Pathmark Consultant, Board Member Join Wild Oat's Board

BOULDER, Colo. - Natural and organic foods retailer Wild Oats Markets, Inc. yesterday elected retail industry veterans Hal Brice, a former marketing consultant to Pathmark; and Greg Mays, a current Pathmark board member, to its board of directors.

Ron Burkle, founder of Los Angeles-based private equity firm Yucaipa Cos. LLC -- which made significant investments in both Wild Oats and Pathmark last year -- recommended both Brice and Mays for the positions.

"We have a nominating committee that evaluates referrals that come through a network of people," Wild Oats spokesperson Sonja Tuitele told Progressive Grocer. "The committe evaluated both executives and found them more than qualified for the positions."

Brice brings more than 25 years' experience in retail marketing and strategic communications to Wild Oats. Early in his career he founded HEILBrice, a retail marketing and advertising firm, which has since been producing advertising and marketing strategies for large food retail chains, including Alpha-Beta, Ralphs, Boys/ABC, ABCO Foods, Viva, Weis Markets, Food 4 Less, Fry's, Pathmark, and Kroger. His company has expanded its clients to include media, consumer packaged goods and restaurants, while still maintaining a focus on the food retail industry.

Mays has 27 years of food retail experience, and has held numerous executive and financial positions in the food retail industry, most recently as e.v.p. of Kroger-owned Ralphs Grocery Co. and Food 4 Less for seven years. Prior to that, Mays was c.e.o. and president of Almacs' Supermarkets. From February 1999 to the present, he has been a consultant, and currently serves as a director of Pathmark Supermarkets Inc.