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H-E-B promotes Cathy Harm to regional VP

Company veteran to oversee Central Texas operation

Russell Redman

December 2, 2020

2 Min Read
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Cathy Harm's career at H-E-B spans 35 years, including as director of retail operations before being elevated to regional vice president for Central Texas.H-E-B

Cathy Harm has been named regional vice president for Central Texas at H-E-B.

The San Antonio-based grocer said yesterday that Harm, previously director of retail operations, now leads more than 20,000 employees in the Central Texas area, overseeing store operations, merchandising, human resources, real estate, public relations, loss prevention and financial performance.

H-E-B noted that Harm took on the new role early this year — only weeks before the coronavirus pandemic began — and leveraged “her deep industry knowledge and steady presence” to lead 55 stores in Central Texas in navigating the crisis and upholding customer service and community support.

“No one started this year anticipating being a frontline worker in a global pandemic. But when a crisis hits, there is no organization better equipped than H-E-B to manage and lead through it,” Harm said in a statement. “It has been my privilege to work alongside 20,000 talented H-E-B partners in Central Texas as we creatively served our customers through these uncertain times. The people and the culture of the greater Austin community make this a special place to call home, and I’m honored to represent H-E-B here. I’m equally honored to work beside our innovative, passionate and committed team of partners as we wrap up 2020 and head into 2021.”

Related:H-E-B to pay $500 ‘thank you’ bonus to all employees

Harm started her 35-year H-E-B career in Central Texas store operations after graduating college and then moved to San Antonio to serve in various corporate roles at the Texas grocer. Those positions included category manager for general merchandise and importing buyer, in which she sourced, developed and procured products from Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Next, Harm was appointed as director of own brands, leading the development and teams for some of H-E-B’s top private labels, such as H-E-B Creamy Creations ice cream and H-E-B Café Ole coffee. She then became director of merchandising and marketing in the San Antonio region before being named director of retail operations.

A diversity advocate, Harm has worked with the grocer’s Women in Leadership programs to help develop female leadership roles within the company and community, H-E-B said, adding that she’s well-known among her colleagues for talent development across the business.

Overall, H-E-B operates more than 400 stores in Texas and northern Mexico.

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H-E-B

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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