Hy-Vee’s chief administrative officer retires
After a 41-year career at Hy-Vee, the regional grocer’s vice chairman, executive vice president and chief administrative officer is retiring. As Andy McCann departs his position, the West Des Moines, Iowa-based chain has promoted Sheila Laing to the post from her position as chief human resources officer.
“I could not be more thankful to Andy for the contribution he has made to our great company,” Hy-Vee chairman, president and CEO Randy Edeker said. “He has been a strong leader in virtually every aspect of our organization because of his hard work and dedication.”
McCann joined Hy-Vee in 1976 as a part-time clerk at a location in Des Moines, eventually becoming a second assistant manager at the Marshalltown, Iowa location in 1983 and assistant manager at a Lincoln, Neb. Location in 1985. He became store director of an Omaha location in 1989, followed an Iowa City, Iowa location and then a Burlington, Iowa location before he was named director of operations in 1996. Following his stint as director of operations, McCann was named assistant vice president of operations for the northeast regions.
In 2001, McCann was named Hy-Vee’s assistance vice president and president of its Perishable Distributors of Iowa business. He was promoted to vice president and president of PDI in 2009, and became senior vice president of retail health in 2011 before being named senior vice president of store development in 2012. The company named him its executive vice president and chief health officer in 2013, with him assuming his most recent position in 2014. In 2015 he was named the company’s first vice chairman.
McCann’s successor, Laing, has been with the company since 1987, when she was a part-time checker at a Hy-Vee in Dubuque, Iowa. In addition to her role as chief human resources officer, she most recently was the company’s executive vice president of health and wellness. After several roles at various stores, Laing became human resources manager of Hy-Vee’s Chariton Distribution Center in 1996, followed by a promotion to assistant vice president of human resources for the facility in 1997. After becoming assistant vice president of employee benefits in 2005, she was named the company’s vice president of human resources in 2009, with her role expanding to senior vice president of retail health in 2013 and further to include work as chief customer officer in 2015, She became an executive vice president in 2015.
Both McCann and Laing have been inducted into Hy-Vee’s Hall of Fame, with McCann being recognized in 1999 as director of the year and Laing receiving the company’s 2003 Community Involvement Award.