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ROTTERDAM
Golub Corp. fills No. 2 position
Family member rises to chief operating offcer
BY JAMES SCHLETT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter James Schlett at 395-3040 or jschlett@dailygazette.net.

A member of the Golub family has climbed into the No. 2 seat at the Golub Corp., possibly positioning himself to take over the Price Chopper chain when its 70-year-old chief executive offi cer steps down.
    G o l u b announced Thursday a series of high-level promotions, including Jerel Golub’s boost to executive vice president and chief operating officer. That move puts Jerel Golub on a course similar to the one Neil Golub followed to become the company’s president and CEO in 2000.
    In his new position, Jerel Golub, 49, will fill a seat Larry Zettle left vacant in January 2006, when he retired from a 52-year career in the grocery business. Jerel Golub is the eldest son of company Chairman Lewis Golub. He will be responsible for all sales and merchandising, store operations, warehousing and distribution and supply chain initiatives within the 116-store chain with over 24,000 employees.
    Over the past two years, Zettle’s duties have been split between Jerel Golub and David Hepfinger, Golub senior vice president of retailing and administration . Weis Markets, a rival supermarket chain based in Sunbury, Pa., Wednesday named Hepfinger its president and chief operating officer.
    Hepfinger ended his 32-year career at Price Chopper to oversee the daily operations of the Weis chain, which has 155 stores in five states, including New York and Pennsylvania. Price Chopper and Weis mostly compete in the Scranton, Pa.
    Price Chopper spokeswoman Mona Golub said it is “certainly a possibility” that Jerel Golub is being groomed to succeed Neil Golub, her father. But Neil Golub has not said when he will step down from his CEO seat.
    Jerel Golub’s younger brother, David, is the supermarket chain’s vice president of store operations.
    Neil Golub said he will lead Price Chopper for “as long as is necessary.” His cousin, Lewis Golub, was 70 when he stepped down as CEO and became chairman. Neil Golub was Price Chopper’s president and COO prior to succeeding his cousin as CEO.
    “Just because your a Golub does not mean you get to become CEO of the company,” said Neil Golub.
    He said the decision of who will take over the Price Chopper chain will be based on business performance factors and not family bonds.
    Neil Golub said he puts an “exhaustive amount of work into succession planning,” but senior management hiring decisions ultimately lie with the company’s 10-member board of directors. Neil and Lewis Golub are the only Golubs who sit on that board.
    Jerel Golub has worked at the supermarket chain for 25 years, most recently serving as its senior vice president of sales and merchandising. To fill that position, Price Chopper is tapping Vice President of Marketing Joe Kelly, who will oversee perishable and non-food merchandising. He will also be responsible for the pharmacy and marketing and advertising departments.
    The senior level shuffling also follows the celebration of Price Chopper’s 75th anniversary. In November, the company announced it will move its headquarters from Rotterdam to a long-vacant site on Nott Street in Schenectady.
    Golub will build a $22 million, sixfloor complex at the former Big N Plaza. It will also spend $50 million on warehouse expansion and construction projects in Rotterdam.
    Price Chopper also announced Thursday that Donna Almeda will serve as its new vice president of floral and lifestyle merchandising. She most recently worked as a floral director for the Carteret, N.J.-based Pathmark.