Content area
Full Text
The CEO of Wegmans Food Markets sees a common purpose in leading his century-old firm and fighting social ills
Danny Wegman rarely gets discouraged.
At one level, it is not hard to see why. The CEO of Wegmans Food Markets Inc. has a lot to be happy about-strong demand for the company's offerings across multiple states, sustained success over a century that has earned the firm some of the most coveted national awards and rankings, and robust annual sales of nearly $8 billion.
However, Wegman's positive outlook stems in large part from the new opportunities he believes are in Rochester's reach today-the chance Greater Rochester has to write a new script for the future of the region and its urban core, he says.
As co-chairman of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, Wegman has worked to tackle Rochester's challenges head-on, believing problems-like poverty and workforce development-can be solved.
Wegman applies the same focus and energy to his day job. In the four decades since he was named company president, Wegman has helped grow the firm from sales of $223 million and 31 stores in New York alone to $7.9 billion in sales last year and 88 stores across six states.
He became CEO in 2005; at the same time, his daughter Colleen Wegman took over as president.
Wegmans this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The company was founded by Wegman's grandfather, Walter Wegman, and great-uncle John Wegman. Robert Wegman-Danny Wegman's father-took over in 1950 and was at the helm as it began to expand outside of New York in 1993.
Today, Wegmans employs more than 45,000 people, including nearly 14,000 here. The company recently was named America's favorite grocery retailer by Market Force Information Inc. and ranked No. 4 on Fortune magazine's 2016 edition of the 100 Best Companies to Work For-a list it has appeared on each year since 1998.
In 2015, Supermarket News-a grocery industry trade publication-ranked Wegmans 33rd in sales volume on its annual list of grocery sellers in North America.
The company's strategy has remained simple after a century of practice: follow the customer from a few steps ahead, Wegman says.
In a wide-ranging interview this month with Rochester Business Journal reporter Kerry Feltner and Editor Paul...