Associated Foods Holdings LLC, the largest chain of independently operated supermarkets in the New York metropolitan area, has hired Stuart Stoller as its new CFO. A financial executive with more than 35 years of experience, Stoller (left) will report to co-CEOs Harry Laufer and Ira Gober.<br /><br />“Stu is a valuable addition to our management team,” said Andy Unanue, chairman of Associated Food Stores and managing partner of New York-based private equity firm AUA Private Equity Partners LLC. “He has extensive finance, accounting and managerial experience that will help us navigate our growth plans. Additionally, he will help us further improve our financing and reporting processes to become even more efficient across our business lines as well as identify operating opportunities.”<br /><br />History of Leadership<br /><br />Before joining Associated, Stoller was the CFO and chief administrative officer of Sleep Innovations Inc., a consumer-driven foam products company. Earlier, he held such senior financial roles as SVP of strategic initiatives and implementation at The New York Times Co. and SVP, chief accounting officer and corporate controller at Macy’s Inc. Stoller began his career as an auditor in the Deloitte New York audit practice.<br /><br />Associated is a specialty distributor of grocery products to branded independent (mainly Hispanic-owned) retail supermarkets in the New York metropolitan area. It provides grocery distribution, financing, marketing and promotional services to about 270 independently owned and operated grocery stores, which usually carry the Associated or Compare banner.