United Natural Foods, Inc., (Nasdaq: UNFI) (the "Company") today announced that Rick Puckett has resigned as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective January 27, 2006, to accept the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer position at a publicly traded company that does not compete with United Natural Foods. Mr. Puckett has been with the Company since January 2003. Mr. Puckett will remain with the Company until January 27, 2006, to assist with transition matters, and will further assist the Company with the preparation and filing of its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of fiscal 2006. Mark E. Shamber, currently Vice President and Corporate Controller, has been appointed the Company's Chief Accounting Officer and will serve as United Natural Foods' acting Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer while the Company conducts a search of internal and external candidates to fill the Chief Financial Officer role. Mr. Shamber will report directly to Michael Funk, President and Chief Executive Officer.<br /><br />"We thank Rick for his significant contributions to the organization. His efforts have helped lead the Company to a solid financial position with a strong finance and accounting team. We wish him the best in his new position," said Mr. Funk.<br /><br />"While we conduct our search, we are assigning a proven performer to this key position. Mark has a strong working knowledge of United Natural Foods' operations and systems as well as all aspects of the Company's financial reporting and corporate governance. In addition to his work on the Company's internal financial reporting and SEC filings, Mark recently led our successful efforts to implement the Section 404 requirements of the Sarbanes Oxley Act regarding internal controls."<br /><br />Mr. Shamber has served as Vice President since August 2005 and as the Company's Corporate Controller since June 2003. From February 1995 until June 2003, prior to joining UNFI, he worked for the international accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP within the assurance and advisory business systems practice, serving in various positions of increasing responsibility up to and including senior manager. Prior to that, Mr. Shamber also worked within the finance department at Reebok International Ltd. He is a member of the AICPA and MSCPA and holds a CPA license from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Shamber graduated from Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts with a BS in Accountancy.