Unified Grocers has made a number of key internal promotions and additions to its leadership team. Key among the announced changes are three promotions within the company’s senior management team. President of Market Centre Joe Falvey and Chief Marketing Officer Sue Klug have been elevated to executive vice president, and Chief Information Officer Gary Herman has been promoted to senior vice president.

“To continue our recent momentum will take imaginative and energetic leadership,” Bob Ling, president and chief executive officer, said in a press release. “That means continuing to develop and add to our senior team, giving opportunities to those who have proved themselves ready to take the next step in their careers and adding the best talent from outside the company.”

Falvey has been with the company since 1999 and has been instrumental in driving the successful growth of Unified’s specialty division, Market Centre. Under his leadership, Market Centre has created new sales opportunities in growing categories such as organic, natural and ethnic foods.

Klug has served as chief marketing officer since joining Unified in 2012. She is responsible for all corporate marketing and communications activities, as well as the company’s retail marketing service and retail technology functions. She has already elevated Unified’s marketing efforts in a number of areas, developing new strategies including a robust scan data program giving retail insights to our retail members and the company’s successful Celebremos! and MercadoSavings Hispanic marketing programs. In an expanded role, she is now responsible for strategic sourcing and real estate. In addition, Klug — working closely with members of the board — will take a leadership role in strategic planning.

Herman has been Unified’s chief information officer since 2000, overseeing the company’s information services function. Under his direction, Unified maintains state-of-the-art logistics systems and an extranet that ties together the company’s vendors, buyers and retail members.

“Joe, Sue and Gary have proven track records of delivering solid results for our organization,” said Ling. “All are dynamic leaders whose vision and passion have helped drive Unified’s recent successes. They will play important roles in driving the next phase of the company’s growth.”

In addition, the company announced a number of additions to the executive team: Mike Brown has been promoted to vice president of retail services; Blake Larson has been promoted to vice president of accounting; Keith Miller has been promoted to vice president of Market Centre operations; and Ray VanWetten has been promoted to vice president of sales for the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, Unified welcomed a new member of the team, Gregg Bostick, who has joined the company as vice president of logistics.