Giant Food announced that Robin Moran will retire after a 40-year career with the retailer.
Moran joined Giant as a part time cashier in 1980 and began her full-time career as a retail trainee in 1983, right out of Towson University. She was one of the first (if not the first) recipient of what is now the Izzy Cohen Scholarship. By 1985 she was a deli/dairy manager well on her way to becoming an assistant manager. In 1987, she was promoted to career development specialist and held that position until she became the learning center training manager in 1997. In that position, she worked closely with store operations, the distribution center, and the corporate office for six years, ensuring that associates and managers at all levels received optimal training and developmental opportunities.
In 2003, Moran transitioned to the role of performance coach until 2005 and later that year, she pioneered job-sharing at Giant when she and Jodie Kans shared responsibilities for a manager of field training and management development position. She returned full-time in 2006 as the manager of field training and management development and remained in that position until 2009. In 2010, she expanded her scope and responsibility to become the senior manager of diversity and talent management and held this role until 2012 when she was promoted to her first director position. In 2014 she became division director of human resources, and in 2017, with the Ahold Delhaize merger, she transitioned to director of talent, diversity and inclusion, learning and OD, the multi-faceted position she will held when she retired at the end of January.
Moran implemented numerous brand-specific and global retail and professional development programs at Giant Food. Beginning in 2017, she also led an aggressive talent acquisition effort to stand up the merchandising organization and build out corporate functions to support Giant’s great local brand strategy. She was a Network of Executive Women member and chair for 11 years and named one of Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery in 2019.
In the announcement of Moran’s retirement, the company said: “Whether it be her encouraging training approach, her leadership at a Network of Executive Women event, or a thoughtful career development conversation, Robin Moran is and always will be known as a key member of the Giant family, a great boss, as well as a dedicated co-worker and caring friend. One who never missed an opportunity to build a meaningful relationship, Robin leaves a long legacy of helping others make their mark at Giant Food for four consecutive decades.”