Family Dollar chief merchant joins Vitamin Shoppe as COO

SECAUCUS, N.J. - Vitamin Shoppe on Thursday announced that it has hired Jason Reiser as COO effective July 11, 2016.  As COO and a key member of the executive team, Reiser will have overall day-to-day responsibility for operational execution, including store operations, merchandising, supply chain and IT and for leading those teams through implementing the company's reinvention strategy.

"The hiring of Jason continues to strengthen our leadership team and he will be a valuable addition to the already experienced and capable team we have assembled," stated Colin Watts, Vitamin Shoppe CEO. "Jason is joining the Vitamin Shoppe at an exciting time as we continue to move ahead with implementing our strategic plan.  He has a long established commitment to health and wellness, extensive experience in the industry and a proven track record of consistently delivering results," he said. "His combination of industry, retail, regulatory and customer knowledge uniquely positions Jason to drive the Vitamin Shoppe's operating priorities. I am excited, along with the rest of our team, to have Jason join the Vitamin Shoppe to help lead our ongoing company reinvention initiatives and drive our performance."

Reiser joins Vitamin Shoppe from Dollar Tree, where he was most recently EVP and chief merchandising officer for its Family Dollar business.

Reiser has more than 30 years of experience in retail management, merchandising, private brand sourcing, regulatory management as well as being trained as a pharmacist. For the past three years, he has worked at Family Dollar prior to its merger with Dollar Tree. He began his retail career at Walmart, which he joined in 1995 as pharmacy manager, and progressed through a series of positions of increasing responsibility, including director, regulatory affairs, VP operations and compliance for health & wellness and VP merchandising for health and family care at Walmart and Sam's Club. 

Reiser received a B.S. in Pharmacy from Northeastern University.