Meijer Goes Outside the Family for New CEO

One year after he was promoted to president of Meijer Inc., Rick Keyes will add the title of chief executive officer. The announcement was made on Friday, Dec. 2, by Hank Meijer, who has held the title of CEO and will now serve as executive chairman of the board for the family-owned chain of 230 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. Keyes, 47, started his career with Meijer as a store pharmacist in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to his 2015 promotion to president, he had been executive vice president of supply chain and manufacturing since 2006.

Total Retail's Take: The privately owned and family operated brand is taking an unprecedented step by naming a non-Meijer family member to the position of CEO. While Hank Meijer, who is stepping down as CEO, will still be closely involved with the company, it will be Keyes leading Meijer as it looks to continue its growth in a competitive market. It will be interesting to see if there will be major changes under Keyes’ leadership, or will he maintain the status and follow the path set forth by Hank Meijer.