2005 CHICAGO UNITED NATIONAL BRIDGE AWARD RECIPIENT

"There are few things that represent an individual's culture or background more than food. As a food retailer and wholesaler, we know at SUPERVALU that diversity impacts the success of our country."

Jeffrey Noddle
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
SUPERVALU, Inc.

Jeff Noddle has been at the helm of SUPERVALU INC. since being elected as the company’s chief executive officer in 2001. Today, as chairman and CEO, Noddle oversees a company that is at once the leading U.S. food distributor and the country’s 7th largest grocery retailer. Mr. Noddle is also at the helm of promoting diversity and inclusion at SUPERVALU.

Recognizing diversity as a competitive advantage is critical to SUPERVALU’s financial success, he has been instrumental in supporting diversity on its board of directors, developing a diverse workforce and incorporating ethnic product offerings as part of the company’s overall retail strategy. According to Noddle, “We have only just begun our journey to mirror what our great country looks like – a richly woven tapestry of diversity and cultures. It is essential for our long-term success that diversity becomes a key strategy that is well understood and embraced throughout our entire organization.”

Mr. Noddle joined SUPERVALU in 1976 as director of retail operations for the company’s J.M. Jones division in Champaign, Illinois. During his time in the J.M. Jones division, he held a number of positions, including director of merchandising and vice president, marketing. Between 1982 and 1985, he served as president of the company’s Fargo division and its former Miami division. In 1985, he was named corporate vice president, merchandising, and a series of promotions followed. By 1995, he had been named corporate executive vice president and president and chief operating officer of SUPERVALU’s Distribution Food Companies. In 2000, Noddle was named SUPERVALU’s president and chief operating officer, responsible for all of the company’s operations. He was named president and CEO in 2001, and then elected to the position of chairman of the board in 2002.

In addition to his role as chairman of the SUPERVALU board of directors, Mr. Noddle serves on a number of industry and corporate boards and is active in Minneapolis civic affairs. He is currently chairman of the board for The Food Marketing Institute (FMI), a board member for the Independent Grocers Alliance, Inc. (IGA) and chairman of its governance committee and a board member of the Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Mr. Noddle earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1969.