Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. Appoints Chris Coborn to Board of Directors

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) announced the appointment of Chris Coborn to the company’s board of directors. Coborn replaced Jeff Reasor, who recently resigned from his position on the board. Reasor was President of Reasor’s, a division of Brookshire Grocery Company.

Chris Coborn serves as chairman and CEO of Coborn’s, Inc., a corporation of grocery, pharmacy, convenience, liquor, retail stores, online grocery ordering and delivery, and central support facilities, headquartered in St. Cloud, Minn. Coborn’s has $2 billion in annual sales and employs more than 10,000 people in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. In 2021, the company celebrated its 100th Anniversary and was recognized as the Retailer of the Year by The Shelby Report of the Midwest.

“We are pleased to announce the addition of Chris Coborn to AWG’s board of directors,” said Dan Funk, AWG president and CEO. “His background as an owner-operator, coupled with his commitment to the industry and community engagement, positions him as an invaluable asset to the board.”

“Chris’ expertise and perspective will represent AWG and the Upper Midwest Division well and contribute to our ongoing growth and leadership in the industry,” said Barry Queen, chairman of the board of AWG. “I look forward to working alongside Chris and our other distinguished board members as we collectively steer AWG toward a successful future.”

Involved in his local community, Coborn has served on boards or committees of several community organizations in Central Minnesota where the company is headquartered. Coborn is also actively involved in many industry organizations. He serves on the FMI The Food Industry Association and Topco Associates, LLC boards and is past chairman of the National Grocers Association’s (NGA) board of directors; past chairman of Topco’s board of directors; past chairman of the Minnesota Grocers Association’s (MGA) board of directors; past member of NACS board of directors; and member of the North Dakota Grocers Association’s (NDGA) board of directors. In 2017, Coborn was inducted into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame and in 2021, he was honored as the Saint John’s University Entrepreneur of the Year.

“It’s a true honor to have been selected to serve on AWG’s board of directors,” said Coborn. “I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to collaborate with fellow industry leaders, working together to foster the continued growth and leadership of AWG.”

ABOUT ASSOCIATED WHOLESALE GROCERS, INC.
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving 1,100 member companies and more than 3,500 locations throughout 32 states from 9 wholesale divisions. Consolidated sales for AWG in 2022 were $12.3 billion. In addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company also operates subsidiary companies that provide certain real estate and supermarket development services, health and beauty care, general merchandise, pharmaceutical products, specialty foods, and natural and organic products.