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PHILADELPHIA — Rite Aid Corp. earlier this month took steps to realign its management team and streamline the company’s operations. The move came on the heels of the introduction of a new customer loyalty program and a revamped philanthropic arm.
The management changes included the elimination of the Rite Aid chief operating officer position and consolidation of its pharmacy leadership. As a result, Jim Peters, COO, and Jocelyn Konrad, executive vice president and chief pharmacy officer, have left the company.
Karen Staniforth, senior vice president of clinical pharmacy services, will take on the title of chief pharmacy officer, which going forward will be focused specifically on centralized pharmacy operations in addition to her current responsibilities.
Andre Persaud, executive vice president and chief retail officer, will take over field operations for pharmacy as well as oversight of front-end operations. Staniforth, Persaud and Erik Keptner, senior vice president and chief marketing and merchandising officer, will report directly to Heyward Donigan, Rite Aid’s president and chief executive officer. In addition, Justin Mennen, executive vice president and CIO, will expand his responsibilities to include leadership of all digital and e-commerce, and his new title is chief digital and technology officer.
“The changes we announced today are part of our ongoing efforts to reduce costs and remove layers,” said Donigan. “Karen, Andre, Erik and Justin have been instrumental in bringing our full suite of retail products and pharmacy services to our customers, and I look forward to working directly with them as we execute on our omnipharmacy strategy.”
Donigan continued, “I also want to thank Jim and Jocy for their many contributions and wish them well in their future endeavors.”
Late last month Rite Aid announced the launch of Rite Aid Rewards, a new customer loyalty program that promises to make it easier for more customers to engage and save with the retailer.
Rite Aid Rewards allows members to earn points through everyday purchases, prescription pickups, personalized challenges and special members-only promotions, the company said, adding that with the digital first program, customers will track and convert points into Rite Aid Rewards BonusCash through a digital account on riteaid.com or the Rite Aid app. For every $1 spent, members earn 10 points, subject to certain limitations. With as few as 1,000 points, members can convert their points into $2 Rite Aid Rewards BonusCash for redemption at checkout. Members can also let their points accumulate and convert later for more BonusCash.
“The Rite Aid Rewards program reflects our customers’ desire for a simpler program with more ways to earn and save,” Keptner said. “We moved from a tiered program to a points-based program that allows more customers to earn rewards. And as a digital-first program, customer preferences will guide personalized offers and challenges, providing them with engaging experiences online or in the app.”
Rite Aid’s philanthropic arm, which has been renamed Rite Aid Healthy Futures, said late last month that it is underscoring and living up to its reimagined identity with a new $10 million Strengthening Cities initiative that supports healthier and more equitable neighborhoods.
Starting with a focus on food equity, the Strengthening Cities initiative will initially fund 20 nonprofit organizations with emphasis on Black- and Brown-led charities across Baltimore; Buffalo, N.Y.; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit; Fresno, Calif.; and Philadelphia.
