GRAND RAPIDS, MI - There is nothing like news of a newly appointed executive to start your morning! Bolstering its executive suite, SpartanNash recently unveiled the appointment of its newest Chief. Utilizing a wealth of expertise in retail strategy and operations, Djouma Barry has joined the company as its new Senior Vice President and Chief Retail Officer.

Most recently, Barry served as Vice President of Retail Operations for Kroger. Prior to that, he spent the majority of his career at Target. During his tenure, he worked his way up from a store’s sales floor leader to an HR team leader before moving on to become a Store Director, District Senior Director, Group Vice President, Senior Group Vice President, and ultimately Vice President, Process Operations.

As VP, Process Operations, Barry oversaw 1,900 stores and $93 billion in sales across the U.S., a press release shared. His extensive retail experience also includes VP roles at Old Navy and Lululemon, where he served as VP, Head of Strategy and Operations and VP, Retail Operations and Planning, respectively.

“The way Djouma has advanced from the store floor to the executive table makes him a highly inspirational leader for our 12,000+ retail associates,” commented Tony Sarsam, Chief Executive Officer. “Djouma will play a critical role in advancing our People First culture and enhancing the store guest experience across our growing retail footprint.”

In addition, Barry has been a member of the Executive Leadership Council, an organization committed to increasing the number of global Black executives, for nearly seven years.

As the release also shared, Barry is stepping into the position preceded by Executive Vice President, Corporate Retail Thomas Swanson, as Swanson plans to exit and transition into a consulting arrangement at the end of the year.

AndNowUKnow congratulates Djouma Barry on this recent executive hire! As more retail updates hit the newswire, be sure to check back in with ANUK for the latest.