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UNFI hires DHL’s Jim Gehr as chief supply chain officer

Paul Green shifts focus to new role as president of fresh

Russell Redman

May 1, 2020

3 Min Read
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At UNFI, chief supply chain officer Jim Gehr will lead more than 12,000 associates in four regions and 59 distribution centers.UNFI

Longtime DHL executive Jim Gehr has joined United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) as chief supply chain officer.

Plans call for Gehr, president of North America retail at DHL Supply Chain, to start in his new post on May 4, UNFI said yesterday. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Eric Dorne.

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Gehr (left) takes over as chief supply officer from Paul Green, who in February was appointed as president of fresh, a role in which he will lead the company’s meat and produce merchandising teams.

At Providence, R.I.-based UNFI, Gehr will lead more than 12,000 associates in four regions and 59 distribution centers, which deliver 1.3 billion cases each year to the natural/organic and conventional grocery wholesaler’s more than 30,000 customers.

UNFI noted that Gehr’s immediate focus will be on the company’s warehouse logistics, as well as advancing investments in automation, distribution center expansion and network optimization.

“Jim is a highly regarded supply chain executive who brings operational excellence experience to UNFI along with a proven track record of building and motivating teams,” Dorne said in a statement. “He has a history of creating and growing business opportunities, establishing sustainable processes, and developing a strong culture of continuous improvement that drives value throughout the supply chain and, ultimately, to customers.” 

Related:At UNFI, John Howard named CFO and Eric Dorne COO

Gehr comes to UNFI after spending the past 29 years at DHL Supply Chain, the supply-chain management and logistics arm of parcel service giant DHL. Since 2004, he has served as president of Retail North America at DHL Supply Chain, overseeing operations for 72 facilities providing store, e-commerce and multichannel fulfillment, as well as import center deconsolidation, return center operations, and store delivery across national networks for over 30 major North American retailers.

While leading DHL’s retail unit, Gehr also assumed leadership of the transportation organization, serving as president of Transportation North America from 2013 to 2016, UNFI said. Before joining DHL, Gehr was a senior manager at Ernst & Young in Harrisburg, Pa.

“His unique experiences — from integrating emerging technologies to effectively utilizing data analytics — will enhance UNFI’s long-term operating model and help accelerate our innovation,” Dorne added. “Jim is an engaging leader, and we’re excited to welcome him to UNFI.”

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Green (right) had continued to serve as UNFI’s supply chief until a successor was named. In his new position in fresh foods, he will report directly to UNFI Chairman and CEO Steven Spinner.

“I want to thank Paul for the tremendous job he’s done overseeing our supply chain throughout many years of rapid growth and change,” stated Dorne, who began as COO on March 8 after serving as chief information and administrative officer. “I truly appreciate Paul’s leadership, exemplary results, partnership and friendship, and know he will do an amazing job overseeing our fresh business.”

The nation’s largest publicly traded grocery distributor, UNFI serves natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers, and foodservice providers across North America.

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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