TAMPA, FLA. — Retail technology company Upshop has named Ryan Voorhees as its new chief operating officer and Mark Hawthorne as its new chief innovation and strategy officer.

Drawing from their grocery industry experience on the executive teams at Safeway and Albertsons, Voorhees and Hawthorne will now be working on the technology side of the industry to provide software that helps retailers make the supermarket shopping experience better for consumers.

“Technology built to improve the in-store experience is not new,” said Shamus Hines, Upshop’s CEO. “What’s changed is shopper expectations and what those expectations mean for store operations. In order to realize true ROI – financial returns and shopper loyalty – technology must be successfully adopted by the people delivering the experience: associates. Our team is implementing a playbook that guarantees the Upshop platform enables operational success and ensures everyone wins — the retailer, the associate and the shopper.”

Voorhees has 25 years of experience studying consumer patterns and strategizing how to improve store operations for the consumer’s needs.

“Having the customer journey at the center of the business is a requirement, not a consideration,” Voorhees said. “Upshop is there: we have hardwired the customer into the organization, focusing all efforts on maximizing user adoption and financial results for our retail partners. Dedicating ourselves to enabling business process improvement is what’s going to help retailers get the most out of our technology — and help them make their business smarter.”

Hawthorne is experienced in implementing technology systems and using data to maximize store efficiency.

“The goal of our unified, total store platform is to simplify operations across the store,” Hawthorne said. “We offer a solution that marries user simplicity with advanced analytics; providing retailers confidence that they are maximizing labor and limiting waste, all while giving shoppers access to the freshest possible experience.”

“Upshop sets the bar as best in class at customer success,” said Lee Allen, director of IT for Vallarta Supermarkets. “The team has raised the game, ultimately elevating our relationship with Upshop and the value we gain from their solutions. The team works diligently to ensure we understand the implications of our business choices, and they are passionate about making sure Vallarta is getting the most out of our investment.”

List of technology solution venders with their features, including UpshopSource: Houlihan Lokey