PLEASANTON, CALIF. — Safeway Inc. has appointed Kelly Griffith to president, merchandising, reporting to Diane Dietz, executive vice president and chief marketing officer. He will oversee the company’s entire perishable and non-perishable business units, including meat and foodservice.

Mr. Griffith joined Safeway 30 years ago in the company’s Seattle Division. He was assigned to the company’s corporate retail operations team in 1999 and elected to vice president the following year. He was promoted to vice president, retail operations in Safeway’s Seattle division in 2001 and then returned to corporate office as senior vice president, produce and floral in 2004. Mr. Griffith was promoted to president of the company’s Portland division in 2005, and returned to corporate in 2008 as president and general manager, perishables.

“Kelly has a proven track record of successes and is an energetic and effective leader who understands the needs of our customers and how to achieve positive results,” Ms. Dietz said. “This newly created role will produce greater synergies between Safeway’s perishables and non-perishables teams, and will serve to enhance and strengthen the company’s overall centralized merchandising function.”

Based on sales, Safeway Inc. is one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America. The company operates 1,712 stores in the U.S. and Canada.