Pharmacy veteran led Walmart Health and Wellness unit

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — George Riedl, senior vice president at Walmart and president of the Walmart Health and Wellness division, is leaving the company.

A Walmart spokeswoman said Wednesday that Riedl, a key pharmacy executive at the retail giant, is slated to depart on March 16. The company didn’t say if a successor had been named.

George Riedl

A former Walgreens executive, Riedl joined Walmart in November 2015 to lead the retailer’s health and wellness business.

“Since joining, George helped to advance our partnerships with McKesson Corp. and Quest Diagnostics to drive efficiency in sourcing generic pharmaceuticals and positioning Walmart as a one-stop shop for everyday health care needs. As a member of the board of ClarusOne, George shared his industry knowledge and passion for advancing health care. George also helped to launch the innovative DisposeRx program positioning Walmart as a leader for responsible opioid stewardship,” Marybeth Hays, executive vice president of consumables, health and wellness for Walmart U.S., stated in a company memo on Riedl’s departure.

“George is a true servant leader, and his team will continue to advance Walmart’s position in the industry by passionately advocating for our patients, helping them save money and live better,” Hays added. “Please join me in thanking George for sharing his health and wellness expertise with us and in wishing him all the best in the future.”

Before coming to Walmart, Riedl was president of Advanced Marketing & Sales Inc., an independent sales, marketing and consulting agency focused on assisting consumer packaged goods companies.

Prior to that, he spent 27 years at Walgreens, advancing from pharmacy apprentice to chief merchant. Before leaving the company in 2009, he led such areas as e-commerce, third-party operations and contracts, and pharmaceutical purchasing. His roles included general merchandise manager of pharmacy, health and wellness; senior vice president of pharmacy innovation and purchasing; and executive vice president of merchandising and marketing.