HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart parent Sears Holdings Corp. has hired Ryan Vero as senior vice president and president of grocery, drug and pharmacy.
The company said Thursday that Vero, most recently executive vice president and chief merchandising and marketing officer at OfficeMax, will lead Sears’ efforts to grow its in-store and online business in the grocery, drug and pharmacy arenas.
Sears noted that Vero brings a wealth of merchandising and marketing experience to the company and that his time at OfficeMax exposed him to a wide variety of other tasks that will be helpful in his new position. For instance, in his most recent role at OfficeMax, he was responsible for merchandising, marketing, new channels and e-commerce as well as for overseeing the office chain’s global sourcing, private brands, product development and pricing efforts.
"Ryan’s breadth and depth of experience in both stores and online make him a terrific fit to lead these important businesses at our company," Ron Boire, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer and president of Sears and Kmart formats, said in a statement. "Ryan is a proven executive who focuses on customers and innovation, two key qualities that support our drive to be the leader in integrated retail."
Vero commented that he sees guiding Sears’ efforts in the three burgeoning areas of its business as a new challenge after spending 17 years with OfficeMax. "I am excited about the opportunity to join Sears Holdings and provide our customers and members greater value in all areas of health and wellness while serving them at over 920 pharmacy locations nationwide," he stated.
