Bob Mariano

Bob Mariano

Robert Mariano’s legacy of servant leadership is credited to his father who influenced him at an early age that the customer comes first, every time. Mariano started out in the Retail Grocery business at 17yrs old working as a part-time deli clerk and then in 1971 as a sales representative for Oscar Mayer & Company selling to the retail industry. After a tremendous amount of hard work, rejection and determination followed, in 1995 he became president and CEO of Dominick’s Finer Foods. Mr. Mariano remained there with great pride, growing the company to a top performing regional supermarket chain with 115 stores, taking them public in 1996 until Safeway bought the company in 1998. In June of 2002, Robert Mariano became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc. Founded in 1872 as a wholesale company, today Roundy’s is the leading retailer in Wisconsin with 159 stores and 98 pharmacies throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. The stores operate under the Pick ’n Save, Copps Food Centers, Rainbow Foods, Metro Market and most recently the Mariano’s banner. Roundy’s is a company with nearly $4 billion in annual sales and 18,000 employees. Mr. Mariano also established the Roundy’s Foundation in August 2003. Since its inception, the foundation has given more than $5.4 million to organizations addressing hunger relief, families in crisis due to domestic abuse and the advancement of literacy. Major grant recipients include food banks and pantries, women and family violence shelters and literacy programs throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. Robert Mariano has a strong commitment to the community. In 2009, he received the prestigious Ben Franklin Award from the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation for his commitment to literacy. He received the 2008 Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans in Chicago. Mr. Mariano also currently serves on several boards, including the Food Marketing Institute– Arlington, VA, Rush University Medical Center Board of Directors – Chicago, IL, The University of Chicago – Booth School of Business Advisory Council – Chicago, IL, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee - Business Advisory Council, and The Economic Club of Chicago – Chicago, IL. Robert Mariano has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois-Chicago.