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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Ginny Ward has been an influential leader for Hy-Vee in the Omaha market for more than a decade.
First moving to the area in 2011 as a district store director, Ward managed two retail stores prior to being elevated to her current position in 2020. As the regional vice president of the Omaha market, Ward oversees 19 locations and works closely with local store leaders to guide their decisions and help them overcome retail challenges.
“I’m very solutions-oriented and always focused on finding ways to overcome obstacles and embrace change,” said Ward.
Over the past few years, Ward has leveraged this strength as Hy-Vee has opened new centralized facilities across its eight-state region to support different regions and departments of the company. In Omaha, Ward was instrumental in helping open the market’s regional bakery, floral and pharmacy fulfillment centers, and gaining support from local stores.
“Hy-Vee was built on autonomy, so to gain buy-in from local leaders, it was important to explain how these facilities would support their everyday operations while still leaving room for each store to make their own decisions,” said Ward.
In 2021, Ward also helped open Hy-Vee’s newest subsidiary, Wall to Wall Wine and Spirits, in Papillion, Neb., which was the first store of its kind to open in the Omaha market and only the second specialty store to open across Hy-Vee. The store features a large eclectic wine and spirits selection at all price points.
Ginny Ward
Most recently, Ward oversaw the opening of Hy-Vee’s largest store in company history in Gretna, Neb. The 135,000-square-foot store is the company’s latest flagship location to open and features a variety of attractions including delicious, fast-casual dining options in the Food Hall; a Cake This! bakery department complete with a cake decorating station and cake ordering kiosk; an expanded Candy Shoppe department,; a full-service retail pharmacy; and more. The store also showcases some of Hy-Vee’s latest technology, including digital shelf labels, food service ordering kiosks, and TVs to display promotions and recipes.
“The opening of this store was a huge undertaking and required a focused and dedicated team of individuals to get it set and organized for the grand opening,” said Ward. “We’re excited to offer a store of this caliber to the Omaha community.”
Community involvement and charitable giving are areas that Ward encourages her stores to prioritize. Since 2011, Ward and the local market have supported the nonprofit food pantry Heartland Hope Mission through product donations and monthly volunteerism. In 2022, Hy-Vee hosted a series of women’s half marathons and 5K races across the Midwest. Ward helped organize the Omaha race, which yielded the second-highest race attendance across the company.
“As a retailer, it’s important to have a strong community presence and consistently show up to support the people and places around you,” said Ward. “Through our community work in the local market, we’ve established strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations, as well as gained the trust and loyalty of our customers.”
