Mary Sammons President and CEO of Rite Aid Corporation Date of Birth: 12.10.1946 Country: USA

1. Mary Sammons: From Intern to CEO
2. Building a Career at Fred Meyer
3. Leading Rite Aid Corporation
4. Transforming Rite Aid
5. Recognition and Expansion

Mary Sammons: From Intern to CEO

Mary Sammons' journey in the corporate world began with a bachelor's degree in French from Marylhurst College in 1970. After a brief stint as a teacher (1970-1973), she embarked on a long and successful career in retail with Fred Meyer.

Building a Career at Fred Meyer

Sammons joined Fred Meyer in 1973 as an intern. Her hard work and dedication quickly earned her promotions, starting with a role as a buyer (1975-1980) and later as a vice president (1980-1986). As a senior vice president (1986-1997), she played a crucial role in the company's growth.

From 1997 to 1998, Sammons served as Fred Meyer's executive vice president of home, electronics, and apparel. In 1998, she was appointed CEO and president of Fred Meyer Stores, a position she held until 1999.

Leading Rite Aid Corporation

In 1999, Sammons joined Rite Aid Corporation as president and chief operating officer. The company was on the brink of bankruptcy at the time. Sammons' leadership proved instrumental in turning it around.

Transforming Rite Aid

Sammons recognized that men often reached leadership positions through networking. To counter this, she appointed women to the board of directors and created a new corporate culture that emphasized communication and employee empowerment.

She also invested in improving customer service and upgraded the company's technology, significantly increasing order processing capacity. As a result, Rite Aid not only recovered from its financial woes but also began generating profits.

Recognition and Expansion

Sammons' contributions earned her recognition from Fortune magazine, which named her one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" in 2003. That same year, she became CEO and chairman of Rite Aid Corporation.

In 2005, under Sammons' leadership, Rite Aid acquired Eckerd and Brooks pharmacies in a $3.4 billion deal. The combined company had over 5,000 stores and generated over $27 billion in sales, rivaling industry giants Walgreens and CVS.