120 Seconds with Chairman Bob of Roundy's

I stopped at the Koeller Avenue Pick 'n Save Friday afternoon for some cheap eats. With my kids in tow, we shelled out $3 for two hotdogs, one brat, chips, soda and ice cream. The outside barbecue was a fund-raising event to benefit Father Carr's Place 2B, the local soup kitchen and homeless shelter.

I also went to meet Chairman Bob -- the chairman and CEO of 153 Roundy's Supermarkets in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Chairman Bob's full name is Bob Mariano, but for some reason I couldn't call him Mr. Mariano or just Bob. It was like the time when I interviewed author Stephen King and he completely threw me off my game when he said, "Just call me Steve." My mind reeled. You can't call Stephen King "Steve." It's just wrong.

But I digress.

I wanted to meet Chairman Bob to see how a corporate bigwig acts at a parking lot barbecue. Was he going to the proverbial fish out of water? Or was he going to man the grill?

I am happy to report that Chairman Bob acted very much the host with the most. He chatted with kids, made sure everyone was happy and full. He looked as if he wanted to be there, unlike Brett Favre whose smile looked forced as he held up a Jets (!!!) uniform at Brett-as-a-Jet press conference.

Chairman Bob is not a straight-out-of-business-school-and-into-management-type of CEO. The man knows his groceries from the ground up. He worked as a deli clerk and worked his way to the CEO-ship of Dominick's, a Chicago-based supermarket chain. Along the way, he did earn his M.B.A., but he places great value on his time working the floor at the stores.

Here is what Chairman Bob has to say about job hunting, competition and the one issue that has kept us awake a nights.