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Tammy DeBoer to succeed Rod Antolock as Harris Teeter president

Leadership transition slated to take place early next year

Russell Redman

November 2, 2021

3 Min Read
Harris Teeter store banner-closeup.png
Harris Teeter's DeBoer currently serves senior VP of merchandising, operations and marketing and will take over as president from Antolock on Feb. 1.Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter has named merchandising chief Tammy DeBoer to succeed Rod Antolock as president next year.

Plans call for Antolock, Harris Teeter’s president for over six years, to retire and hand the reins to DeBoer on Feb. 1, the Matthews, N.C.-based upscale grocer, part of The Kroger Co., said Tuesday. DeBoer currently serves senior vice president of merchandising, operations and marketing.

Tammy DeBoer-Harris Teeter.jpg logo in a gray background | Tammy DeBoer-Harris Teeter.jpgA 25-year retail veteran, DeBoer (left) joined Harris Teeter in September 2020 in her current role, overseeing operations, merchandising and marketing across the chain’s 258 supermarkets in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia. She came to the company after three years of running her own business consultancy, DeBoer Consulting.

Prior to that, DeBoer spent more than five years at Family Dollar Stores, rising from vice president of private brands and merchandise initiatives upon joining the chain in June 2012 to chief merchandising officer in June 2016. Family Dollar was acquired by Dollar Tree in July 2015.

Her tenure at the dollar store retailer came after 19 years in various roles at Delhaize, most recently as vice president and general manager of Bloom, an upscale store concept developed by Delhaize America supermarket chain Food Lion, where she spent much of her time with the company. DeBoer also served as vice president of category management and marketing/advertising for the retail arm of Nash Finch from 2004 to 2005.

Related:Harris Teeter to sell Hunter Farms dairy plant

“Tammy is a seasoned veteran of the retail industry,” Mary Ellen Adcock, senior vice president of operations at The Kroger Co., said in a statement. “Her broad and deep experience — including brand transformation, merchandising, operations and more — make her a true asset to Harris Teeter and the leading choice to assume the role of president.”

Rod Antolock-Harris Teeter.jpgAntolock (left) has spent nearly 22 years at Harris Teeter. He joined the grocer in 2000 and served in a range of executive posts, including senior vice president of operations and later adding oversight of merchandising, before his promotion to executive vice president in 2012. In that expanded role, he led several teams, including merchandising, operations, marketing, human resources, loss prevention, store development, quality assurance and distribution, and manufacturing. He was elevated to president of Harris Teeter in June 2015, taking the reins from Fred Morganthall.

During Antolock’s time at Harris Teeter, the chain was acquired by The Kroger Co., a deal that was announced in July 2013 and closed in January 2014. Before joining Harris Teeter, Antolock served in various leadership roles at Albertsons from 1978 to 2000.

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Cincinnati-based Kroger credited Antolock with spearheading the development of Harris Teeter’s “Service Excellence” customer engagement model as well as introducing new ways of operating, including an urban upscale model, an expanded store format and a model store walk concept. Under his leadership, Harris Teeter also expanded into new geographies, including northern Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

“Rod’s leadership has been instrumental to the growth and success of Harris Teeter for more than two decades,” Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen stated. “His commitment to customer service and quality will continue to guide Harris Teeter into the future.”

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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