Pattison Food Group announces strategic changes to executive leadership team

(Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – Langley, B.C.) Western Canada’s largest retailer of food and drugs, the Pattison Food Group, is announcing strategic changes to its executive leadership team, aimed at strengthening its position in the market while positioning it for future growth. 

Effective June 1, Mike Olson will add merchandising to his portfolio as the senior vice president of supply chain and wholesale. Ben Harrack, senior vice president of merchandising, will report to Mike, continuing to hold accountability for the merchandising, procurement and private label businesses. 

Brenda Kirk will lead the company’s newly established health division as the senior vice president of health and wellness. The health division includes health banners Nature’s Fare Market and Choices Markets, as well as Save-On-Foods pharmacies, Pure Integrative Pharmacy and Imperial Distributors. Bob Mehr, senior vice president of pharmaceutical distribution & specialty pharmacies, will report to Brenda.  

Paul Cope will continue in his role of senior vice president of retail operations and will now oversee all seven of the Pattison Food Group’s grocery retail banners. The retail service and e-Commerce operations teams, led by newly promoted general manager Brenna Leonard, will now report to Heidi Ferriman. 

These changes come three months into Jamie Nelson’s presidency and are part of the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency. With these changes, the executive team – the core group of senior leaders who drive the company’s strategic direction led by Jamie – will comprise the following leaders: 

• Paul Cope, senior vice president of retail operations  
• Heidi Ferriman, senior vice president of people, marketing & corporate affairs   
• Ben Harrack, senior vice president of merchandising  
• Paul Hazra, chief financial officer 
• Brenda Kirk, senior vice president of health  
• Mike Olson, senior vice president of supply chain & wholesale.  

At the same time, the company is announcing changes at the vice president level.  

• Gillian Yorke has been promoted to the Pattison Food Group’s vice president of customer loyalty, overseeing marketing and More Rewards loyalty program and will continue to report to Heidi Ferriman. 
• Dan Hansen, formerly vice president of fresh merchandising, has taken on the new role of vice president of modernization, leading a team of professionals tasked with evolving the company’s supply chain and merchandising functions for long-term success. Dan will report to Ben Harrack. 
• Current vice president Mona Kragh will focus her area of responsibility on enterprise transformation initiatives as vice president of enterprise transformation. Steven Pang has been promoted to vice president of finance and will continue to report to Paul Hazra. 

“I am incredibly excited about the trajectory of the company,” said Pattison Food Group president Jamie Nelson. “This is a solid, committed leadership team that’s invested in evolving our business to meet the dynamic needs of our customers across Western Canada, and to ensuring continued, sustainable growth for our nearly 30,000 team members. This team is boldly leading us to new horizons in the grocery industry.” 

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About Pattison Food Group  

Established in 2021, the Pattison Food Group is a Canadian owned and operated Jim Pattison business and Western Canada’s leading provider of food and drugs. The Pattison Food Group includes nine retail grocery banners including Save-On-Foods and Buy-Low Foods, as well as Everything Wine, Pure Integrative Pharmacy, Imperial Distributors Canada Inc., and other specialty and wholesale operations. Its businesses employ almost 30,000 team members in its over 300 food and drug retail locations who share a passion for giving back to the communities where they do business. Pattison Food Group businesses are leaders in customer service and innovation and are committed to achieving long-term growth.