David S.

About David S.

Fifty years ago, I earned my first paycheck in a grocery store in Tennessee. What followed was a career I couldn’t have imagined on my best day.I spent the better part of three decades learning every corner of this industry—owning, operating, and ultimately selling retail stores; navigating the complexities of running a wholesale company through bankruptcy; building a new wholesale division from the ground up on the Gulf Coast; and ultimately being elected by the AWG Board of Directors to lead the nation’s largest wholesale food cooperative as President and CEO.During my twenty years with AWG, our team grew the company from a Midwest regional cooperative with $3.2 billion in wholesale sales to a super-regional powerhouse supporting more than 3,400 independent supermarkets in 35 states, with over $12 billion in wholesale volume and $26 billion at retail. As CEO, we opened three new divisions, built America’s first fully automated all-in-one distribution center—a $350 million investment and the first of its kind in North America—and championed technology in everything from self-checkout to drone delivery to automated fulfillment.I retired as President and CEO in December 2023—grateful, energized, and more curious about the industry’s future than ever.Today, through Ideal Capital, LLC, I provide strategic advisory services to a highly selective group of clients: private equity firms evaluating investments in food, grocery, and distribution; institutional investors seeking channel expertise; boards navigating transformation; and companies working through some of the industry’s toughest problems. I’m also an Investor and Executive Advisor to BreezAI Corporation, an agentic AI platform purpose-built for independent grocery.I’ve had the honor of testifying before the U.S. House and Senate on competitive pricing policy; meeting individually with every FTC commissioner; and being inducted into the Shelby Publishing Food Industry Hall of Fame, alongside lifetime achievement recognition from NGA, FMI, RGA, MGA, and TGCSA.I don’t take on many engagements. When I do, I bring the full weight of five decades of experience, a multibillion-dollar track record, and a genuine love for this industry.If there’s a fit, I’d welcome a conversation.Areas of expertise: Wholesale grocery & distribution | Cooperative models & governance | Independent retail strategy | M&A due diligence & integration | Supply chain & logistics | AI & technology adoption | Robinson-Patman Act & antitrust policy | CPG channel strategy | Real estate & commercial development

Experience

1. Investor & Advisor

   Breez Ai

   Dec 2024 — Present · US

Education

• Volunteer State Community College

  Bachelor's degree, Accounting and Finance