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Martindale steps down at Rite Aid

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CAMP HILL, Pa. — Ken Martindale has left his job as president and chief executive officer of stores at Rite Aid Corp. to become CEO at GNC Holdings Inc., operator of a nutritional supplements retail chain headquartered in ­Pittsburg.

Martindale joined Rite Aid in December 2008 and became the company’s first CEO of stores in August 2015. He was part of a triumvirate of executives — along with chairman and CEO John Standley and former chief financial and administrative officer Frank Vitrano — who led Rite Aid’s financial turnaround, including the development and rollout of the drug chain’s Wellness Store format.

Following Martindale’s departure, Rite Aid promoted executive vice president Bryan Everett to the newly created position of chief operating officer, reporting to Standley. Everett has two decades of retail experience. He arrived at Rite Aid in 2015 from Target Corp., where he oversaw store operations.

In a statement, Standley thanked Martindale for his “significant contributions” to Rite Aid. “We have all benefitted from the opportunity to have worked with Ken, and we wish him the very best in his future ­endeavors.”

At GNC, Martindale succeeds interim CEO Bob Moran, who held the position for more than a year as the company searched for a permanent leader. GNC has more than 9,000 stores. It also manufactures private label products for Rite Aid, Sam’s Club and other retailers.

GNC has undertaken a number of measures to address declining foot traffic at its stores and more intense competition from online retailers of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements. It recently opened a storefront on Amazon.com and introduced a loyalty program. The company also revamped its marketing efforts and simplified its pricing.


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