Kimberly Gray

Spearhead strategic initiatives as the Executive Sponsor for six of twelve critical priorities for Ahold Delhaize, a $65 billion food retailer including Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Hannaford, The Giant Company, and Giant Food. · Pioneered the establishment and leadership of a central Omni-channel Category Management Team, driving a 5.35% increase in Sales and a 60-basis point increase in vendor trade investment. · Orchestrated the development and implementation of a unified product hierarchy and category desk restructuring across the ADUSA Enterprise. Streamlined categorization for 2 million items, impacting over 75 IT applications and 2000 business practices. Collaboration across 10 cross-functional work streams significantly benefited five retail brands. · Forged a strategic partnership with The Partnering Group to devise an Omni-Channel Category Review Process and define Organizational Category Roles, facilitating the creation of three-year strategic category plans. · Established three levels of Functional Competencies across six job classifications, fostering professional development and supporting succession planning. · Collaborated with cross-functional teams to formulate Interaction Models spanning Supply Chain, Private Brands, Shopper Marketing, E-commerce, and Retail Media. Cultivated a cohesive "one-team" culture with aligned priorities and KPIs.

· Crafted and executed the strategic departmental vision, driving category, pricing, merchandising, and assortment strategies for a $3.8 billion business. · Led and developed a team of 85 associates across center store category management, merchandising and pricing to effectively manage categories, meet consumer needs, and grow market share. · Achieved notable market share increases in Center Store, including a 40-basis point rise in 2019, followed by a significant 57 basis point increase in 2020. Despite Covid-19 challenges in 2021, effectively managed a modest decrease of 21 basis points, maintaining stability with flat performance in 2022. · Collaborated with Private Brands to devise new items and a strategic commercial growth plan, yielding a 4% sales increase and over 30% center store penetration. · Directed departmental budgets, ensuring efficient resource allocation to support strategic initiatives and meet financial targets. · Monitored all financial metrics and performance indicators, proactively addressing variances to optimize profitability. · Oversaw for all merchandising functions for Center Store. · Developed a Center Store Experience guide for new stores & remodels adjusting POGs for growth and changing customer demands. · Attracted top talent, implemented succession plans, and fostered a diverse, inclusive work environment.

Served as the Interim VP reopening services in a post covid environment. Spearheaded the development of new programs, from product specifications to labor models and equipment/fixtures, to meet the evolving needs of our consumer.

· Analyzed market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscape to create category strategies in support of market share growth. · Re-envisioned the Dairy Aisle through customer insights modernizing aisle flow & adjacencies through customer insights and trends delivering 60 basis points of market share growth. · Designed a store within a store test concept for Health & Beauty Care. o Worked with a cross functional team (designers, architects, shelving manufactures, etc.) to create a new store concept from new décor, shelving, flow, and IT elements. o Drove a 17% sales growth and leveraged learnings in future remodels. · Cultivated strong relationships with suppliers and vendors to ensure product quality, availability, and cost-effectiveness.

Established a new Hannaford Meat & Seafood Category, Merchandising, & Pricing team to oversee a $600 million business. · Developed and implemented comprehensive category strategies for meat and seafood, aligning them with overarching business objectives, resulting in significant market share growth. · Negotiated contracts and agreements with suppliers to secure advantageous terms, pricing, and promotional support. · Pioneered the development of the Fresh MAX model strategic initiative, creating a sustainable business operating model to optimize profitability and offer Best in Market offerings while supporting individual department strategies and maximizing Department Profitability. · Managed procurement processes to ensure a consistent supply and freshness of products while mitigating supply chain risks. · Devised and executed pricing strategies to enhance profitability while maintaining competitiveness in the market. · Directed the development and implementation of merchandising plans to elevate the presentation and visibility of meat and seafood products in-store. · Optimized product placement, signage, and merchandising techniques to drive customer engagement and boost sales.

· Managed the Fresh and Frozen Seafood Category Desk for Food Lion & Hannaford. · Partnered with The Gulf of Maine Research Institute to create and activate the most robust Seafood Sustainability initiative in the US.