experience in labor and employment law, the company noted. He also serves on The Fresh Market’s Diversity Action Board and, for almost a decade, has overseen the retailer’s legal internship program, which provides opportunities exclusively to minority law students.

Walden had served as the interim leader of the legal team through early December, when Carlos Clark joined The Fresh Market as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Clark filled a position that had been open since February 2019, when Senior VP and General Counsel Scott Duggan left the company. 

“Gerald has built a strong network throughout the organization and the state of North Carolina in his almost 17 years with the company that will help us continue our efforts in providing a more inclusive work environment for team members and shopping experience for our guests,” Jason Potter, president and CEO of The Fresh Market, said in a statement.

Related:The Fresh Market eyes initial public offering

Walden’s career at The Fresh Market dates back to 2004, when he joined the company as corporate counsel. He was promoted to senior corporate counsel in 2012 and then assistant general counsel in 2015. In March 2019, he was appointed interim head of legal before dropping the “interim” title to become vice president and head of legal in April 2020.

The Fresh Market added that Walden also has a broad background in inclusive leadership roles, having served as chairman of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Minorities in the Profession Committee and president of the Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers. He also is currently a member of the National Employment Law Council board.

Overall, The Fresh Market operates 159 stores in 22 states.

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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