Wegmans Opening in June Announces Management Team

PHOTOS: Wegmans store photo courtesy of Hilltop Village Shopping Center; Wegmans management team (left to right): Store Manager Mike Dempsey; Executive Chef Joe McCarthy; Pharmacy Manager Tony Park; Perishable Area Manager Gregg Garbach; Merchandising Area Manager Heather Jennejohn, and Service Area Manager Matt Spath.

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Nothing gets area residents more excited than talk about a new grocery store, especially a Wegmans.

Wegmans Food Markets, which is opening a new store in the area in June, has announced the leadership team that is spearheading the grand opening and management of the seventh Wegmans store in Virginia, located at Hilltop Village Shopping Center, at Telegraph Road and Beulah Street in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County.

The team consists of the store manager, executive chef, pharmacy manager and area managers who each oversee various departments within the store, according to a news release from Wegmans. Together, Wegmans points out that the group has more than 80 years of combined experience at the grocery chain. Here’s more about the team, from the release:

“Preparations are underway for us to open the doors at Wegmans Alexandria on June 14,” said Heather Gole, human resources manager of the company’s Virginia division. “This leadership team brings an incredible background of experience, and we’re still hiring and training for a number of open part-time culinary and customer service positions.” Those interested in applying can visit www.wegmans.com/careers for more information.

Store Manager Mike Dempsey

Dempsey, a Manassas resident, joined Wegmans in 1994 as a part-time photo lab clerk in Ithaca, N.Y., while working full time in the construction field. By the following year, he made a career move to Wegmans to become a full-time night manager and front end coordinator. His next opportunity came in the produce department as a team leader, followed by a move to the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, to help open stores. In 2000, Dempsey was promoted to produce manager and in 2002 he became a merchandising area manager in Bridgewater, N.J. Dempsey relocated to Virginia in 2003 and was promoted to perishable area manager in 2006. He became a store manager at the Lake Manassas Wegmans in Gainesville in 2008 and then transitioned over to the Potomac Store in Woodbridge in 2010. As store manager in Alexandria, he will oversee more than 550 employees. In this role, Dempsey is building a team that is ready to deliver the incredible customer service that Wegmans is known for. He focuses on teaching and training the Alexandria team for continued growth and development.

Executive Chef Joe McCarthy

McCarthy, who resides in Clifton, started his career with Wegmans in 2009 at the Fairfax store. Within six years, he was given the opportunity to open Wegmans’ newest store in Alexandria as executive chef. With culinary and hospitality management degrees from Johnson & Wales University, McCarthy will lead both the Prepared Foods team and The Pub, Wegmans’ casual full-service restaurant and bar. He oversees more than 100 culinary employees who use the best ingredients to help customers make great meals easy. He looks forward to opening The Pub because it will be the first of its kind at a Wegmans store in the state.

Pharmacy Manager Tony Park

Tony Park, PharmD, graduated from Northeastern University Pharmacy School in Boston in 2008. He joined Wegmans in 2011 as a staff pharmacist, later taking on the roles of wellness coordinator, supervising pharmacist, and now pharmacy manager. Park will oversee all aspects of the Alexandria pharmacy and its staff, helping customers live healthier, better lives. Services include expert health and wellness consultations, immunizations, pet meds, auto-refill of prescriptions, free home shipping, and competitively low prices on select generic prescriptions. Park resides in Fairfax.

Perishable Area Manager Gregg Garbach

Garbach, a Chantilly resident, has been employed by Wegmans since 1995 and has prior experience in a variety of positions, including service team leader, deli manager and merchandising area manager. As perishable area manager in Alexandria, he will oversee fresh product quality, sales, and employee development to ensure that the perishable departments (produce, bakery, seafood, meat, cheese, and deli) meet Wegmans’ high standards.

Merchandising Area Manager Heather Jennejohn

Jennejohn began working at Wegmans in 2000, previously serving as cashier, management trainee, floral coordinator and service area manager. In her new role, she oversees the merchandising departments of the store, such as grocery, dairy, frozen food, wine and Nature’s Marketplace. Jennejohn, who resides in Arlington, will work collaboratively across many departments to ensure that displays are well merchandised and employees are prepared to share a high level of product knowledge with Wegmans customers.

Service Area Manager Matt Spath

Spath, a resident of Centreville, has been a Wegmans employee since 1999 and previously worked in positions ranging from part-time customer service to sub shop and prepared foods team leader, deli manager, and front end manager. As a new service area manager, he will oversee the store’s service departments, including the front end, customer service desk, helping hands (parking lot attendants), along with the accounting office. Spath is training the team poised to provide incredible customer service to Alexandria and beyond beginning June 14. He will also oversee local community giving, carrying out Wegmans’ commitment to make a difference in every community it serves.

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is an 85-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family-owned company, founded in 1916, is recognized as an industry leader and innovator. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE magazine for 18 consecutive years, ranking #7 in 2015. The company also ranked #1 for Corporate Reputation, among the 100 ‘most-visible companies’ nationwide in the 2014 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient ® study.