Walmart, Topco, PepsiCo Execs Join GS1 US Board of Governors
GS1 US has appointed to its board of governors John S. Phillips, SVP, customer supply chain and go-to-market at PepsiCo Inc.; Randall J. Skoda, president and CEO of Topco Associates LLC; and Steve Breen, SVP, enterprise inventory optimization at Walmart.
The executives join a diverse board representing a cross-section of industries, among them retail grocery, foodservice, apparel, general merchandise and health care. They will help guide strategy to encourage adoption and use of GS1 Standards that support supply chain visibility, product traceability, e-commerce operations, regulatory requirements, and higher consumer demand for product information.
“These accomplished leaders have been pioneers of innovation within their respective organizations and industries,” noted Bob Carpenter, president and CEO of Ewing, N.J.-based GS1 US. “Their vision will help GS1 US support our communities as they overcome persistent supply chain challenges and enable new business strategies in the face of constant disruption.”
Phillips works with PepsiCo’s largest customers on supply chain and collaboration initiatives to drive both effectiveness and efficiency across the shared supply chain. He also heads the company’s go-to-market center of excellence focused on global process and technology tools to optimize go-to-market systems. Having joined Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo more than 33 years ago, Phillips has held various sales and field operations roles since joining the company as a route sales representative with Frito-Lay. Prior to his current position, he was VP of customer delivery systems for Frito-Lay North America, in which capacity he led the development and implementation of new DSD delivery systems and the development of the next generation of frontline hand-held computers for the DSD sales force. Before coming to PepsiCo, he spent a decade in retail store operations with Chicago’s Jewel Food Stores.
Skoda guides the strategic vision at Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Topco, a privately held, member-owned company that leverages the volume, commitment and knowledge of its collective partnership of regional retail grocers, wholesalers and pharmacies to compete with national chains. He’s been a key member of Topco’s management team for more than 13 years. Prior to his current role, Skoda was EVP overseeing the company’s program management, product and brand development, innovation and indirect-spend groups. He previously held leadership roles Old Town Partners, Sayers Group LLC and KPMG.
Breen oversees inventory flow and optimization across stores and e-commerce at Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart, No. 1 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's list of the top food retailers in North America. Since joining the mega-retailer in 2007, he’s held several leadership roles, among them SVP of snacks and beverage, chief merchandising officer for Walmart Brazil and chief merchant for Walmart.com. Before joining Walmart, Breen was a VP at Abbott Laboratories and chief marketing officer at Molson Coors Brewing Co.
Also, longtime board members John Inwright, president and CEO of Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op Inc., and Dr. Susan D. Moffatt-Bruce, CEO of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada, have become chair and vice chair, respectively.
The GS1 US board of governors comprises executives from 20 leading organizations, among them The Coca-Cola Co.; Dot Foods; Google Store; The J.M. Smucker Co.; Johnson & Johnson; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; PepsiCo; Procter & Gamble; Publix; PVH Corp.; Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; Sysco Corp.; Target; Topco; Wakefern Food Corp.; Walmart; Wegmans Food Markets Inc. and Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op Inc.
GS1 US, a member of GS1 global, is a not-for-profit information standards organization that facilitates industry collaboration to help improve supply chain visibility and efficiency through the use of GS1 Standards, the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world.
