SALISBURY, N.C. — Ahold Delhaize USA has appointed John Ruane president of The GIANT Co.

“We have been fortunate to have John lead The GIANT Co. as interim president during a time of transition, and we are excited about this next step in his career,” said JJ Fleeman, chief executive officer of Ahold Delhaize USA. “He has led the team during a very important time in the company’s history as it celebrates its 100-year anniversary this fall. John is a leader who cares deeply about his team and serving customers. He will continue to drive strong performance and advance many of the hallmarks of The GIANT Co. brand, including growth in its local markets, innovation in operations and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health and sustainability.”

Before serving as interim president, Ruane served as senior vice president and chief commercial officer for GIANT, where he led the merchandising and marketing teams to develop and implement customer-centric strategies to 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.

“I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as president of The GIANT Co.,” he said.

An industry and community champion, Ruane serves as chair of FMI – The Food Industry Association’s Fresh Food Leadership Committee and on the board of directors at Philabundance, the largest hunger-relief organization serving the Philadelphia area.

He attended Rutgers College and has completed post-graduate programs at Cornell University and Harvard Business School.