2020 40 Under 40 Yearbook: Rob Marsh, 47

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Then: Director of Planning and Development, Advertising and Marketing, RPCS Inc.
Now: Vice President of Operations and the Fresh Department, Pyramid Foods

Pyramid Foods executive Rob Marsh has been a guiding force in the grocer’s growth to a multibrand regional chain from a handful of stores in the late 1960s.

Now, brands under the Rogersville-based Pyramid Foods umbrella include Price Cutter, Ramey’s and Country Mart.

Marsh, at age 32, was the youngest member of the executive team at RPCS, the predecessor of Pyramid Foods. Back in 2007, he was researching touch-pay and self-checkout technologies.

“I’ve climbed the ladder for sure,” he says, recalling his 1998 start as an assistant store director. “But it’s been a lot of hours and a lot of days.”

In the last year, Marsh was diagnosed with leukemia and he’s making trips to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for treatment.

“Life throws you curve balls,” Marsh says. “You can sulk about it or you can fight it. I’m doing everything I can to fight it.”

He credits his wife of 20 years, Janelle, and their two kids for keeping his attitude positive.