Safeway names new perishables chief, head of Texas division

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Tom Schwilke, currently president of the Texas division at Safeway Inc., has been appointed to the corporate merchandising team as president and general manager of perishables.

Tom Schwilke, currently president of the Texas division at Safeway Inc., has been appointed to the corporate merchandising team as president and general manager of perishables.

The 1,700-store supermarket chain said Monday that Schwilke reports to Kelly Griffith, who earlier this month was named president of merchandising.

Succeeding Schwilke as Texas division President is Paul McTavish, currently vice president of retail marketing execution in Safeway’s Denver division.

According to Safeway, Schwilke began his career at the company in 1982 as a clerk in the Seattle division, where he advanced through the retail ranks to store manager and district manager. He was promoted to director of corporate retail operations in 2000 and later to vice president.

Schwilke then was named vice president of retail operations at the company’s Vons chain, and six years later returned to Safeway’s corporate office as group vice president of produce and floral. He was promoted to Texas division president in 2008.

McTavish joined Safeway 37 years ago as a food clerk in the Portland division. He advanced through a range of retail management assignments in six stores and three districts and then was promoted to vice president of retail operations in the Denver division in 2000, including an assignment as interim Denver division president in 2003.

He was named vice president of retail operations in the corporate office in 2004 and later that year became vice president of retail marketing execution for the Denver unit.

"Both Tom and Paul have proven track records of success in a variety of challenging retail and marketing leadership roles," Safeway chairman and chief executive officer Steve Burd said in a statement. "We have great confidence in their abilities to lead these large organizations, and we look forward to their continued success in their new assignments."