Hermanns Joins USC Marshall as Director of Food Industry Programs
Veteran supermarket industry executive Robert Hermanns has joined the University of Southern California (USC)-Marshall School of Business as its new director of Food Industry Programs.
In his new role at the Los Angeles-based USC campus, Hermanns, who most recently was SVP and board member of Utah-based Park City Group, will be responsible for the university’s food industry programs, which currently include the 51-year-old Food Industry Management Program and the Food Industry Executive Program. The semester-long Food Industry Management Program is designed for high-potential retail and supplier managerial staff members, who are supported by a full scholarship provided by the Western Association of Food Chains.
“Robert Hermanns has an excellent reputation within the food industry,” said Marshall dean James G. Ellis. “We are pleased to have his expertise and experience, and look forward to the next 50 years of the USC Food Industry Management Program.”
Hermanns, who received his MBA from USC Marshall, brings more than 40 years of experience in all phases of retail and wholesale grocery operations to his new most. He was previously president, CEO and vice chairman of Seattle-based Associated Grocers, Inc. from 2002 through 2005.
Before joining Associated Grocers, Inc., Hermanns was COO of Weis Markets; prior to that, he held a number of executive management positions, including COO for procurement and logistics, throughout his 30-year career with American Stores Co., an $18 billion food and drug retailer. Hermanns began his career with Jewel Food Stores, where he worked in a variety of management positions from store manager to grocery merchandising manager.
Hermanns views his new role with great enthusiasm and appreciation, having “personally seen how this program makes an impact on the future leaders in the food industry.”
He has acted as a board member for FMI, the Western Association of Food Chains and Western Family Foods. In addition to his USC Marshall MBA, Hermanns also received a bachelor’s degree in Food Marketing from Western Michigan University.
In his new role at the Los Angeles-based USC campus, Hermanns, who most recently was SVP and board member of Utah-based Park City Group, will be responsible for the university’s food industry programs, which currently include the 51-year-old Food Industry Management Program and the Food Industry Executive Program. The semester-long Food Industry Management Program is designed for high-potential retail and supplier managerial staff members, who are supported by a full scholarship provided by the Western Association of Food Chains.
“Robert Hermanns has an excellent reputation within the food industry,” said Marshall dean James G. Ellis. “We are pleased to have his expertise and experience, and look forward to the next 50 years of the USC Food Industry Management Program.”
Hermanns, who received his MBA from USC Marshall, brings more than 40 years of experience in all phases of retail and wholesale grocery operations to his new most. He was previously president, CEO and vice chairman of Seattle-based Associated Grocers, Inc. from 2002 through 2005.
Before joining Associated Grocers, Inc., Hermanns was COO of Weis Markets; prior to that, he held a number of executive management positions, including COO for procurement and logistics, throughout his 30-year career with American Stores Co., an $18 billion food and drug retailer. Hermanns began his career with Jewel Food Stores, where he worked in a variety of management positions from store manager to grocery merchandising manager.
Hermanns views his new role with great enthusiasm and appreciation, having “personally seen how this program makes an impact on the future leaders in the food industry.”
He has acted as a board member for FMI, the Western Association of Food Chains and Western Family Foods. In addition to his USC Marshall MBA, Hermanns also received a bachelor’s degree in Food Marketing from Western Michigan University.