SAN DIEGO — Former Supervalu Inc. executive and pharmacy veteran Kevin Tripp has been named to the board of directors at Asteres Inc.

San Diego-based Asteres, a provider of automated pharmacy and wellness kiosks and the maker of the ScriptCenter prescription pickup kiosk, announced the move this week.

"We are excited to have Kevin join our board," Mark de Bruin, chief executive officer of Asteres, said in a statement. "Kevin’s wealth of retail operations expertise will be of great value to Asteres as ScriptCenter expands in pharmacy and into the front of the store for health and wellness products."

Tripp has more than 30 years of leadership and strategic planning expertise in the pharmacy and supermarket industry. Most recently, he was executive vice president and president of the Retail Midwest division at food and drug retailer and wholesaler Supervalu. He joined Supervalu through the 2006 acquisition of Albertsons Inc., where he was executive vice president of drug operations and president of the drug store unit, as well as a member of the company’s executive council that directed food and drug operations in 37 states, according to Asteres.

"ScriptCenter delivers a solution that reduces costs and grows revenue while enhancing the overall customer experience," commented Tripp. "I am eager to work with Asteres to help retailers understand and maximize the value automated retail technology brings to chain drug, supermarkets and mass merchants."

Tripp’s career includes positions in grocery and drug store operations, pharmacy operations, managed care, pharmacy marketing and regional management. He also has served as an executive board member, executive committee member and charitable foundation board member at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and as a board member for the University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy.

He is a registered pharmacist and holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Wyoming.