Blain’s Farm & Fleet Promotes Hasting

Blain’s Farm & Fleet has promoted Mark Hasting to president and chief commerce & operating officer. This promotion supports the company’s desire to continue to grow as a family-owned organization where customers are treated as neighbors and associates are treated like family.

Jane Blain Gilbertson will remain CEO and sole owner of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and Blain Supply, Inc. Under Gilbertson’s leadership, Blain’s has driven huge growth in their national Ecommerce business and opened 10 new stores, including 5 in Michigan, for a total of 45 stores.

The company’s distribution capacity and investment in technology enhancements has increased significantly as well.

“We are at the point where it just makes sense for me to share more of the leadership responsibilities so that we can increase our capacity for continued growth,” Gilbertson said. “I am extremely proud of the strong leadership team we have here at Blain’s, including Mark, and I have full confidence in their abilities to continue to guide this organization as a team, always focused on our neighbors, our associates, our strong vendor partnerships and our communities. Mark quickly earned our whole company’s confidence with his authentic care and vision and has shown he is a leader of real substance.”

Hasting has been with Blain’s Farm & Fleet for more than three years and previously held the role of chief commerce & operating officer. In this role, he has had responsibility for all Stores and Service Centers, Ecommerce Operations, Real Estate, Construction and Facilities and the Customer Service Center of Excellence. As president, he will increase his responsibility to include Demand Planning and Supply Chain in addition to acting as a strategic partner to Gilbertson in leadership of the company.

Since coming to Blain’s, Hasting has made an impact on enhancing store experience by supporting store associates with training and tools and improving processes and standards within the stores.

“Mark always has the customer experience in mind,” said Sarah Gilbertson, daughter of Jane Blain Gilbertson and the customer relationship marketing specialist at Blain’s. “He has proven that he really understands the Blain’s Farm & Fleet culture. I am so happy to have him take on a greater role within our organization.”

Blain’s Farm & Fleet has been family owned for all of its 68 years, and this will be the first time a non-family member has taken on the role of president, but this does not mean that the company is backing away from its strong commitment to remain family owned.

“My sister and I have made a commitment to keep Blain’s Farm & Fleet family owned. That is important to us and to the company culture,” said Nicole Gilbertson, daughter of Jane Blain Gilbertson. “I remain invested in the future of this special company my grandfather and great uncle founded in 1955.

“The way we treat our associates like family and our customers like neighbors is at the core of our family culture at Blain’s. I’m confident Mark will continue to do a wonderful job of stewarding that culture as he moves into his new role as president.”

Hasting brings impressive experience to this new role with a strong background in retail leadership. He spent over 20 years at Target, where he had many roles. Hasting has also served as regional vice president at Starbucks and COO Kum & Go. He has a BS in marketing from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Oklahoma City University.

“I am humbled and excited to take on this new role. It is my desire to continue to support the growth of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and the amazing associate family that works together here,” Hasting said. “This is a special place, and I have learned so much about leadership from Jane since joining the company. It is my honor to be a strategic partner to her and her family in continuing to help this amazing organization to thrive.”

“It is not enough to survive as a family company,” Jane Blain Gilbertson said. “We must continue to grow and thrive. Our future is so bright, and this promotion is one step toward achieving it.”

Founded in 1955, Blain’s Farm & Fleet is a retailer with nationwide ecommerce business and 45 store locations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. This Modern General Store offers a wide variety of categories and services and unique experiences such as Toyland.

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