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Frank Curci retiring as CEO of Price Chopper and Tops supermarkets, successor named

Frank Curci is retiring as CEO of Northeast Grocery Inc., parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets.
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Syracuse, N.Y. -- Frank Curci announced his retirement Monday as CEO of Northeast Grocery Inc., the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets.

Northeast Grocery said John Persons, its chief operating officer, has been named by the company’s board of directors to succeed Curci as CEO, effective Feb. 26.

Curci is completing a 43-year grocery industry career that included leadership positions at multiple retail grocery organizations.

He served 14 years as CEO of Tops and was named CEO of Northeast Grocery in January 2022. During his time with Tops, he helped to build the supermarket chain after it separated from Royal Ahold, overseeing initiatives that included the acquisition of 79 Penn Traffic stores in 2010 and 21 Grand Union stores in 2012.

Tops and Price Chopper/Market 32 merged in November 2021, creating a powerhouse supermarket company, employing more than 30,000 people at nearly 300 stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.

The two chains have retained their brand names, with the parent company and Price Chopper/Market 32 headquartered in Schenectady and Tops’ main office in Williamsville.

“The 43 years I have spent in this business have been challenging and rewarding beyond measure and, without a doubt, the recent years spent planning and then bringing NGI to life have been some of the most gratifying,” Curci said in a statement.

Persons has served as Northeast Grocery’s chief operating officer since June 2023, overseeing both the Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets operating companies, as well as the merchandising and marketing functions of Northeast Shared Services, a subsidiary.

A 40-year industry veteran, he started as a cashier at Tops and rose to become its president in 2015. Persons has spent his entire career with the grocery chain and now Northeast Grocery. During his tenure at Tops, he had oversight of various functions, including operations, merchandising, sales and marketing, real estate, information technology, and organizational strategy.

John Persons has been named to succeed Frank Curci as CEO of Northeast Grocery Inc., the parent company of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets, effective Feb. 26, 2024. Person has served as the company's chief operating officer since June 2023.

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | X | Facebook | 315-470-3148

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