GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. — Kinney Drugs has promoted Jim Spencer to chief operating officer. He had been vice president of retail operations.

In his new post Spencer is responsible for overseeing retail and pharmacy store operations and the company’s retail merchandising department. He reports to Kinney Healthcare Services president Bridget-ann Hart.

“Jim is a results-driven leader who has been a significant contributor to the success of our retail business since becoming part of the Kinney Drugs team,” Hart says. “We are confident that his vision and leadership as COO will drive future success and growth for the company.”
Spencer joined Kinney in 2010 and has more than 20 years of operations experience in the retail industry.

Separately, Kinney has completed the acquisition of four independent pharmacies in central New York and Vermont.

“These acquisitions are a very good fit for Kinney Drugs and are consistent with our stated growth objectives in retail pharmacy,” Spencer says. “They will allow us to grow our prescription base and market share within existing markets and at the same time expand into two new areas in central New York and Vermont.”

Two of the acquired pharmacies have been converted and remerchandised and will operate under the Kinney name. The other two were closed, and their prescription files and inventory were transferred to nearby stores.