Martindale joins team at Rite Aid

Chain Drug Review, Dec 8, 2008

CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Ken Martindale has joined Rite Aid Corp. as senior executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and logistics, coming to the drug store chain from Pathmark Stores Inc.

At Rite Aid Martindale is responsible for category management, merchandising, marketing, supply chain and inventory management for the retailer's more than 4,900 stores. He reports to president and chief operating officer John Standley.

Martindale most recently served as copresident and chief merchandising and marketing officer at Pathmark, which was sold to A&P in December 2007. He has more than 30 years of marketing, merchandising and operations experience.

"Ken is a seasoned food and drug retail executive with significant experience in nearly every facet of our business and has exceptional leadership skills," says Standley, who was Pathmark's chief executive officer during Martindale's tenure there. "He has a record of developing successful merchandising and marketing programs that improve profitability.

"Just as important, he can implement those programs at reasonable cost and with minimal disruption to the business."

While at Pathmark, Standley oversaw a successful turnaround of the business before it was acquired by A&P. In particular, he drove the implementation of innovative financial controls and was directly involved in such areas as Pathmark's information systems and real estate strategy as well as its compliance programs.

Standley acted in an advisory capacity for Rite Aid before assuming the presidency from Mary Sammons, who continues to serve as chairman and chief executive officer of the drug chain.

He was Rite Aid's senior executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer when he left the company in 2005 to join Pathmark.

Martindale began his retail career in 1975 at Smith's Food & Drug Stores, a West Coast food and drug chain, where he rose from district manager in store operations to senior vice president of marketing and later to senior vice president of sales and merchandising.

In January 1998 Martindale joined Fred Meyer Inc. upon its acquisition of Smith's.

He served as executive vice president of sales and procurement for Fred Meyer until September 1999, when the food, drug and general merchandise retailer merged with Kroger Co.

Martindale also founded and operated Orchard Street Inc., a Salt Lake City-based food retailer, and has consulted for national and regional food retailers in such areas as category management and marketing and strategic planning.

He has also served as president, chief executive officer and chairman of Intesource Inc., a software company designed to assist food and drug retail, wholesale and manufacturing customers with activities related to procurement.

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Rite Aid operates more than 4,900 drug stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia.