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Ira Kress appointed president of Giant Food

Grocery retail veteran had led Ahold Delhaize USA chain on interim basis

Russell Redman

May 26, 2020

2 Min Read
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Giant Food operates 164 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia and has about 20,000 employees.Giant Food

Ahold Delhaize USA has named Ira Kress president of Landover, Md.-based Giant Food.

The appointment is effective immediately, Ahold Delhaize said Tuesday. Kress has served as interim president of Giant since July 2019, taking over from Gordon Reid, who was named president of Ahold Delhaize’s Stop & Shop supermarket chain in the Northeast. 

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“It’s been an honor and privilege to lead Giant Food, especially during this time when our customers and communities have never needed us more,” Kress (left) said in a statement. “I’m honored to continue in the role and am incredibly appreciative of our associates who serve our customers with excellence every day. I look forward to continuing to grow the Giant Food brand in our communities.”

A 36-year grocery retail industry veteran, Kress joined Giant in 1984, starting in store operations management. He has served in a variety of leadership roles at Giant, including in retail operations, human resources, training and labor relations. He also held a leadership post at Ahold USA, serving as senior vice president of human resources. Kress was senior vice president of operations at Giant before being named interim president last June. Kress also is board member for the Ahold Delhaize USA Family Foundation.

Related:Stop & Shop to get new president

“Ira has been a dedicated leader for Giant Food for 36 years, and we are proud to appoint him to this role,” stated Kevin Holt, president of Ahold Delhaize USA. “Ira has been serving as interim president of Giant Food since last summer, and he has continued to lead the brand with success. He is an excellent leader, with a strong focus on serving customers, engaging associates and supporting local communities. During his role as interim president, Ira has continued to successfully grow sales, market share and build strong associate engagement during an unprecedented time for our industry.”

Overall, Giant Food operates 164 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia and has about 20,000 employees.

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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