Sam Martin Takes Over at A&P, Marshall Departs

In a surprise announcement The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company has named Sam Martin as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Martin, formerly head of Office Max the nation’s third largest office supply company, takes over immediately replacing Ron Marshall. Martin is A&P’s second CEO in six months and, including Executive Chairman Christian Haub’s brief stint as acting CEO following the departure of Eric Claus late in 2009, its fourth CEO in less than one year. The appointment of Martin comes at a difficult time for A&P, which is enduring extreme financial difficulties amidst declining revenues and profits.

Said Haub, "The Board and the company's major shareholders, Tengelmann and Yucaipa, have been instrumental in developing what I believe is the right turnaround strategy for A&P. As we moved to the implementation and execution stage of this comprehensive operational and revenue-driven turnaround, the Board determined that the company needed a leader at the helm with the skill set Sam Martin possesses. Sam is a proven, hands on operational expert in the food retail industry. He has an ideal mix of food industry management experience encompassing operations, merchandising and supply chain. We are confident that he will successfully drive the rapid implementation of our multi-faceted effort to make A&P a stronger and more efficient company. We thank Ron Marshall (who has left A&P) for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors."

Martin, who had led Office Max since 2007, said, "I am thrilled to be joining A&P and to have the opportunity to lead the company’s turnaround effort at this important time in its history. I look forward to working with the Board, Christian and A&P’s talented associates to quickly execute on the opportunities for improving our performance in the near term and to put the company on a solid foundation for the future.”