Porter named Foodland president

By Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer

Foodland Super Market Ltd. has named Abel Porter, former president and chief executive officer of a Utah-based chain of nearly 200 grocery stores, president of Hawai'i's largest supermarket chain.

Porter, who has been Foodland's acting chief operating officer since October 1999, succeeds Jenai Sullivan Wall at the post. He also solidifies his chief operating officer position.

Wall, who is also Foodland's chief executive officer, will retain that title and become chairwoman of the company founded in 1948 by her father, the late Maurice J. Sullivan.

The company said the changes, issued by the company's board of directors — which includes Wall — were made to plan for the future of the firm, which has 27 supermarkets and 2,000 employees statewide.

"As a family business committed to being a strong leader in Hawai'i's market, we need to continually challenge ourselves to do things better," Wall said. "Abel's breadth of knowledge and extensive experience in the grocery business have been invaluable in helping us to improve our company's operations, and will help us to continue to grow in the years ahead."

Before joining Foodland, Porter, 42, headed Smith's Food & Drug Centers, which had 185 stores in seven states. The company, like Foodland, started as a family operation.

Wall, 42, joined Foodland as director of marketing in 1987. She became president in 1995. In 1998, when her father died, she was elected chief executive officer. The chairmanship held by Sullivan had remained empty until now.

Andrew Gomes can be reached by phone at 525-8065, or by e-mail at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.