EXECUTIVE TEAM

Steve Harlamert, President
Steve began his career in the grocery industry in 1988 at the age of 18 when he started working for his family’s business, Harlow Marketing, Inc. He is the third generation to work for the family business. The first position he held within the company was as Merchandiser calling on the Dayton area Kroger stores. Steve held this place in the company during his years attending the University of Dayton, from 1988 to 1993. Upon receiving his degree in marketing, Steve continued in the family business and took over the position of Marketing Manager. In 1994, with the sudden and unexpected passing of John Harlamert, Steve’s father and president of Harlow, Steve was pushed into an accelerated learning curve. In December of 1995, he completed the Dayton Chamber of Commerce CEO Strategic Planning Program. Also in 1995, he was promoted to Vice President of Harlow. After a little over one year as VP, in 1997, Steve became the president of the family business, where he began to oversee all operations throughout the company. In March 2000, he completed the Principles of Strategic Planning Program from the Aileron Center for Entrepreneurial Education. He has been a member of the Crotty Advisory Council supporting the University of Dayton Entrepreneurship Program (SBA) since 2002. On the family business’ 25th Anniversary in 2005, Steve purchased HRK Sales & Marketing, Inc., which in 2006 led to the merger of Harlow, HRK, and Store Door Merchandising, Inc. As a result, Steve helped develop the family business into the entity which it is today, Harlow-HRK Sales & Marketing, Inc.

Pat Hobby, CFO/Vice President of Administration
Pat started with Harlow-HRK in 1996 as its Chief Financial Officer, a position he has held throughout his career with the company. A 1979 graduate of the University of Dayton, Pat worked for what is now Ernst & Young, a public accounting firm. Immediately after college, he passed the CPA exam and obtained his CPA certificate. He currently holds a non-practicing registration. Pat’s accounting/finance experience also includes work with hospitals, engineering firms, law firms, title agencies, manufacturing companies, equipment distributors, and residential/commercial real estate rental companies.

Dave Slusher, Vice President of Natural Foods & Perishables
Dave began working in the grocery business while he was still in high school, at the age of 16, where he held the position as a Stock Clerk at Land O’ Goshen, IGA, for 3 years. While attending Southern Ohio Technical College he worked in night stock at Fazio Foods. After graduating, he gained a deeper knowledge and understanding of the grocery industry through much experience over the years by working as a Store Manager for Larry’s Finer Foods from 1981 to 1984. Dave then moved on to do route sales (DSD) for AB Wise & Sons from 1984 to 1996. After 12 years of pursuing route sales, he was then promoted to Sales Manager. In 2000, Dave began working with HRK as the Perishable Foods National Account Manager. In 2005, when Harlow and HRK Sales merged as one entity to become Harlow-HRK Sales & Marketing, Dave was announced the Vice President of Perishables. He holds this position today, overseeing Harlow-HRK’s Perishable Department. Beginning in 2010, Dave took over and currently supervises the Natural Foods Department as well.

Jim Uryga, Vice President of Arlowe and International Bazaar
Jim Uryga started working at Winn Dixie bagging groceries when he was only 16 years old. It was here that his long-term affiliation with the grocery industry began. While at Winn Dixie Jim was given a scholarship, which led to his attendance at Georgia State University. He continued working at Winn Dixie for 5 years and had been promoted to Assistant Store Manager. Jim chose to leave Winn Dixie after several years in order to manage a convenience store, which he pursued for the next two years. From there he went on to work for the warehouse club chain, Makro. While at Makro for 10 years, he held various positions including Department Head, Buyer, and Category Manager. Makro was eventually bought by K-Mart.  As a result, Jim went to work for Biggs in Cincinnati. During his 10 years at Biggs he was a Perishable Manager, a Store Manager, a Buyer, and a Category Manager. Then in 1999, Jim came to International Bazaar as General Manager. He has since been promoted to Vice President of International Bazaar and later named Vice President of Arlowe Specialty Foods as well. Both International Bazaar and Arlowe are sister companies to Harlow-HRK.

Randy York, Vice President of Grocery
Randy York began working in the grocery business when he was in high school. At the age of 16, Randy was hired at Kroger as a retail clerk and has been involved in the specialty food business ever since. After graduating from high school Randy attended Purdue University where he received his bachelor’s business degree. He then went on to obtain his masters in business at Miami University. Randy’s professional career began at Shaffer, Clarke & Co. where he worked as a Regional Sales Manager. Five years later he joined HRK Sales in December of 1991. Randy established and grew the grocery division. He also launched an ethnic foods division focusing on Hispanic, Asian, and Italian foods. When Harlow Marketing acquired HRK Sales in 2005, Randy became a Senior Business Manager and was later named Vice President of the grocery division. Randy has been working in the grocery industry for over 30 years.

Rob James, Vice President of Marketing and Analysis
Rob James began his grocery career working for the Thomas J Lipton Co. after graduating from Cedarville University in 1995 with a BA in Marketing. He started as a sales representative in the Columbus division calling on Kroger, Meijer, Biggs and other retailers. It was at Lipton that he began working with Apollo and shelf schematics. Rob came to Harlow-HRK in April of 1997 through our Columbus division (formerly called Store Door Merchandising). The Kroger Columbus division launched Wall-to-Wall which is now known as Kompass. Rob held various retail and divisional positions throughout the years but eventually transferred to the Harlow-HRK corporate office where he has been instrumental in developing the category development department. His extensive knowledge and experience with category development and shelf schematics has earned him the privilege of being intricately involved with the Kroger team as they have developed and evolved their Kompass over the years. Rob now oversees a department that started with three analysts and has grown to include marketing, sales analysis, category development and IT.