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Recent Articles from Virginia Business
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: KOTLER, ARIE
An Israeli native, Kotler has led Arko, the nation’s sixth largest convenience store chain and parent company of GPM Investments, since 2020, when it merged with Haymaker Acquisition Corp. II to become a U.S.-listed public company. He founded GPM in 2003, sold the business in 2006 and reacquired it in 2011. The company has been on […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: MIN, EUNHONG ‘EDWARD’
In February, StarKist announced Min had been appointed president and CEO of the food company that produces the iconic single-serve tuna pouches as well as other salmon-, chicken-, and beef-based products. StarKist is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co. Min succeeded Young Choi, who was announced as the company’s new leader in […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: HOLM, GEORGE L.
Holm became Performance Food Group’s leader in 2008 after more than four decades in the foodservice distribution industry, with leadership roles at Sysco, US Foods, Alliant Foodservice and Vistar. He became president and CEO of PFG when the Blackstone Group and Wellspring Capital Management purchased PFG and merged it with a subsidiary of Vistar, where […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: HERMIDA, E. YURI
As a result of Sauer Brands’ acquisition by private equity firm Advent International from Falfurrias Capital Partners this year, Hermida became CEO of the 138-year-old condiments and seasonings company in March. Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Bloomberg valued it at approximately $1.5 billion. Hermida most recently was executive vice president and chief growth […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: GRAMM, JAMES
In 1983, barely five years after graduating from high school in Alexandria, Gramm sold two new cars on his first day as a sales rep at a dealership in Vienna. “The retail automobile business has been in my blood ever since,” he says. Gramm worked in car sales in Virginia and Maryland, becoming vice president of […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: HAMILTON, JEFF
Hamilton stepped in as CEO of Arlington-based Nestlé’s Zone Americas division and joined the executive board on July 1. He succeeded Steve Presley, who worked at the company for almost 30 years. Hamilton previously served as business head of Purina PetCare Zone Europe. Now, he oversees Nestlé’s business in North America, Latin America and the […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: FARINO, DALE
A former board vice chair, Farino was named CEO of Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority in April 2024, succeeding Travis Hill, who led the agency for nearly a decade. Farino was executive vice president of Sandston-based Breakthru Beverage Virginia and previously worked at Tidewater Wholesalers and Coca-Cola Bottling. He also was president of the Virginia […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: FOSTER JR., WATT R.
In 1989, Foster bought Foster Fuels from his father, the late Watt R. “Bobby” Foster Sr. The younger Foster marks the third generation to run the family business, which was founded in 1921. A James Madison University alumnus, Foster held the titles of CEO and president until January 2024, when the company named a new […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: FISHER III, ARTHUR ‘BO’
Fisher Auto Parts, one of the nation’s largest automotive-parts retailers with about 500 locations, is a family affair. Blair Coiner, Bo Fisher’s grandfather, founded the company in 1929 as a small auto-parts sales concern, and it grew under the leadership of Fisher’s father, Art, who died in 2004. A James Madison University graduate, the younger […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: DAVIS, MICHAEL
In January 2024, Davis assumed the role of CEO at Cort Business Services, a Berkshire Hathaway-owned company that includes Cort Furniture Rental, Cort Trade Show and Events, and other businesses. Cort has more than 100 offices, rental showrooms and retail furniture outlets nationally and provides furniture rentals in more than 80 countries. A member of […]
