GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. — Kinney Drugs has restructured its merchandising department, promoting Cheri Taylor to division manger of health and beauty care and making Mike Hatch, who had previously overseen the 94-store chain’s health and beauty efforts, division manager of general merchandise.

“Cheri and Mike have over 45 years of combined category management experience,” vice president of retail merchandising Richard Cognetti Jr. says. “This experience will serve the company well.”

Cognetti points out that Taylor and Hatch will oversee Kinney’s purchasing decisions, advertising content and merchandise presentations while continuing to build relationships with suppliers.

Taylor, who recently joined Kinney after a brief stint as a regional vice president of U.S. Cotton LLC, has previous experience in drug store merchandising, having held such positions as senior buyer, associate category manger and category manager with Eckerd Corp. and Brooks Pharmacy.

Hatch has worked for Kinney Drugs since 1977, holding various positions in the company’s distribution center and merchandising departments.

In 1994 he became a buyer, and in 1998 moved to merchandise manager for health and private label.

Three years later, Hatch was promoted to category manager of health care, and in 2007 he was promoted to division manager of health and beauty.

Cognetti says the knowledge and experience Hatch gained in those positions will complement his responsibilities in his new role.