-UPDATED August 26, 2022-
Ahold Delhaize USA announced August 24 that Nicholas Bertram, president of The Giant Company, will leave the organization on August 31, 2022, to pursue new opportunities. Upon his transition, John Ruane has been appointed interim president.
“We have been fortunate to have Nick lead The Giant Company during his nine-year tenure,” said Kevin Holt, president, Ahold Delhaize USA. “His leadership has inspired very strong performance by the team. The Giant Company has achieved a great deal of success, with growth in its local markets, innovation in operations and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health and sustainability. We remain confident in the continued momentum of the brand and wish Nick all the best in the future.”
Bertram added, “Leading The Giant Company to be designed for the way families live now has been a great honor, and I am excited about the growing momentum of our purpose-led teammates. That, along with the strength of our leadership team, makes now the most natural time for me to step away. I have great confidence in John and believe that The Giant Company’s best days are still to come.”
Ruane will serve as interim president until a successor is named. He is currently SVP and chief commercial officer for The Giant Company (TGC) where he has led the merchandising and marketing teams to develop and implement customer-centric strategies that support the continued growth of the brand, while also improving customers’ experience and the overall value proposition. Ruane started his career in the grocery industry at age 14 at Foodtown in New Jersey where he worked through college. He later joined Pathmark and held positions of increasing responsibility at retail and in merchandising, before joining Ahold Delhaize USA companies in 2011 and TGC in 2018.
Ruane added, “I’m honored to serve as interim president. I look forward to continuing to serve our customers and communities and delivering on our purpose and passion of meeting today’s customers’ needs.”
Bertram began his retail career at JCPenney before joining Walmart as a part-time stocker. He spent more than a dozen years at the mass merchandiser in various positions in store operations, human resources and innovation. After a short stop in Chicago at Jewel-Osco as SVP-retail, he joined Ahold USA at SVP-store strategy and execution in 2013. Two years later, he became AUSA’s SVP-merchandising and strategy. In January 2018, after the completion of the Ahold-Delhaize merger and with the retailer’s new “brand-centric” model in place, he was named president of Giant Food Stores, which is now branded as The Giant Company.
After the company released the news of Bertram’s departure, the 42-year old president issued a message to all of TGC’s associates:
Teammates,
For the last five years I have awakened each morning thinking about you, our business, and the opportunity to make a difference together. As I reflect, I’m amazed at what we’ve done and proud of HOW we’ve done it: from discovering a noble purpose, to setting our strategy and growing the company to what it is today – it has been amazing. We are winning, and with momentum on our side and the strength of our leadership team, I feel now is the right time to stand down from my role leading the company.
This should be a surprise to you, and really to everyone – heck, it’s surprised me! But through months of reflection and prayer … I concluded that this is indeed the best moment. My intended contribution for our company has largely been accomplished, and I want to leave running full speed through the finish line, just like I started. So let me fill you in on the when and the why.
Why?
The hunger to learn new things has always driven me. And while the evolution of this company, its market, and the ecosystem continues to be intellectually challenging, there is more I want to learn. More things I’d like to experience, people I’d like to engage, and expertise I’d like to acquire. Putting energy and time into that takes energy and time from other places, and Jennifer and the boys are my highest priority (even though I love you all too!).
There was a specific moment this became real to me, and I’ll share it with you. I gave the commencement address at Harrisburg University’s graduation, and afterwards I realized it was 20 years ago, to the week in fact, that I had done the same thing as the student speaker in my own undergrad commencement. I had just completed 20 years of my career without even realizing it! As a 42-year-old, I’m at the “halfway” point of work – so now is the perfect time to plan out the back half.
When?
I’ve been part of really long farewell tours of leaders, and I’ve also been part of quick ones. In my opinion, the quick ones are easier on the team and easier on the person leaving. So I’m grateful that Kevin [Holt] and Frans [Muller, CEO of parent firm Ahold Delhaize] are supporting my desire to do just that. My last day will be Wednesday August 31, and after that I’ll be a proud member of TGC’s alumni. I will, however, join you all at Family Day in Hershey Park [on October 1] … which Jennifer and the boys are excited for.
Who?
This part is exciting, as my co-pilot from the very beginning is going to lead and support you all as Interim President. I think Kevin made a brilliant choice appointing John Ruane, and along with Glennis [Harris, SVP-customer experience], Manuel [Haro, VP-finance and strategy], Jen [Heinzen Krueger, VP-team experience], and the rest of the GLT [Giant Leadership Team] … you all will definitely continue winning. They are among the best in the industry, and I’m always a call away just like all the former presidents have been for me. Tom [Lenkevich], Rick [Herring], Sander [van der Laan], Carl [Schlicker], Tony [Schiano] and Allan [Noddle] have been amazingly generous over the years, and I will proudly join that group.
Wow!
I’ll end my note to you with one word: gratitude. Being part of the last five years of The GIANT Company’s first century (we turn 100 in 2023!) has brought so much satisfaction, joy, and growth for me as an individual, and as a leader. I am grateful for your patience when I messed up, for your encouragement when I did OK, but more than anything for your passion which I find to be highly contagious. If there is a more driven, curious, courageous team in this industry I haven’t met them yet. And even if I did, I simply cannot fathom ever caring more about a team than this one.
You are the heartbeat of our company, its greatest treasure, and are the reason GIANT’s best days are still to come.
Proudly yours,
Nick