Alliance Marketing Announces New Management Team

Illustration provided by: ARG

The Board of Directors of Alliance Marketing LLC has elected a new Executive Director of the Alliance Retail Group (ARG). Hendersonville, The Tennessee-based self-negotiating retail advertising group announced Wednesday.

“The Board looks forward to working with the team that continues to help independent operators succeed in the highly competitive food business,” ARG said in a statement.

The team includes:

• Greg Rush, Chairman of the Board of Alliance Marketing, LLC said: Rush has been Vice President and CMO of Merchandising for Houchens Food Group, Inc. since October 2021. Previously, from September 1993 until 2009, he expanded distribution, logistics, finance and merchandising responsibilities at Dollar General Corporation. Rush has served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance Marketing since 2018 and is also a member of the Board of Directors of the US Global Grocers Alliance. He also serves on the board of the Tennessee Grocery and Convenience Stores Association.
• Alliance Marketing, LLC CEO Jena Sowers said: Sowers most recently served as Executive VP of iPro Systems and has been with the organization since March 2020. With over 20 years of experience in the grocery industry, most of her career has been serving independent retailers at Kraft Heinz. She has served on several leadership boards, including the National Grocery Association (NGA), and recently lobbied for fair trade in Washington, DC. Combining her unique customer experience and knowledge of the CPG industry with the technical solutions she and her team provide to independent retailers, she is well positioned to understand the solutions needed to level the playing field. Think holistically and strategically. She is passionate about independent retailers, their families and the communities they serve,” ARG said in a statement.
• Alliance Retail Group President Michael Donkin said: Donkin has been with Alliance Retail Group for 12 years, most recently as COO. He has over 25 years of experience in the independent grocery industry, most of that time serving at the retail and wholesale levels. Donkin, who serves on the board of the Tennessee Grocery and Convenience Store Association, said, “We are enjoying the challenges of rapid growth within the market, achieving profitable success and driving independent grocery store sales. Fulfilling his ARG mission to promote,” he said in a statement.
• Mike Bokarae, President, Alliance Data Management & A2 Advertising. Bokarae has been with Alliance Marketing since 2020, most recently as Chief Development Officer. He has more than 30 years of experience in the independent grocery industry, including crafts. is also included. Mike’s mission is to “make cutting-edge technology and marketing services available to independent retailers,” he said in a statement from ARG.

Earlier this month, it was announced that ARG had partnered. quickly When Sukupos To increase the digital presence of independent grocery stores.The much-requested launch of Swiftly Small and medium-sized enterprises(SMB) platform will enable 15,000 SMBs to compete with e-commerce and retail giants, Skupos said in a statement earlier this month.

“Our partnership with Swiftly is the answer our independent retailers need to grow their digital presence and level the competition in an increasingly challenging retail market. We will put grocers on a level playing field with companies like Kroger and Walmart, enabling them to own their digital customer relationships and capture a valuable source of digital advertising revenue,” Bokarae said in a statement. “With industry consolidation on the horizon, time is of the essence. Our independent grocers will take advantage of speed and agility, and the power of the networks represented by Swiftly and ARG. We are now able to beat the competition.”

ARG is one of the largest self-negotiating grocery advertising groups in the United States. As a cooperative, ARG negotiates with trade partners to give retailers the power of big box banners with the freedom of independent grocery stores.