<p><strong>PLEASANTON, CA</strong> - Safeway has announced some changes in the ranks. Tom Keller, President of the company's Vons Division, will retire after over forty years of service in the food industry, according to a press release. On February 1st he will be leaving his role and passing the torch to Gary Rocheleau, long time Vons executive and current Vice President of Retail Merchandising Execution. On an interim basis, Mr. Rocheleau will be leading the Vons Division.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Since 1999, Mr. Keller has been President of Vons, bringing his distinguished service and experience to the company. His career began at Safeway where he served as a food clerk in the company's Phoenix Division. From there, he made his way up the retail ladder, assuming progressively more senior assignments in a number of different locations including Seattle, Portland and Northern California. Mr. Keller left Safeway for a brief stint in 1991 where he joined Purity Supermarkets in Massachusetts, as President and Chief Operating Officer. This all occurring before the Stop and Shop merger. In 1998 he rejoined Safeway in the company's Northern California division as Vice President of Retail Operations Manager.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Steve Burd, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, states, "Tom leaves an important imprint on the organization as an energetic and innovative leader." He continues, "We gratefully acknowledge his considerable and varied contributions to the success of our company and wish him the best in the years ahead."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>www.vons.com</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
