The Vitamin Shoppe Appoints Kimberly Gardiner as EVP, Chief Marketing/Growth Officer

The Vitamin Shoppe has appointed Kimberley Gardiner as executive vice president and chief marketing and growth officer. Gardiner will report directly to CEO Sharon Leite and join the company’s executive leadership team.

Gardiner will oversee brand strategy and creative, performance marketing, e-commerce, CRM and personalization, loyalty, and corporate communications and public relations.

Gardiner most recently served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Tractor Supply Company, where she led strategic marketing across national, regional, and local initiatives for one of America’s largest retailers with more than 2,400 Tractor Supply stores. She helped advance the company’s brand and digital transformation, strengthening its Life Out Here campaign and expanding the use of customer data, performance marketing, and omnichannel engagement. Gardiner oversaw loyalty marketing for Neighbor’s Club, which grew to more than 40 million members during her tenure.

Gardiner will lead The Vitamin Shoppe’s marketing organization and help the brand become more digitally connected and customer-centric. She will oversee brand strategy and creative, performance marketing, e-commerce, CRM and personalization, loyalty, and corporate communications and public relations. Gardiner will focus on using customer insights and data to strengthen brand relevance, accelerate acquisition and loyalty, and create a more personalized experience across stores and digital channels, The Vitamin Shoppe reported. Gardiner will also work closely with the merchandising organization and brand partners to elevate product storytelling and tap into emerging wellness trends.

“Kimberley is an exceptional marketing leader with a proven ability to reinvent established brands and turn customer insights into measurable growth,” said Leite. “As The Vitamin Shoppe prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, we have an opportunity to build on decades of customer trust and loyalty while reimagining how we engage with the modern wellness consumer. Kimberley brings the experience and vision to help us reach new audiences and create more personalized experiences across every touchpoint. I look forward to partnering with her to shape The Vitamin Shoppe’s next chapter.”

Prior to Tractor Supply, Gardiner served as chief marketing officer at Volkswagen of America, where she led brand strategy, retail content, media planning, dealer marketing operations, and consumer experience marketing. She previously held senior marketing leadership positions at Mitsubishi Motors North America and Kia Motors America and served as chief marketing officer and vice president of operations for digital asset management company 5th Kind. Earlier in her career, Gardiner spent 15 years at Toyota Motor Sales, USA in roles of increasing responsibility.

“The Vitamin Shoppe has spent nearly five decades helping millions of people navigate the changing world of health and wellness, a mission that reflects my deep interest in how people can live and feel better,” said Gardiner. “I’m excited to build on that legacy and bring fresh thinking to how we tell our story and connect with consumers across retail and digital. I look forward to working with Sharon and the team to create a more dynamic and relevant brand experience designed for the ways consumers discover, shop, and engage with wellness today.”

Gardiner earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Mills College and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. She serves on the National Retail Federation Marketing Executives Council and the PopTech Advisory Board.