Laura Shapira Karet Treasurer
Laura Shapira Karet joined the board in 2017. An accomplished and inspiring retail leader, Laura Shapira Karet is the Chair and CEO of Giant Eagle Inc., one of the nation’s largest multi-format food, fuel, pharmacy and convenience retailers with approximately 34,000 Team Members and $10 billion in annual sales. Karet was appointed chief executive officer on Jan. 9, 2012, and most recently was appointed executive chair of the board of directors on Jan. 1, 2022.
Giant Eagle is one of Forbes magazine’s largest private corporations. Founded in 1931, Giant Eagle has grown to be the number one supermarket retailer in the region with more than 470 corporate and independently owned and operated supermarkets, fuel and convenience store locations throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, north central West Virginia, western Maryland and Indiana.
Under Karet’s leadership, Giant Eagle is delivering on its purpose of providing communities with life’s essentials, so its neighbors have the opportunity to thrive. As president and CEO, Karet led the company’s expansion and introduction to the Indiana market, grew GetGo through ground-up and acquisition, launched and evolved online ordering and delivery services, and championed a bold sustainability platform. Most significantly, she has architected and is leading a foundational transformation that will position the enterprise for growth and continued future success.
Prior to her role as president and CEO, Karet served as senior executive vice president and chief strategy officer. In that role, Karet was responsible for developing and managing the implementation of Giant Eagle’s short and long-term strategic business plans and establishing the Company’s corporate priorities. She also was directly responsible for the company’s manufacturing operations, including its fresh food production facilities.
Karet joined Giant Eagle in 2000 as vice president of marketing and was later promoted to sr. vice president of marketing and president of new formats. During that time, Karet led the development, branding and implementation of the Market District format in 2006. This innovative food destination elevated the grocery shopping experience by inspiring an exploration of food through gourmet, specialty and organic foods.
Prior to joining Giant Eagle, Karet spent seven years at Procter & Gamble in brand management and three years at Sara Lee as a marketing director.
Karet is deeply committed to community economic and workforce development, food insecurity and early childhood education. She is a trustee of The Brookings Institution and The Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board. She is a member of The Council on Foreign Relations and is the chair of The Allegheny Conference on Community Development. She is also an active member on the board of directors for various organizations, including: Food Marketing Institute, The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, The Pittsburgh Foundation, United Way of Allegheny County, Allegheny County Parks Foundation, Common Threads, The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and Holy Family Institute.
Karet previously served on boards for the National Organization on Disability, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, The Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Carnegie Museum, Carnegie Science Center and was the chair of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Karet graduated from Amherst College with a bachelor’s degree in English. She resides in the Pittsburgh area with her husband and three children.