Seasoned Albertsons vet takes the helm at Safeway division

WASHINGTON — Jim Perkins, Albertsons EVP retail operations and special projects and president of its Acme stores divsion, has assumed command of the Safeway Eastern division as well, according to a report in the Washington Business Journal earlier this week.



Former Safeway president Dan Valenzuela "left the company to pursue other opportunities," the Journal reported.



Perkins has spent the last 30 years as a pacesetting leader in the grocery industry. Jim’s passion for the grocery business began in 1982 at Albertson’s as a courtesy clerk, and he developed into a key leader for them in several areas of the country. He served as VP Operations for Albertsons, and director of operations for Albertsons LLC’s Southern Division.



Perkins left Albertsons and joined Giant Foods as a regional VP, but returned to Albertsons as the president of Acme Markets in 2012. He was named EVP operations, East Region in April 2015, and returned to lead Acme Markets in June 2017.



Perkins is expected to re-invigorate the Safeway store base, the Journal reported.



Perkins received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science, Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.