IRVINE, CA - Haggen is determined to open 100 stores in 100 days, and has hired the first five senior members of its Pacific Southwest leadership team to help lead the way.

This strong leadership team for Haggen Pacific Southwest is:

• Wendy Oliver, SVP, Operations. A former Vice President of the Southern California Division of Albertsons
• Chris Linskey, SVP, Marketing. A veteran of Vons, Linskey was most recently EVP, Sales, with Intelligent Clearing Network after working for Valassis and Catalina Interactive.
• Rich Winters, VP, Fresh foods. He was formerly VP of Sales and Business Development for Sun Pacific, Pasadena, Calif., and, before that, VP, Retail Merchandising and Marketing, for the Northern California Division of Safeway.
• Jaime Prager, VP, Center Store, who was formerly Director of Hispanic Category Management for Smart & Final, Los Angeles
• Melina Ranii, VP, Human Resources, formerly Director of Recruitment and Development for Trader Joe’s in Monrovia, Calif.

“Each of our leaders has extensive experience in the grocery business as well as professional and personal connections to the Southern California marketplace,” Bill Shaner, CEO of Haggen Pacific Southwest, said in a press release. “You couldn’t ask for a stronger group to lead our historic rollout of 100 stores in 100 days.”

The retail store opened its doors to the Southern California consumers on March 11 in Carlsbad, and now officially have three open locations in the region, with three more scheduled to open this week.

These new locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, Kern, and San Bernardino counties mark the first of 83 stores the company will acquire and convert in California before the first half of 2015 is over. And these conversions are taking place in record time. See below as a Haggen team converts an entire store to be ready and open for customers in 40 hours.

The race continues, as Haggen is scheduled to open its first Los Angeles location on March 24. As it continues this dynamic growth spurt, the company release also states that opportunities are available at the division office, located in Irvine, CA.

Once the acquisition is complete Haggen will have grown:

• From 18 stores to 164 stores.
• From 16 pharmacies to 106 pharmacies.
• From 2,000 employees to more than 10,000 employees.
• From a Pacific Northwest company with locations in Oregon and Washington to a major regional grocery chain with locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona.

According to the company, one to twelve stores will be converted each week in this record roll out.

Haggen