Last updated on June 14th, 2024 at 09:32 am
Dan Valenzuela, president of Albertsons-Safeway’s Seattle Division, will move to Maryland to become president of the company’s Eastern Division, effective immediately. Karl Schroeder, who currently is SVP of corporate merchandising, will take over in Seattle.
Valenzeula made the announcement in an internal memo to employees this week.
“Over the last year and a half, it has been my distinct honor and privilege to lead the Seattle Division team,” he said. “I am proud of everything that we have done here, and I know that because of our hard work, our stores are positioned for success for the future.”
He added, “We have fantastic Safeway stores there and an incredible history reaching back to the 1920s. I’m honored to have the opportunity to move to Maryland and take on the challenge of winning the loyalty of our Eastern Safeway customers.”
Valenzuela started his career with Safeway in 1978 as a courtesy clerk. Through his tenure, he has held positions of increasing responsibility and progressed through the store ranks to become a store manager in 1981 and a district manager in 1991. In 2000 he became VP of operations and then division president for Safeway’s Phoenix Division. Valenzuela was named Seattle Division president in January 2015.
Schroeder has been with the company for 39 years and previously ran the company’s Northern California Division. He began his career as a part-time clerk in Arizona and held positions of increasing responsibility in several functions and areas of the country, including Arizona, Southern and Northern California, Hawaii and the Eastern Division. Schroeder holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and development from the University of San Francisco.
More west coasters coming over. Hope they understand East Coast is NOT the same. What work there does not work here. Always have great idea never fully understand. They need to work at various levels in this market to get it!!
Could not have said it any better!!!