Scott Zeier joins RJO
Scott Zeier joins RJO
In a move that signals the company's continuing fresh approach to produce marketing, RJO Produce Marketing in Fresno, CA, announced the hiring of Scott Zeier as vice president.
RJO President John O'Rourke said that Mr. Zeier's 30-year retail produce career brings additional retail produce marketing expertise to the company.
"Hiring Scott is a move that strengthens our approach to serving retailers," Mr. O'Rourke said in a statement. "His depth of knowledge and experience with day-to-day retail operations gives us a significant advantage in understanding our retail customers' needs."
Mr. Zeier will be responsible for administering RJO's retail service programs, including category-management services, merchandising programs and coordination of plans between retailers and growers. He will be based in Wisconsin.
"Being located in the Upper Midwest gives me easy access to our customers," Mr. Zeier said in the press release. "I plan to travel to growing regions and ports of entry about twice a quarter to keep an eye on production operations, and I will spend the rest of the time working with and visiting retailers."
In 1976, Mr. Zeier began his retail produce career with Schultz Sav-O stores in Wisconsin, where he became a produce supervisor. When the company began buying other retailers and expanding, he was promoted to director of produce operations for Fresh Brands, the parent company of Schultz Sav-O that also operates Piggly Wiggly stores in the Midwest. In 1995 he was promoted to vice president of produce operations, and he became vice president of perishables for Fresh Brands in 2003. In that role he was responsible for all of the company's perishables operations including produce, floral, meat and deli.
Mr. Zeier developed Piggly Wiggly's Pampered to Perfection program, along with other successful retail produce programs.
"For our programs at Piggly Wiggly to be successful in a marketplace filled with major retail competitors, we had to be creative and react quickly," Mr. Zeier said in the press release. "It's that type of thinking that I want to bring to RJO's retail customers. With my retail experience and RJO's field-based knowledge, we will be able to help our customers differentiate themselves." Mr. O'Rourke said that the addition of Mr. Zeier to the company's expanding resources is a perfect fit.
"Scott's 30-year background in produce merchandising goes well beyond Piggly Wiggly," Mr. O'Rourke said. "Through associations and share groups and affiliation with national buying cooperatives, Scott has implemented marketing and merchandising programs all over the country. His demand experience will strongly support our existing supply-side services. He will be able to track programs from end to end and ensure that we deliver on the retailers' needs."
Mr. Zeier said that he was attracted to working for RJO because it is a sales- driven organization. "RJO has always been innovative and focused on getting results for retailers. I want to be a part of that."
Mr. O'Rourke added, "Scott's background in strategic planning and category management and his work with a wide variety of national retailers provides depth to the RJO program."
RJO President John O'Rourke said that Mr. Zeier's 30-year retail produce career brings additional retail produce marketing expertise to the company.
"Hiring Scott is a move that strengthens our approach to serving retailers," Mr. O'Rourke said in a statement. "His depth of knowledge and experience with day-to-day retail operations gives us a significant advantage in understanding our retail customers' needs."
Mr. Zeier will be responsible for administering RJO's retail service programs, including category-management services, merchandising programs and coordination of plans between retailers and growers. He will be based in Wisconsin.
"Being located in the Upper Midwest gives me easy access to our customers," Mr. Zeier said in the press release. "I plan to travel to growing regions and ports of entry about twice a quarter to keep an eye on production operations, and I will spend the rest of the time working with and visiting retailers."
In 1976, Mr. Zeier began his retail produce career with Schultz Sav-O stores in Wisconsin, where he became a produce supervisor. When the company began buying other retailers and expanding, he was promoted to director of produce operations for Fresh Brands, the parent company of Schultz Sav-O that also operates Piggly Wiggly stores in the Midwest. In 1995 he was promoted to vice president of produce operations, and he became vice president of perishables for Fresh Brands in 2003. In that role he was responsible for all of the company's perishables operations including produce, floral, meat and deli.
Mr. Zeier developed Piggly Wiggly's Pampered to Perfection program, along with other successful retail produce programs.
"For our programs at Piggly Wiggly to be successful in a marketplace filled with major retail competitors, we had to be creative and react quickly," Mr. Zeier said in the press release. "It's that type of thinking that I want to bring to RJO's retail customers. With my retail experience and RJO's field-based knowledge, we will be able to help our customers differentiate themselves." Mr. O'Rourke said that the addition of Mr. Zeier to the company's expanding resources is a perfect fit.
"Scott's 30-year background in produce merchandising goes well beyond Piggly Wiggly," Mr. O'Rourke said. "Through associations and share groups and affiliation with national buying cooperatives, Scott has implemented marketing and merchandising programs all over the country. His demand experience will strongly support our existing supply-side services. He will be able to track programs from end to end and ensure that we deliver on the retailers' needs."
Mr. Zeier said that he was attracted to working for RJO because it is a sales- driven organization. "RJO has always been innovative and focused on getting results for retailers. I want to be a part of that."
Mr. O'Rourke added, "Scott's background in strategic planning and category management and his work with a wide variety of national retailers provides depth to the RJO program."
