
Harps Food Stores mourns former Chairman and CEO Roger Collins
Roger Collins, former chairman and CEO of Harps Food Stores, died July 1. His tenure at the company was marked by remarkable growth and success.
Mr. Collins began his illustrious career at Harps in December of 1986. At that time, the company was in dire need of a great vice president of finance, and Mr. Collins proved to be the answer to its prayers. From his initial role, he quickly became an integral part of shaping the future of Harps.
Under Mr. Collins’ guidance, Harps transitioned from being family-owned to employee-owned in 2001. Following the retirement of Gerald Harp, Mr. Collins took on the roles of chairman and CEO, leading Harps through the first 15 years of employee ownership. During his tenure the number of locations expanded from 42 to 82 and sales increasing by 110 percent.
"Roger will be remembered for transforming our company culture and for his indomitable competitive spirit," the company said in a statement. "His passion for excellence, integrity and a people-first approach inspired everyone who had the privilege of working alongside him. Roger was not just a leader; he was a mentor, a friend, and a source of inspiration. We owe him a great deal, as today we stand on his shoulders as employee owners with a bright future made possible by the foundation he helped forge."