Harps Food Stores CEO Kim Eskew Announces Retirement
Kim Eskew, Chairman and CEO of Harps Food Stores Inc., will retire on January 15, 2027. He has spent nearly five decades with the company since joining in 1977 as a part-time employee while attending college. Eskew advanced through multiple leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2016 and later Chairman and CEO. The Harps Board of Directors has selected J. Max Van Hoose, current President, to succeed Eskew. A member of the founding family's lineage, Van Hoose is poised to continue building on the company’s strong foundation established under Eskew’s leadership. During his tenure, Eskew oversaw key milestones such as transitioning Harps into a 100% employee-owned company in 2001 and driving growth while maintaining community focus. Harps Food Stores operates 177 stores across eight states with over 7,200 associates. As the largest employee-owned company in Arkansas, it has grown significantly since its founding by Harvard and Floy Harp in Springdale in 1930.
