Jewel-Osco President Doug Cygan Dead At 55

Jewel-Osco President Doug Cygan, a well-liked and respected figure in Chicago’s intensely competitive grocery industry, died Thursday morning after a brief illness. He was 55.

Cygan’s move up through the ranks to the position of president was a feel-good story for the Chicago-area’s largest traditional grocery store chain. Cygan started with the company as a parking lot cart clerk at age 17. He was named president last year, replacing Mike Withers, who was promoted to executive vice president of retail operations for Boise, Idaho-based parent company Albertsons Cos.

“Doug was a popular president, a strong leader within the company and in the community. Everyone at Jewel-Osco is devastated by his passing,” Mary Frances Trucco, Jewel-Osco spokeswoman, said in a statement.

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