CARLISLE, Pa. — GIANT Co. president Nicholas Bertram left the company at the end of August to pursue other opportunities. John Ruane has been appointed interim president.

“We have been fortunate to have Nick lead The GIANT Co. during his nine-year tenure,” said Kevin Holt, president of Ahold Delhaize USA. “His leadership has inspired very strong performance by the team. The GIANT Co. has achieved a great deal of success, with growth in its local markets, innovation in operations and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health and sustainability. We remain confident in the continued momentum of the brand and wish Nick all the best in the future.”

Bertram was promoted to president of GIANT/MARTIN’S in June 2017, after serving as senior vice president of merchandising for Ahold USA since 2013. He joined Ahold from Supervalu Inc., where he served as senior vice president of retail operations for Jewel-Osco in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. Before that he worked for Walmart for nearly 12 years.

“Leading The GIANT Co. to be designed for the way families live now has been a great honor, and I am excited about the growing momentum of our purpose-led teammates,” Bertram said. “That, along with the strength of our leadership team, makes now the most natural time for me to step away.”

Ruane will serve as interim president until a successor is named. He is currently senior vice president and chief commercial officer for GIANT, where he has led the merchandising and marketing teams to develop and implement customer-centric strategies that support the continued growth of the brand, while also improving customers’ experience and the overall value proposition. Ruane started his career in the grocery industry at age 14 at Foodtown in New Jersey where he worked through college. He later joined Pathmark and held positions of increasing responsibility at retail and in merchandising, before joining Ahold Delhaize USA companies in 2011 and GIANT in 2018.