Weis Markets announced that Bob Gleeson has been promoted to senior VP-merchandising and marketing. In his new post, Gleeson will be responsible for all center store and fresh merchandising along with marketing and advertising, and will report directly to Kurt Schertle, COO.
Gleeson had been serving as the company’s chief merchant on an interim basis since January 2021 after former senior VP-merchandising Richard Gunn departed.
Gleeson joined the Sunbury, PA-based retailer in June 2019 as VP-fresh merchandising after a lengthy career with Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, now owned by UNFI which acquired Shoppers’ from former parent company Supervalu in 2018.
The youthful-looking supermarket executive began his food industry career in 1984 at Shoppers as a part-time grocery associate working for the original owners of the Washington area independent – the Herman family.
As Shoppers began to expand and the retailer became a dominant regional chain, Gleeson’s career as a merchant also flourished. He rose through the ranks to become VP-center store, senior VP-merchandising before becoming Shoppers president from 2013 to 2018. Gleeson also had a short stint at Acme Markets in 2010 as senior VP-merchandising.
Gleeson holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree from the University of Baltimore.