Alberstons Names Moriarty EVP, General Counsel
Albertsons Companies, Inc. has named Tom Moriarty as executive vice president and general vounsel effective June 5.
Moriarty brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience to Albertsons Cos., including senior positions across legal, corporate strategy, policy and operations. He joins the company from CVS Health, where he spent more than 10 years serving in roles of increasing responsibility, including chief strategy officer, EVP global pharma, and, most recently, executive vice president, chief policy and external sffairs officer and general counsel.
During his tenure at CVS Health, Moriarty oversaw all legal and regulatory functions within the company, including CVS Health’s $78 billion acquisition of Aetna. He also led global pharmaceutical sourcing operations and served as the company’s lead representative to the White House COVID-19 task force as CVS provided testing, vaccinations and other essential healthcare services to millions of Americans, including those in underserved communities.
“Tom is a proven leader whose broad background and deep understanding of corporate and legal strategy make him a welcome addition to our talented leadership team,” Albertsons Cos. CEO Vivek Sankaran said. “His experience leading high-performing teams and successfully implementing important strategic initiatives at top companies will be invaluable as we continue to execute on our Customers for Life strategy.”
Prior to his time at CVS Health, Moriarty spent 12 years at Medco Health Solutions where he held various leadership roles in corporate strategy, legal affairs, global supply chain management and mergers and acquisitions. While at Medco Health, he played a key role in leading the merger with Express Scripts, the then-largest healthcare transaction on record.
Moriarty sits on the Board of Directors for Northside Center for Child Development, a nonprofit providing behavioral and mental health programs to children and families living in poverty. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College and received a J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law.
“I am incredibly energized to be joining Albertsons Cos. at such a dynamic time for the industry,” Moriarty said. “One of the things that excites me most about this opportunity is the vital role that Albertsons Cos. plays in the communities it serves as a grocery and pharmacy retailer committed to its customers and their well-being.”
Moriarty will report to Sankaran. Moriarty succeeds Juliette Pryor, who left Albertsons Cos. in April to pursue another career opportunity.
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Alaska King Salmon Season Begins, Looks Above Average
The first king salmon from Copper River, weighing 34 pounds, landed in Seattle on an Alaska Airlines flight direct from the pristine waters of Alaska, marking the beginning of what industry leaders expect to be an above-average run for the some of the most delectable salmon in the world. Representatives from Trident Seafoods, the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, Alaska Airlines and Chef Tom Douglas were on-hand to greet the first of these prized fish.
With 50 years of industry leadership, Trident Seafoods takes pride in distributing Copper River king salmon, known for its delicious, rich taste and high content of omega-3s. Following Trident’s commitment to fleet-to-fork processing, the salmon is delivered from Alaskan waters within 24-48 hours, directly to knowledgeable fishmongers, esteemed chefs, and renowned restaurants nationwide. This ensures consumers with discerning palates can experience the exceptional quality of Copper River salmon at its freshest, leading to unforgettable dining experiences.
“We are very excited to bring in the first king salmon from Copper River and are grateful for all the independent fishermen that continue to choose to be our partners and deliver the best quality and freshest fish to the world. Our history of partnership with Copper River goes back many years and we look forward to continuing working together in responsibly sharing the best from Alaska with the world,” said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods.
Consumers can find Copper River salmon in numerous restaurants and retailers, including in Chef Tom Douglas restaurants, where he will feature Copper River king salmon in a mouthwatering dish at his Seattle restaurants, including Palace Kitchen, Carlie Room, Lola, Etta’s, and Sea Town. A portion of proceeds from these dishes, from May 16-20, will be donated to the Ballard Food Bank, with Trident Seafoods matching the donation 100 percent.
“I’ve been cooking Copper River salmon for many years and this year I think it’s fitting to partner once again with Trident to support our community by donating proceeds to the Ballard Food Bank and supporting people in need,” said Douglas.
Christa Hoover, the executive director of the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association reflects, “As this momentous season launches, we are so pleased that we’re also celebrating our 40th Anniversary. It’s been incredible to see and let people know how much the fishery has evolved and yet remains steadfastly committed to quality for the consumer.”
To bring the fish to tables so quickly, it’s imperative to have immediate transportation from Alaska to the rest of the country.
“Alaska Air Cargo has a special partnership with the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices,” said Adam Drouhard, managing director at Alaska Air Cargo. “Our cargo employees across more than 110 airports are working around the clock to ensure we deliver the first catch of wild Copper River salmon to market, often within 24 hours of being pulled from the water.”
Copper River King Salmon is available through June, at retailers and restaurants across the country.
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Cultivated Meat Startup Clever Carnivore Hires VP Product Development
The Clever Bratwurst is one bite closer to your grocer’s meat department. Clever Carnivore, a Chicago-based biotech startup working to bring cultivated meat — pork, beef and chicken — to consumers, has hired Russell Thomas, MSc, as vice president of product development. A triple-decade food scientist with expertise in food safety, product development and operations management, Thomas will accelerate the development of Clever Carnivore’s debut consumer product, the Clever Bratwurst.
“Russell’s experience as director of research and development at Tyson is a huge asset to Clever Carnivore as we aim to unveil our prototype product later this year,” said Clever Carnivore CEO Virginia Rangos, Ph.D.
Thomas’ resume includes a bachelor’s in animal science and business and a master’s in poultry science and product technology from the University of Arkansas. Most recently, Thomas served as vice president of product development with a Silicon Valley cultivated fat company founded in late 2010.
Prior to that, during Thomas’ more than 33 years at Tyson Foods, one of the largest food companies in the U.S., he served as manager, then director of research and development.
Thomas’ hiring represents a milestone for Clever Carnivore. The addition of an experienced executive with demonstrated success bringing innovative products to the global market propels Clever Carnivore into the exciting prototype development stage. Leveraging his decades of accomplishments in the food sciences, Thomas will spearhead the creation of a delicious, accessible product line — starting with sausages.
“I’m excited about joining Clever Carnivore,” said Thomas. “I entered the food industry more than three decades ago because I believe there’s no greater way to serve humanity than by working to provide accessible, sustainable food to people. The technology being developed by Clever Carnivore aligns with that mission.”
Clever Carnivore has been focused on scaling meat production and bringing costs down — producing high-quality pork at consumer-ready prices. With Thomas on the team, the company is ready to start turning pork into bratwurst. Clever Carnivore’s cost and scale advantages put Thomas on track to cook up something delicious.
Clever Carnivore’s headquarters and lab are located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Thomas’ appointment is effective immediately.
Clever Carnivore, Chicago’s first cultivated meat company, is a mission-driven startup deploying cutting-edge biotechnology to bring low-cost, top-quality cultivated pork, beef and chicken to the consumer market. Using Clever Carnivore’s high-efficiency model, cruelty-free, sustainable and cost-competitive sausages, burgers and chicken nuggets will soon be a reality. The company works to develop cultivated meat products using cell biology, recombinant protein technology and advanced bioreactor design, with the objective of creating consumer products that compete on taste, price and convenience with conventional meat, delivering a gastronomic experience that satisfies vegetarians and carnivores alike.
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