Retailer of the Year/Food Industry Hall of Fame

Bob Reeves: Tell me about your early life.

Bob Miller: I was born in Mississippi, where my mom grew up. My father was overseas in the service when I was born.

I had polio when I was 4—in an iron lung for 10, 12 months, something like that. I had to go online to see it, but an iron lung is just a machine that pushes on your chest that makes you breathe. When I came out of the hospital, my right leg was very weak, so I had to use a brace. I always loved sports, so I kept breaking my brace out in the streets playing football or soccer, whatever. My mom kept getting mad at me because she had to buy a new brace all the time. Finally, the doctor told me to just throw it away, I didn’t need it.

When I was about 6 or 7, I had a big

Donald: Miller Is My Top Mentor

Jim Donald was named president and CEO of Albertsons Cos. on Sept. 12, 2018, after serving as president and COO since March 2018. Bob Miller, who had been CEO and chairman, retains his role as chairman.

Donald has had a 47-year career in retail, starting with Publix Super Markets before joining Albertsons in 1976. He was serving as VP of operations in Arizona when he was recruited in 1991 by Sam Walton to lead the development of the company’s grocery business and superstore concept (eventually known as Supercenters). By 1994, he had joined Safeway as SVP of its 130-store Eastern region; in 1996 he was named CEO of Pathmark Stores in New Jersey and served in that role until 2002. He joined Starbucks in 2002 as president of the North American division and then as president and CEO from 2005-08. He became president of Haggen Food & Pharmacy, the ailing Washington state-based grocer, in 2009; it was sold to Comvest Group by 2011. He served as CEO of Extended Stay America from 2012-15.

Donald and Bob Miller actually both left Albertsons around the same time in 1991; Donald to join Walmart, Miller to become CEO of Fred Meyer. Gary G. Michael, who had been named CEO of Albertsons that year—succeeding Warren McCain—still recalls that time, and still reminds the two executives of it from time to time, using “a few choice words,” Donald says.

Donald and Miller first met at a store in Fort Myers, Florida, where Donald was stocking two-liter soft drinks. Miller was the corporate rep overseeing inventory, and he walked by Donald and said, “Hey, boy, how ya doin’?” and kept walking. Donald didn’t know who he was, so he just looked over his shoulder and said “OK.”

Donald learned who he was later that day, and they developed a bond over the years. Even after they went their separate ways from Albertsons, they stayed in touch—a call or two every month since the time Donald was about 20 years old.

Miller served on the board at Pathmark when Donald was chairman and CEO there.

During his first board meeting at Pathmark, Donald had some issues to tackle that made him late to the board meeting.

“Bob is the first person I see and he says, ‘Hey, boy, how ya doin’?’”

This past January, Donald was hanging out in Seattle, retired, when he sees on caller ID that he’s getting a call from Miller.

“I picked up the phone and Bob says, ‘Hey, boy, how ya doin’?’ And then, ‘Are you bored?’ Then I knew I was in trouble.”

It was the call asking him to come back to Albertsons. By March 1, he was president and COO.

He’s already visited about 400 stores and about 20 percent of the manufacturing and distribution facilities Albertsons Cos. operates.

“I’ve ridden trucks and done the midnight shift several times,” Donald said. “When you have a wide, expansive territory, for you not to see what’s out there in all those areas of operation will prove to be the downfall of any leader. No one should think that from Boise, Idaho, in the corner office he or she can determine what’s going on in his or her company.”

He’s used lessons learned from Miller throughout his career.

“When I look into my life at all the mentors I’ve had, Bob obviously is at the front of the list. He always preached surround yourself with people a lot smarter than you, pay them well and get out of the way. That’s what he did, and that’s what I’ve tried to do.

“I’m never the smartest person in the room or the sharpest knife in the drawer nor do I want to be, but I’ve always surrounded myself with people who can do things I can’t do,” Donald added. “They don’t have the same skill set as I have, and it just makes for a good team.”

As for Miller now settling into the chairman role, Donald says he’s told him, “You’re not necessarily retired; you’re still the chairman. I’ve got lots of work for you to do.”