KANSAS CITY, KA - Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG), the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler, announced that Joe Kelley has been appointed Chief Operating Officer, effective May 4, 2026.
Kelley is a seasoned grocery industry executive whose career spans strategic leadership roles across retail operations, merchandising, and supply chain in independently owned, private equity – backed, and publicly traded companies. He began his career as a deli clerk in Boston and has since held senior leadership positions at several major U.S. grocery chains.
Most recently, Kelley served as Senior Vice President of Retail Divisions for Kroger, where he led 11 divisions across the central and western United States. His extensive leadership background also includes serving as President of King Soopers & City Market (Denver), President of Kroger Texas (Houston), President of Stop & Shop (an Ahold company), and CEO & President of Marsh Supermarkets. Kelley has also held senior leadership roles at Albertsons, Price Chopper Supermarkets (N.Y.), and Bozzuto’s.
As COO, Kelley will lead and align AWG’s merchandising, procurement, distribution, sales, marketing, and division support center operations. This strategic structure is designed to strengthen end to end performance and accelerate progress toward AWG’s North Star Strategic Plan priorities: Members, Growth, Productivity, and People.
“Joe brings a rare combination of deep operational expertise, strategic vision, and a true understanding of our members' needs now and in the future,” said Dan Funk, President and CEO of AWG, in the recent release. “His leadership experience with successful regional and national chains will be invaluable as we continue building momentum for our members and advancing our long-term strategic plan.”
Kelley will spend his first several months visiting AWG support centers, meeting with members, and engaging with teams across the cooperative to deepen his understanding of AWG’s operations and member needs.
“I’m honored to join AWG and support the independent grocers who serve as the backbone of communities across the country,” Kelley said. “I look forward to working with the AWG team and our members to build on the cooperative’s strong foundation and drive continued growth and success.”
