SpartanNash taps CPG exec as new HR chief

Grocery retailer/distributor SpartanNash is naming an executive from Kellogg Company as senior VP, chief HR officer.

SpartanNash is appointing Nicole Zube to the role of senior VP, chief HR officer, effective Sept. 26, 2022. Zube joins SpartanNash from Kellogg Company, where she most recently served as head of HR – U.S. Commercial.

Zube has served in a variety of human resources roles at Kellogg during the past 10 years, including a three-year stint in the U.K., where she was senior HR director, European Supply Chain and Senior HR director, European Talent and Diversity. Prior to Kellogg, Zube worked in various HR positions during an eight-year career at Procter & Gamble.

“Nicole is an accomplished people leader with invaluable experience managing a large-scale, global workforce within the food industry,” said SpartanNash CEO Tony Sarsam. “Throughout her career, Nicole has demonstrated passion and commitment to creating an outstanding associate experience, and we are thrilled to have her join SpartanNash as we continue our work to put people first.”

Zube is SpartanNash’s third high-level executive appointment since June 2022. In June, the company promoted  Jean-Paul “J.P.” Calabio to the position of VP, chief information security officer. In this new role, Calabio is now in charge of information security strategy, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and continual enhancement of the company’s security posture.

In his time at SpartanNash, Calabio has formalized the corporate security incident response process, created a governance risk and compliance function to focus on high-risk priorities, expanded vendor risk management capabilities ensuring vendors meet high security requirements, and built an information security governance model to provide additional oversight.

Earlier in June, the company named Greg Crane in the role of VP, finance – food distribution. Crane, a registered CPA, brings more than 15 years of financial and operational experience with a background in financial management, strategic and financial planning, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and performance optimization.

Most recently, Crane served as the CFO for GHSP Inc., a global supplier of mechanical and electromechanical systems to the automotive, transportation, and appliance industries. Before that, he spent nearly six years at consumer footwear company Wolverine World Wide in a variety of financial and leadership positions.

Zube earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University and her master’s degree from Xavier University. She has been recognized as a 2016 Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer, a 2020 and 2021 Top 10 Global Diversity HR Champion by the Global Diversity List, and the 2021 LEAD Ambassador of the Year by LEAD Network Europe.

The core businesses of SpartanNash include distributing grocery products to independent and chain retailers, its corporate-owned retail stores, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges. The company also operates a fresh produce distribution network and the Our Family brand. SpartanNash serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Djibouti. In addition, the company owns 148 supermarkets—primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, D&W Fresh Market, VG's Grocery, and Dan's Supermarket, and shares its operational insights.