WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — In 2022, Donna Tweeten made Hy-Vee history when she was elevated to president, becoming the first woman at Hy-Vee to ever serve in this role. 

Tweeten has worn many hats throughout her career at Hy-Vee, all of which have prepared her for this next chapter. 

Most known for her marketing insights and ability to pull off one-of-a-kind marketing campaigns, Tweeten served as Hy-Vee’s chief marketing officer for much of her career. She’s also served as chief merchandising officer. As president, Tweeten’s expanded responsibilities include overseeing Hy-Vee’s marketing, private brands, digital development and — most notably — Hy-Vee’s newest venture, Red Media, a new retail media network. 

“Red Media helps brands precisely target consumers through first-party data and is positioned to revolutionize how suppliers sell their products and maximize their marketing with smarter, more strategic placement and messaging,” said Tweeten.

Leveraging her 30-plus years in marketing, Tweeten is working hand-in-hand with suppliers and CPGs to maximize their marketing spend while delivering big results.

Donna Tweeten

As inflation continues to unsettle the economy, Tweeten and her team are doubling down to bring more everyday value to Hy-Vee shoppers through a range of strategies including strong supplier relations, growth in private brands and customer loyalty.

Now, more than ever, customers are trying to get the most out of every dollar spent, which means companies must be more agile, more competitive and more creative than ever to attract them to their stores. 

One of the ways Tweeten is leading this charge is through Hy-Vee’s loyalty programs, which include Hy-Vee’s longtime Fuel Saver + Perks program that offers customers fuel discounts on certain in-store purchases. In 2022 alone, customers saved more than $88 million on fuel through the program. Hy-Vee’s premium Hy-Vee Plus membership is another way the retailer is bringing value to customers through exclusive grocery discounts, services and perks. 

In the sports marketing arena, Tweeten is helping guide Hy-Vee’s strategy, which involves strategic partnerships with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Kirk Cousins, to name a few. In 2021, Hy-Vee signed Iowa Women’s Basketball star Caitlin Clark to one of the first NIL agreements in college sports. Most recently, Hy-Vee partnered with the Green Bay Packers as the retailer continues to open new stores in Wisconsin. 

This July 21 to July 23, the retailer will hold its second Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, bringing another A-list class of entertainers, including Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band and Ed Sheeran. Last year’s race weekend was one for the books, attracting a sold-out crowd of 80,000 race fans and garnering 4 billion overall media ­impressions. 

Last year’s race attracted thousands of race fans to Iowa, and propelled Hy-Vee and its supplier sponsors front and center on a national platform with live coverage on NBC. This year, Tweeten and her colleagues expect to attract even more fans, increasing Hy-Vee’s brand exposure to a level most retailers could only imagine.