“Through his longstanding career at and leadership of Harris Teeter, Tad has a deep understanding of our industry and the region in which we operate,” says the Pantry’s chairman of the board.

The Pantry Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has nominated a new independent director, Thomas “Tad” Dickson, former CEO of Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc., for election to the Board at the company’s 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on March 13, 2014.

Dickson most recently served as CEO of Harris Teeter, a regional supermarket chain in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic U.S., from February 1997 up to the company’s sale to The Kroger Co. in January 2014, and as chairman of its Board of Directors from March 2006 to January 2014.

Prior to serving as chairman and CEO, Dickson served in various executive posts at Harris Teeter (formerly Ruddick Corp.) and its former subsidiary, the textile company American & Efird Inc., and as a director of Harris Teeter from February 1997 to January 2014. If elected, he will bring to The Pantry nearly two decades of operational and management experience in the supermarket industry, including more than 15 years as a public company director, and possesses broad supermarket and real estate knowledge, particularly in The Pantry’s core geographies.

“Tad Dickson’s significant executive retail experience in the southeastern U.S. makes him highly qualified to serve as a member of our Board of Directors,” said Edwin Holman, chairman of The Pantry’s Board of Directors. “Through his longstanding career at and leadership of Harris Teeter, Tad has a deep understanding of our industry and the region in which we operate, as well as substantial public company board experience. We are delighted that Tad has agreed to serve, if elected, as a new, independent director on The Pantry’s Board and look forward to benefiting from his insights as we continue to position the Company for future growth and success.”

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to serve on The Pantry’s Board of Directors,” said Dickson. “The Pantry’s management team has made great strides in realigning the company’s strategic priorities to take advantage of the favorable operating environment, and, if elected, I look forward to helping to oversee the continued successful execution of the strategic plan.”