Hy-Vee Nabs CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi X as Chief Marketing Officer

Midwest-based grocery chain Hy-Vee is further bolstering its retail media team and talent with its latest hire. 

Beginning April 16, Jessica Hendrix will take the reins as executive vice president, chief marketing officer, and president of Hy-Vee’s retailer media network RedMedia. She most recently served as president and CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi X, a Publicis Groupe shopper marketing agency. 

With Hendrix’s hiring, Anna Stoermer, executive vice president at Hy-Vee, will transition from the chief marketing officer role into leading Hy-Vee’s merchandising efforts as chief merchandising officer.

Hendrix brings nearly 25 years of experience in retail, shopper marketing and business development to Hy-Vee and RedMedia. Nine of those years were spent at Saatchi & Saatchi X, where she led a client team that partnered with brands and companies including Procter & Gamble, Wendy’s, Kraft Heinz, Smucker’s, Samsung and Dreyer’s. 

In her new role, Hendrix will oversee Hy-Vee’s marketing efforts and serve as the driving force behind RedMedia’s growth and strategic operations, according to a media release. Hendrix will report to president of Hy-Vee Donna Tweeten.

“I’ve known members of the Hy-Vee marketing team professionally for some time and had the chance several years ago to come alongside them through their work with [digital marketing agency] Razorfish,” Hendrix said in the release. “When the conversation started about bringing my experience in retail media, merchandising, advertising and marketing to Hy-Vee, I knew my background would be a great fit with the growing organization.”

Hendrix is also a member of the Path to Purchase Institute and is a frequent speaker and contributor at industry events like Groceryshop and the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 

“I truly believe bringing a leader of [Hendrix’s] caliber on board at Hy-Vee is going to take our integrated marketing strategies to the next level,” Jeremy Gosch, Hy-Vee’s CEO, added. “The talent and experience we have in this area is second to none, and with [Hendrix] at the helm, I’m confident this team will bring even more value to our brand marketing efforts, the positioning of our image, and the advanced development of our retail media network.”

This latest appointment follows the recent additions of Kathryn Mazza and Britt Polihronis to the RedMedia team. Mazza joined Hy-Vee in February as senior vice president of RedMedia after spending more than 18 years at Dick’s Sporting Goods, while Polihronis joined the team as VP of operations for RedMedia at the same time.

RedMedia launched in September 2023 to help CPGs and other brands target consumers and utilize data and strategic placements to provide personalized interactions with consumers. 

Saatchi & Saatchi X's New President

In related news, Saatchi & Saatchi X has hired Lee Esmond as its new president, replacing Hendrix. In this role, Esmond will lead continued growth of the organization and oversee the development of tools and capabilities to help clients navigate the ever-evolving shopper marketing landscape, according to a media release.

She's previously worked at The Mars Agency and Mosaic, and worked with big brands including Procter & Gamble, Campbell’s Soup Co., Nestle, Walmart and Microsoft. She was also honored in P2PI's 2021 Women in Excellence Awards in the Mentorship category.

In her new role, Esmond will report to Josh Campo, CEO of Razorfish, as both agencies sit within Publicis Groupe’s digital experience pillar.