Jeremy Gosch Named CEO of Hy-Vee’s Retail Ops

Hy-Vee and Chairman CEO Randy Edeker has named Jeremy Gosch CEO and president of Hy-Vee’s retail operations, as well as vice chairman of Hy-Vee’s board of directors. Gosch will lead in tandem with Aaron Wiese, who will be CEO and president of Hy-Vee’s subsidiaries and supply chain, and also vice chairman of the board, while Edeker will remain chairman and executive director. Gosch and Wiese’s new leadership roles will take effect Oct. 1.  

With Edeker at the helm, the company has nearly doubled its sales from about $7 billion in 2012 to more than $13 billion in 2022.

“As I look ahead to the future, we’ve reached a point where one person can no longer hold the title of chairman, CEO and president for the entire company,” explained Edeker. “We have become more than just a grocer. With our focus on health and wellness, pharmacy, restaurants, grocery, distribution and digital assets, it’s time we evolved our leadership structure to best position the business for the future, which is why Jeremy will also serve as a CEO for the company.” 

This year alone, Hy-Vee has launched various divisions and has gone national with its online retail platforms WholeLotta Good, Hy-VeeDeals.com, PetShip and RedBox Rx. The company is gearing up for its largest footprint and growth expansion in its history, which is why Hy-Vee launched several national partnerships this fiscal year to improve its overall in-store customer experience and bring more value to shoppers. In his new role, Gosch will also head up the company’s supplier relationships and brick-and-mortar expansion efforts across Hy-Vee’s current eight-state market area, as well as its future locations in the Southeast. 

“With Jeremy’s retail and in-store experience, he has incredible knowledge of our retail business and has a strong sense of urgency to meet the challenging times we live in today,” added Edeker. “He has a great understanding of how we need to continue to evolve our company to grow, which will keep us on a path toward continued success as one of the best grocers in the U.S.”

Gosch and Wiese will both continue to report to Edeker.

“It’s imperative that Hy-Vee has excellent leaders overseeing the day-to-day responsibilities for both our growing retail operations and subsidiary operations,” said Edeker. “Both Jeremy and Aaron bring unique strengths to the table with complementary leadership styles that will guide Hy-Vee well into the future.”

Gosch began his Hy-Vee career as a part-time clerk at the Lantern Park Plaza Hy-Vee in Coralville, Iowa, in 1995, and spent the next 12 years in retail operations management roles, including that of store director at various locations. In 2012, he became part of Hy-Vee’s executive staff when he was promoted to assistant VP, operations, northeast region. Over the next six years, he held several executive leadership roles, and in early 2018, he became EVP, co-COO and chief marketing officer before transitioning later that year to the position of COO. In April 2021, Gosch became president, retail operations and co-COO. He was promoted to his current position in December 2021. Gosch graduated from Aplington-Parkersburg Community High School in Parkersburg, Iowa, and earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Iowa. He is only the fifth president in Hy-Vee’s 92-year history.

Employee-owned Hy-Vee operates more than 285 retail stores across eight Midwestern states and has a team of more than 93,000 employees. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based company is No. 30 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.