Harps Food Stores mourns passing of former chairman, CEO

Harps Food Stores, Inc. is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our teemed former Chairman and CEO, Roger Collins, on July 1.

Collins began his illustrious career at Harps in December of 1986. At that time, our company was in dire need of a great Vice President of Finance, and Roger proved to be the answer to our prayers. From his initial role, he quickly became an integral part of shaping the future of Harps.

Under Roger’s guidance, Harps transitioned from being family-owned to employee-owned in 2001. Following the retirement of Gerald Harp, Roger took on the roles of Chairman and CEO, leading Harps through the first 15 years of employee ownership. His tenure was marked by remarkable growth and success, with the number of locations expanding from 42 to 82 and sales increasing by 110%.

Roger will be remembered for transforming our company culture and for his indomitable competitive spirit. His passion for excellence, integrity, and a people-first approach inspired everyone who had the privilege of working alongside him. Roger was not just a leader; he was a mentor, a friend, and a source of inspiration. We owe him a great deal, as today we stand on his shoulders as employee owners with a bright future made possible by the foundation he helped forge.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Roger’s daughters, Lauren and Lindsey, as well as his extended family during this difficult time.

Harps is a 100% employee-owned company, which operates 148 stores in six states including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kansas. Harps is the largest employee owned company in the state of Arkansas. Harps was founded by Harvard and Floy Harp in Springdale, Arkansas in 1930. Since then, the company has grown to employ over 7,200 associates.

Visit www.harpsfood.com for additional information and company history.