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MEMPHIS — Fred’s Inc. has hired former Walgreen Co. executive Bryan Pugh to serve as its chief merchandising and marketing officer.
Fred’s Inc. has hired former Walgreen Co. executive Bryan Pugh to serve as its chief merchandising and marketing officer.
In that role Pugh will be responsible for developing new merchandising and marketing strategies and processes, and for enhancing current ones. He will also be tasked with promoting stronger supplier partnerships, converting pharmacy patients to front-of-store customers and building on Fred’s value proposition.
The appointment of Pugh is one of three management changes announced at Fred’s. The company has also promoted Craig Barnes to executive vice president of supply chain, global and domestic logistics, and Mike Holligan to executive vice president of store operations.
Pugh brings 30 years of retail experience to his new post. At Walgreens, a company he joined in 2009 and left last year, Pugh most recently served as vice president of U.S. merchandising, program development and execution.
Before Walgreens, he worked for Tesco PLC, where he was executive vice president of operations for Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets, as well as chief operating officer and senior vice president of merchandising and marketing for Tesco Lotus Stores. Pugh began his retail career in 1985 when he joined Sam’s Club, the Walmart warehouse club division that at the time operated just 12 units.
Barnes joined Fred’s last August and in November was promoted to general merchandise manager. In his short time in that post Barnes built a sourcing team, instituted improved processes and developed programs that promote supply chain improvements, according to the company, which says that the new initiatives and teamwork he established provide a solid foundation for Pugh and the entire Fred’s organization to build upon.
Prior to joining Fred’s, Barnes held executive positions at AutoZone, CARQUEST and Delphi Automotive. He has had full responsibility for profit and loss management, supply chain and store operations management, global logistics, sourcing, and inventory management.
Holligan’s extensive experience in store operations began at Walmart, where he spent 18 years.
Since joining Fred’s, Holligan has served as a district manager and as a regional vice president of store operations. He is credited with being a key leader in achieving store labor savings and inventory control while in those positions.
"Working together with Mike Bloom, our president and chief operating officer, we are now assembling a solid, experienced management team that complements our pharmacy team to drive growth in market share and improve profitability," Fred’s chief executive officer Jerry Shore said in a statement. "We are very excited about how this team has come together and the opportunities ahead for Fred’s."
Fred’s operates 661 discount general merchandise stores in the Southeast.
About half of the stores have pharmacies, and the company has recently sharpened its focus on the pharmacy end of its business, citing the department as an important sales driver. Fred’s plans to operate pharmacies in a greater percentage of its store base in the coming years.
"I am very enthusiastic about the experience that this leadership team brings to their respective roles and the way they position Fred’s to drive profitability and to grow the convenience/pharmacy-centric model," Bloom said.
