Todd Clausen

@ToddJClausen

Danny Wegman's daughter, Colleen, has been named president and chief executive officer.

Rochester's largest grocery store chain, and one of its largest employers, has officially passed the leadership torch from father to daughter.

Wegmans Food Markets announced Wednesday afternoon that Colleen Wegman, 45, has been named president and chief executive officer of the 92-store Gates-based chain.

Her father, 70-year-old Danny Wegman, will remain chairman of the grocery store chain, the company said in a news release.

From our archives: Colleen Wegman Q&A in 2010

"The time has come to create a structure for the future that will allow us to remain strong, vibrant and family-owned," Danny Wegman said in the prepared statement. "I have no doubt that our company will be in good hands."

The company declined interviews.

Jo Natale, a company spokeswoman, said Danny Wegman's "health is excellent" and the announcement does not impact his outside commitments, such as serving as a co-chairman of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Council.

Colleen Wegman becomes the top executive of the chain as it continues to expand within its six-state footprint and plans to break ground in North Carolina for the first time. Danny Wegman's other daughter, Nicole, is a senior vice president.

Wegmans also is one of the Rochester area's largest employers, with 13,500 employees. The privately held firm had annual sales of $8.3 billion last year, according to the company's website, and employed roughly 47,000 people nationwide.

Colleen Wegman joined the company in 1991, where she worked her way up the ranks in a variety of roles that included Irondequoit store manager, director of e-commerce, vice president and then being named president by the late Robert B. Wegman, her grandfather, in 2005.

In a 2016 interview with the Democrat and Chronicle, Colleen Wegman said that she started visiting stores with her father and sister at age 5.

"We all grew up in the company," she said. "You watch somebody doing something that they love and that inspires you and encourages you to want to be part of that, too. It gets in your blood and becomes part of who you are, the culture. We got to learn about the values of the company that way, and that became instilled in us as well.

"Over four generations it has become sort of a common theme."

Danny, who became president in 1976, was named CEO the same year Colleen became president. The same year, the company opened its 69th store, its first in Maryland, and announced the closing of the Chase-Pitkin Home and Garden Centers, which the company had purchased in 1974 and merged with its own home centers.

Robert Wegman died a year later.

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Colleen Wegman graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in sociology and later earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Rochester. She also has served as chairman of United Way of Greater Rochester’s board of directors and was chairman of its 2010 annual campaign.

“Colleen has embodied unwavering support and commitment to our community and United Way for decades,” Fran Weisberg, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Rochester, said in a release. “I have been honored to work side by side with Colleen for the past two years — as chair of United Way’s board of directors she has been an amazing guide, leader, coach and friend to me in my role as president. I’m confident that her passion, caring, intelligence and dedication to Rochester will continue to guide her in her new role as CEO.”

She is also scheduled to give the keynote address in May for St. John Fisher College's commencement ceremony. The school is expected to give her an honorary degree.

"Her professional and personal accomplishments, and demonstrated commitment to the community are a great example for our graduates," Gerard J. Rooney, president of the college, said in a news release. "The values of the college align so closely with those of the Wegmans company, and we look forward to the wisdom and advice she will offer."

Robert Duffy, president and CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, extolled the virtues of Colleen Wegman's leadership and said she was a perfect candidate to continue the company's tradition.

"Colleen is another great leader in a family of great leaders," Duffy said. "She's done a phenomenal job at Wegmans, throughout her career. We could not be happier with today's appointment.

"We have great companies here, but when you are at Wegmans and you are with the Wegmans leadership, such as Danny, Colleen and Nicole, it makes you proud to live in this community. Not only are they unparalleled business leaders, they are unparalleled community leaders. They are so involved with so many different issues in Rochester that most people are totally unaware of. They operate quietly and never seek attention. They are only seeking results."

TCLAUSEN@Gannett.com

Staff writer Will Cleveland contributed to this story.