Dive Brief:
- Hy-Vee announced Friday the retirement of Donna Tweeten, effective Jan. 24.
- Tweeten — the first woman to serve as president at the Iowa grocer — is leaving after nearly 20 years at the supermarket chain.
- The grocery company has not yet named Tweeten’s successor.
Dive Insight:
Tweeten’s departure marks the latest departure of a long-time, top executive at the grocery chain in recent months.
Hy-Vee appointed Tweeten as its president in 2022. She has been with the retailer since 2006, serving in nearly a dozen leadership positions, including assistant vice president of communications, vice president of brand image, vice president of marketing/communications and chief merchandising officer, according to the press release.
Hy-Vee noted that it doubled in size during Tweeten’s tenure.
“No one has shaped the Hy-Vee brand with such skill, precision and creativity more than Donna Tweeten,” Hy-Vee CEO and chairman Jeremy Gosch said in a statement. “Throughout her career, Donna has served as an innovator, trailblazer and creative thinker in nearly every aspect of Hy-Vee’s operations. There’s no doubt that her influence will be felt across Hy-Vee for decades to come.”
The announcement noted that Tweeten was a leading force in the company being the first retailer to engage in a name, image and likeness contract with WNBA player Caitlin Clark. She also secured partnerships with NFL players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as well as with U.S. Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson East.
Prior to joining Hy-Vee, Tweeten worked in advertising for firms like Davis Harrison Dion—Chicago and Anderson Communications. She was president and chief creative officer for The Meyocks Group, Hy-Vee’s agency of record, according to the press release.
Hy-Vee has seen a number of leadership changes in recent years. This summer, the grocery chain announced chairman and former CEO Randy Edeker’s retirement after more than 40 years with the company.
In January 2023, Hy-Vee named Gosch as the grocer’s sole chief executive after briefly implementing a dual-CEO structure.
