Table of Contents
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In retiring as president and chief executive officer of Wegmans Super Markets, in 2017, Danny Wegman expressed confidence in the succession plan that elevated his daughter, Colleen, to the corner office.
“The time has come to create a structure for the future that will allow us to remain strong, vibrant and family owned,” he said at the time. In the intervening seven years, Colleen Wegman has overseen an expansion drive that has seen the supermarket chain increase its store count by more than 20%, to more than 110, including its first-ever stores in New York City’s boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan.
The company recently secured a lease for a second Manhattan location, located near Lincoln Center, and on March 20 held a grand opening for its newest supermarket, in Yardley, Pa.
Colleen Wegman joined the family business in 1991 and rose through the ranks, serving in roles including store manager, director of e-commerce, and senior vice president of merchandising, with a hand in shaping some of the strategies that have become best practices in the retail food sector, including the steady introduction of high profit margins from in-house brands and prepared foods. She was also responsible for the development of Wegmans’ Nature’s Marketplace departments.
Colleen Wegman
Wegman is a 1994 graduate of the University of Colorado, and in 2000 she received an MBA from the Simon School at the University of Rochester.
In addition to its reputation as an outstanding employer, Wegmans has garnered accolades from loyal customers, who appreciate the stores’ friendly, helpful staff and popular product offerings that contribute to Wegmans’ standing near the top of the industry rankings in terms of sales per square foot.
A Wegmans store opening typically attracts hundreds of shoppers, including relocated residents from areas where the company operates a store and others lured by the buzz surrounding the arrival of a celebrated grocer.
“Even before we open the doors to our new store, we’re committed to making a difference in every community we serve,” Wegman has said, citing the company’s practice of contributing to neighbors through community donations and sponsorships.
Ahead of the opening of the new store in Yardley, the company provided donations to the Makefield Women’s Association, the Kiwanis Club of Washington Crossing-Yardley, and to Shady Brook Farm, for its holiday light show. The retailer has also pledged that five seniors graduating this spring from three local high schools will each receive a $1,000 scholarship grant from the store.
