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SpartanNash names Ileana McAlary as new chief legal officer

Kathleen Mahoney retires after 17 years at grocery distributor/retailer

Russell Redman

November 1, 2021

2 Min Read
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SpartanNash noted that McAlary's experience also includes three years as senior counsel at supercenter and grocery store retailer Meijer.SpartanNash

Ileana McAlary is joining SpartanNash as senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary, taking over from Kathleen Mahoney, who has retired.

Plans call for McAlary to start in the chief legal officer post on Nov. 15, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based SpartanNash said Monday. She will lead the grocery distributor and retailer’s legal function and report to President and CEO Tony Sarsam.

Ileana McAlary-SpartanNash.jpgMcAlary (left)comes to SpartanNash from footwear manufacturer Wolverine World Wide Inc., where she most recently served as vice president and associate general counsel and compliance officer.

“Ileana brings broad-based corporate, transactional, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation and management experience across multiple industries and international markets,” Sarsam said in a statement. “As a company that serves food retailers in all 50 states and in many overseas locations, Ileana’s expertise will be invaluable. We are thrilled to welcome her to SpartanNash as we continue building out our executive leadership team and working to advance our ‘People First’ culture for our family of 19,000 associates.”

McAlary spent just over five years at Wolverine, joining the company as associate general counsel. Before that, she served as senior counsel in a three-year stint at supercenter and grocery store retailer Meijer. Her career also includes seven years as corporate counsel III at Amway Corp. and as an attorney at law firm Miller Johnson.

Related:SpartanNash promotes Tyler King to VP of finance

Kathleen Mahoney-SpartanNash-headshot.jpgMahoney (left) has been chief legal officer of SpartanNash since December 2015. Previously, she had served as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary for SpartanNash since the merger of Spartan Stores and Minneapolis-based Nash Finch in November 2013. She held the same title at Nash Finch at the time.

SpartanNash noted that Mahoney played a key role in negotiating and closing the Spartan Stores-Nash Finch merger. She also served as president of SpartanNash’s military distribution division from May 2017 to February 2020, when the company appointed David Sisk to assume that role.

“We are most grateful to our longtime leader and friend Kathy Mahoney for her service to SpartanNash,” Sarsam commented. “Her contributions to our company and industry are countless, and we offer our warmest wishes in her next chapter.”

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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