UNFI Executive and Leadership Team

Sandy Douglas, the Chief Executive Officer at UNFI, directs the overarching strategy and operational execution for the wholesale grocery leader. Douglas guides the company's mission to expand access to healthier food options across the United States and Canada. This leadership involves optimizing distribution networks that serve conventional supermarkets, natural product stores, independent retailers, and food service clients. Douglas ensures alignment with market demands and drives initiatives to enhance customer value and operational efficiency. The Chief Executive Officer's purview encompasses all facets of the business, from supply chain integrity to strategic growth planning. By focusing on sustainable practices and market responsiveness, Douglas solidifies UNFI's position as a key distributor in the food industry. The executive's strategic vision directly influences the company's ability to reach a broad consumer base with diverse product offerings. Sandy Douglas champions innovation in logistics and product sourcing to meet evolving consumer preferences and regulatory landscapes.

Fernanda Petto, the Natural Grocery Products Senior VP & Chief Financial Officer at UNFI, directs the financial strategy and operations specifically for the company's natural grocery products segment. Petto oversees financial planning, analysis, and reporting, ensuring fiscal health and driving profitability within this key area of UNFI's business. This leadership position is critical for supporting the company's mission to make healthier food options more accessible by managing the financial aspects of sourcing and distributing natural and organic products across the United States and Canada. The Natural Grocery Products Senior VP & Chief Financial Officer collaborates with product development and merchandising teams to optimize financial performance and identify growth opportunities. Petto's responsibilities include managing budgets, capital allocation, and financial risk assessment for the natural grocery division. Fernanda Petto's financial acumen is instrumental in guiding strategic investments and ensuring the sustainable growth of UNFI's natural product offerings to a wide range of sales channels.

Emily Takkunen, the Chief Financial Officer, Retail, Cub Foods & Shoppers at UNFI, directs the financial operations and strategic planning for UNFI's retail banners, Cub Foods and Shoppers. Takkunen oversees financial performance, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis for these key retail entities, ensuring their profitability and alignment with UNFI's broader corporate objectives. This leadership role is vital for managing the financial intricacies of direct-to-consumer grocery sales, supporting the company's mission to increase access to healthier food options. The Chief Financial Officer, Retail, Cub Foods & Shoppers collaborates closely with retail leadership to drive financial discipline, optimize pricing strategies, and identify opportunities for revenue growth and cost savings. Takkunen's responsibilities include managing financial reporting, ensuring compliance, and supporting strategic initiatives that enhance the customer experience and market competitiveness of Cub Foods and Shoppers. Emily Takkunen's financial expertise is critical for the success of UNFI's retail segment.

David Matthews, the Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at UNFI, directs the company's comprehensive financial strategy, planning, and execution across all operations in the United States and Canada. Matthews oversees financial reporting, capital management, investor relations, and treasury functions, ensuring the fiscal health and stability of the wholesale grocery leader. This executive leadership is paramount in supporting UNFI's mission to expand access to healthier food options by managing the financial resources required for growth and operational efficiency. The Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer collaborates with the CEO and other senior leaders to drive financial performance, optimize resource allocation, and identify strategic investment opportunities. Matthews' responsibilities include managing financial risk, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing critical financial insights to guide business decisions. David Matthews plays a pivotal role in shaping UNFI's financial future and sustaining its market position.

Bill Fold, the Chief Operating Officer & Senior VP, Operations at UNFI, directs the company's extensive operational activities across its wholesale distribution network in the United States and Canada. Fold oversees the day-to-day execution of logistics, warehousing, and transportation, ensuring the efficient and reliable delivery of products to a wide array of customers. This leadership role is fundamental to UNFI's mission of making healthier food options widely available. Fold's responsibilities include optimizing operational workflows, implementing best practices in supply chain management, and driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity and reduce costs. The Chief Operating Officer & Senior VP, Operations collaborates with other senior leaders to ensure operational strategies align with the company's growth objectives and market demands. Bill Fold's focus on operational excellence directly impacts UNFI's ability to serve conventional supermarkets, natural product stores, and food service providers effectively. This executive ensures the integrity of the supply chain from sourcing to final delivery.

Robert Borlik, the Senior Vice President Chief Information Officer at UNFI, oversees the company's comprehensive information technology infrastructure and digital transformation efforts. Borlik directs the strategic implementation of technology solutions that support UNFI's extensive wholesale distribution operations across the United States and Canada. This role involves ensuring the reliability, security, and scalability of all IT systems, which are critical for managing inventory, logistics, and customer relations across diverse sales channels. Borlik's leadership focuses on leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency, streamline supply chain processes, and improve data analytics capabilities. The Senior Vice President Chief Information Officer collaborates with other executive leaders to align IT strategy with business objectives, driving innovation in areas such as eCommerce platforms and advanced analytics. Robert Borlik's responsibilities include managing IT budgets, vendor relationships, and the development of a high-performing technology team. This executive ensures that UNFI's technological backbone effectively supports its mission of making healthier foods more accessible.

Jagadeesh Tupakula, the Head Chief Information Officer, Data Office of (Data Platforms, Engineering, Products & Advanced Analytics) at UNFI, spearheads the strategic development and deployment of data-centric initiatives. Tupakula directs the engineering, product development, and advanced analytics functions within the company's data office, ensuring robust data platforms that support UNFI's wholesale operations. This leadership role is crucial for transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive business decisions across sales channels in the United States and Canada. Tupakula's focus includes building scalable data infrastructure, fostering data governance, and implementing advanced analytical models to optimize supply chain, inventory management, and customer engagement. The Head Chief Information Officer, Data Office of (Data Platforms, Engineering, Products & Advanced Analytics) collaborates closely with IT and business units to embed data-driven decision-making throughout the organization. Jagadeesh Tupakula's expertise is vital for enhancing UNFI's ability to understand market trends and consumer behavior, thereby supporting the mission of making healthier foods more accessible.

Jason Nagle, the Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer at UNFI, leads the company's technology strategy and execution, focusing on innovation and infrastructure development. Nagle directs the advancement of UNFI's technological capabilities to support its broad wholesale operations across the United States and Canada. This role involves overseeing the development and implementation of cutting-edge technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency, customer experience, and data management. The Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer works to ensure that UNFI's technology infrastructure is robust, secure, and scalable, enabling the company to meet the evolving needs of its diverse customer base, including supermarket chains and food service providers. Nagle's responsibilities extend to driving technological innovation that supports UNFI's mission of increasing access to healthier food options. Jason Nagle collaborates with executive leadership to align technology investments with strategic business goals, fostering a culture of technological advancement within the organization.

Danielle Benedict, the Chief Human Resources Officer at UNFI, leads the company's human capital strategy, focusing on talent acquisition, development, and employee engagement across the United States and Canada. Benedict directs initiatives aimed at fostering a positive and productive work environment, essential for supporting UNFI's mission of distributing healthier food options. This role involves developing and implementing HR policies and programs that align with the company's business objectives and values, ensuring a skilled and motivated workforce. The Chief Human Resources Officer oversees talent management, compensation and benefits, organizational development, and employee relations. Danielle Benedict collaborates with executive leadership to build a strong organizational culture that attracts and retains top talent, crucial for managing complex wholesale operations and diverse sales channels. Benedict's strategic approach to human resources ensures that UNFI has the necessary human capital to drive operational excellence and achieve its growth targets.

Ram Balanagu, the Chief Enterprise Architect, Office of the Chief Information Officer at UNFI, designs and oversees the company's overall technology architecture, ensuring its alignment with strategic business goals. Balanagu directs the development of a cohesive and scalable technology framework that supports UNFI's extensive wholesale distribution operations across the United States and Canada. This role is critical for integrating diverse IT systems and platforms, enabling seamless data flow and operational efficiency. The Chief Enterprise Architect, Office of the Chief Information Officer focuses on establishing technology standards, evaluating new architectural solutions, and guiding the implementation of enterprise-wide systems. Balanagu collaborates with IT leadership and business stakeholders to ensure that the technology architecture effectively supports UNFI's mission of making healthier food options more accessible. Ram Balanagu's expertise is essential for building a robust and future-ready technology foundation that drives innovation and operational excellence.