EMERYVILLE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: GO) (“Grocery Outlet” or the “Company”), today announced that it has expanded the Company’s Board of Directors to 11 with the appointments of John E. (“Jeb”) Bachman and Mary Kay Haben.

Jeb Bachman brings nearly four decades of leadership experience having served in various roles at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He is also a boardroom veteran, having served on the Board of Directors of three public companies, including The Children’s Place, WEX Inc. and SCANA Corporation. 

Mary Kay Haben brings significant knowledge and experience in managing businesses in the consumer packaged goods industry, having served in senior executive positions for the Wm. Wrigley, Jr. Company and Kraft Foods, Inc., as well as on the Boards of The Hershey Company, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Equity Residential.

Jeb Bachman qualifies as an independent Class I Director and will stand for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Credited as an “audit committee financial expert” under applicable SEC rules, Bachman will serve as Chairman of the Audit Committee for Grocery Outlet.  Mary Kay qualifies as an independent Class II Director and will stand for election at the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

“Jeb and Mary Kay bring impressive credentials with successful track records to Grocery Outlet. We are thrilled to add executives with their skills and experience to the Board of Directors,” said Eric Lindberg, CEO of Grocery Outlet. “Their expertise will help us to further enhance Grocery Outlet’s governance and guide our future growth.”

Until retiring in 2015, Mr. Bachman was previously the U.S. Assurance Operations Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a position he held for six years. In this role, he served as COO of the Firm’s audit and risk management practice in the U.S., the largest operating unit with revenue of $4.2 billion, representing over 50 percent of PwC’s revenue. Prior to that role, he spent three years as the Firm’s U.S. Strategy Leader. Mr. Bachman received an MBA from the Harvard University Graduate Business School.

Mary Kay Haben is a highly respected food industry veteran with demonstrated success in global brand management. Mary Kay concluded a successful 33 year career with two iconic companies, Kraft Foods and the Wm. Wrigley Jr.  Company. After a 27 year career at Kraft Foods, where she led several multibillion dollar divisions as President, Mary Kay joined Wrigley (when it was a public company)  as Group Vice President and Managing Director, North America. Wrigley was acquired by Mars, Inc. and Mary Kay then assumed additional responsibility for the former Mars confections businesses. She was promoted to President, North America. In this role she successfully led the integration of the Mars confection and Wrigley gum businesses, and led the growth and development of these businesses in the US and Canada.  Ms. Haben received an MBA in Marketing from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. 

About Grocery Outlet:
Based in Emeryville, California, Grocery Outlet is a high-growth, extreme value retailer of quality, name-brand consumables and fresh products sold through a network of independently operated stores. Grocery Outlet has more than 300 stores in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Nevada.

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: 
Jean Fontana
646-277-1214
Jean.Fontana@icrinc.com 

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Layla Kasha
510-379-2176
lkasha@cfgo.com 

Source: Grocery Outlet, Inc.