Whole Foods 2008 Annual Report Download - page 23

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17
and our stores. The new wholefoodsmarket.com website is just one part of our expanded internet community for
stakeholders, which also includes sites like Facebook and Twitter.
We have included our website address only as an inactive textual reference. The information contained on our website is not
incorporated by reference into this Report on Form 10-K.
Executive Officers of the Registrant
The following table sets forth the name, age, tenure with the Company in years, and position of each of the persons who was
serving as an executive officer of the Company as of November 21, 2008:
Name Age Tenure Position
John P. Mackey 55 30 Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
A.C. Gallo 55 15 Co-President and Chief Operating Officer
Walter Robb 55 17 Co-President and Chief Operating Officer
Glenda Chamberlain 55 20 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
James P. Sud 56 11 Executive Vice President of Growth and Business Development
John P. Mackey, co-founder of the Company, has served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since 1980.
A.C. Gallo has served as Co-President of the Company since September 2004 and as Co-Chief Operating Officer since
December 2003. Mr. Gallo has held various positions with the Company and with Bread & Circus, Inc., which was acquired
by the Company in October 1992, including Vice President and President of the North Atlantic Region, and Executive Vice
President of Operations.
Walter Robb has served as Co-President of the Company since September 2004 and as Co-Chief Operating Officer since
December 2003. Since joining the Company in 1991, Mr. Robb has also served as Store Team Leader, President of the
Northern Pacific Region, and Executive Vice President of Operations.
Glenda Chamberlain has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company since December
1988.
James P. Sud has served as Executive Vice President of Growth and Business Development since February 2001. Mr. Sud
joined the Company in May 1997 and served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer until February 2001. Mr. Sud
served as a director of the Company from 1980 to 1997.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
We wish to caution you that there are risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to be materially different
from those indicated by forward-looking statements that we make from time to time in filings with the SEC, news releases,
reports, proxy statements, registration statements and other written communications, as well as oral forward-looking
statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to, the risks described below. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem
immaterial also may impair our business operations. The cautionary statements below discuss important factors that could
cause our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows to be materially adversely affected. The Company
does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.
Our Growth Is Significantly Dependent on New Store Openings and Acquisitions
Our strategy is to expand through a combination of new store openings and, to a lesser extent, acquisitions of existing store
locations or businesses. Successful implementation of this strategy is contingent on numerous conditions, some of which are
described below, and there can be no assurance that this expansion strategy can be successfully executed.
Our continued growth depends to a significant degree on our ability to open or acquire new stores in existing and new
locations and to operate these stores successfully. Our expansion strategy is dependent on finding suitable locations, and we
face intense competition from other retailers for such sites. There can be no assurance that we will continue to grow through
new store openings and/or acquisitions. We may not be able to timely open new stores or operate them successfully. Also,
we may not be able to successfully hire and train new team members or integrate those team members into the programs and
policies of the Company. We may not be able to adapt our distribution, management information and other operating systems
to adequately supply products to new stores at competitive prices so that we can operate the stores in a successful and
profitable manner.