DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. has promoted two legal executives and hired another executive for its pharmacy systems team.

The drug store chain on Monday said Laura Merten, currently divisional vice president of health law, has been named divisional vice president of compliance, loss prevention and profit sharing. She replaces Chester Young, who is retiring at the end of January after 41 years with the company.

Merten, 49, also will replace Young as chief compliance officer while continuing as privacy officer. She joined Walgreens as an attorney in the law department in 1988 and was promoted to director of new business development in 2000. She was named the company’s privacy officer in 2002 and promoted to director of Walgreens Health Services legal division in 2004. Merten was promoted to her current position in 2007.

Young, 64, joined Walgreens in 1968 as a marketing analyst. After several promotions, he was named general auditor in 1988 and became a divisional vice president in 1995. He added the title of chief compliance officer in 1999.

"Chet has had an outstanding career at Walgreens," Walgreens president and chief executive officer Greg Wasson said in a statement. "In particular, he’s created a closer relationship between our operations folks and loss prevention, and he’s recognized as a leader in the loss prevention industry. We wish him all the best in retirement."

Replacing Merten as divisional vice president of health law is Bryan Schneider, currently serving as director of health care contracting and regulatory law. Schneider, 42, joined Walgreens in 2000 as a senior attorney in corporate and regulatory law. In 2005, he was promoted to Walgreens Health Services director of government affairs. He was named to his current position in 2008.

In addition, Walgreens said Paul Eddy has joined the company as divisional vice president of pharmacy applications. He comes to the company from PNC Financial Services, where he was senior vice president and director of technology strategy and governance.

At Walgreens, Eddy, 46, will support the the company’s pharmacy business and initiatives, including its Intercom Plus pharmacy system. He reports to chief information officer Tim Theriault.

Last week, Walgreens reported that it has hired new human resources and corporate affairs executives. The company also announced that Charles R. "Cork" Walgreen III, grandson of Walgreens’ founder, will retire from the company’s board early next year, along with longtime directors Cordell Reed and Marilou von Ferstel.