The Iowa Grocery Industry Association (IGIA) announces that Todd Keech, sectional division director of sales, convenience channel for PepsiCo Warehouse Sales, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. He replaces Tom Watson, executive vice president and chief retail officer for Hy-Vee Inc., who has served on the board for the past six years.
"We are excited to have Todd Keech chair the IGIA Board in the coming year," says IGIA President Michelle Hurd. "Todd brings a wealth of grocery industry knowledge and experience to IGIA’s board. I would also like to thank Tom Watson for his contribution to the success of our Association and his leadership during this past year as chairman of the board. It was a year of significant growth and initiatives."
Keech has served on the IGIA Board since 2009 and moved through the ranks of treasurer, second vice chairman and first vice chairman. He has played a key role in the Association serving on the IGIA scholarship golf committee, executive committee and Hall of Fame committee as well as chairing the scholarship golf committee in 2009.
Keech worked in agriculture and insurance before accepting a position in the grocery/convenience industry with Reynold S. Smith Marketing, a small brokerage where he managed the convenience department.
Keech moved to ACOSTA Sales & Marketing in November 1998 to run its convenience store channel, and later transitioned to the grocery side of the business, calling on Hy-Vee and Fareway. He remained at ACOSTA until May 2007 when he took a position as account manager of the convenience channel for PepsiCo.
He managed the convenience channel for Iowa-Nebraska for two years at which time he accepted a promotion to become senior account manager on the Hy-Vee account. He worked in this capacity from June 2009 to May 2014. In June 2014, Keech was promoted to division director of sales, convenience channel, overseeing the company’s central division.
In his current role, Keech says he enjoys developing programs that help retailers and PepsiCo be successful while offering value to consumers.
Keech’s accomplishments include being named PepsiCo All-Star and ProBowl Winner four different years, joining the PepsiCo Ring of Honor in 2013 and receiving the 2013 Sales Rep of the Year Award from Hy-Vee Inc.
“It’s a privilege to be guiding the IGIA as the Board chairman," Keech says. "It is a strong and well-respected organization and I’m honored to carry on the work of my predecessor Tom Watson.”
Keech was elected to his role as chairman at the Association’s Annual Meeting, which was held at the IGIA Convention last month, in Dubuque, Iowa.
Keech is a native of the small southern Minnesota town of Madelia: population 2,000. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Mankato State University and currently resides in the Des Moines area with Lori, his wife. The couple has two children, son Andrew James “A.J.,” 20, attends Humboldt State University and daughter Amy, 18, is a freshman at the University of Iowa. Keech enjoys traveling, running, golf and is an avid Vikings fan.
Source: The Iowa Grocery Industry Association (IGIA)