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MIAMI — Navarro Discount Pharmacy has strengthened their management team with the addition of three new executives
The Miami-area drug store chain said Tuesday that it has named Kevin Shiplett as senior vice president of wholesale and business development, Paul DiBrito as director of real estate and construction, and Emilio Yepez as director of e-commerce.
"The addition of these three new executives is part of our overall growth and expansion strategy," Navarro chief executive officer Steve Kaczynski said in a statement. "Together, they’ll be working on renovating and expanding existing locations, adding new locations, identifying new partnerships and business development opportunities, and adding e-commerce capabilities to our web site."
According to Navarro, Shiplett has more than 35 years of experience in retail and wholesale grocery operations merchandising, business development and the distribution supply chain. In his new role, his focus will be on identifying new business opportunities with local retailers to act as distributors for Navarro’s signature products, including cosmetics and appliances.
Previously, Shiplett served as vice president of sales/retail with the Park City Group and vice president of business development/national accounts at Supervalu Inc. During his 17-year career at Supervalu, he directed a team that implemented a business development strategy that improved the effectiveness of sales calls and closures, generating more than $4 billion in new sales in seven years with independent grocers, according to Navarro.
The pharmacy chain said DiBrito brings more than 30 years of experience in the retail services industry, including operations, merchandising, and real estate and development. His goals at Navarro will be on identifying and expanding new store locations as well as remodeling the retailer’s 28 stores, three of which have already been remodeled in the last 12 months. Prior to his new post, DiBrito was the principal of Cornerstone Consulting Services, a retail consulting firm.
Yepez has 14 years of experience in operations, web development and Internet marketing. One of his core objectives is to develop an online platform for Navarro that offers consumers hard-to-find Hispanic items, over-the-counter health and wellness products, and specialty items currently sold only at Navarro’s stores, the company said, adding that the new online store is slated to expand the retailer’s unique product offering throughout the United States and strategic foreign markets. Before joining Navarro, Yepez was vice president of web development and e-commerce strategies at ARC Media Consultants.
