Alan Yarmaloff

Class of 2026

Alan Yarmaloff’s career in confectionery is a story of strong relationships, smart merchandising, teamwork and, above all, having fun. As Director of Confections and Front-of-Store Merchandising for CVS Health, Alan has helped build the company’s confectionery business into a more than $1 billion annual category while proving candy can thrive within a health-focused retailer.

Born March 20, 1969, in Boston to Michael and Debra, Alan grew up with his older siblings, Cindy and Larry. His parents owned a bakery, but despite the demands of running their business, they always made time for family. They also instilled in Alan a strong work ethic and the belief that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

Alan graduated from Stoughton High School in 1987 and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Bryant University in 1991. He met his future wife, Laurie, while they were still in high school, and they married in 1990. They have three daughters, Jessica, Kristina and Kylie, and a grandson, Cooper.

Alan began his career in retail with roles at KMart and Bradlees Department Stores before joining Stop & Shop. He initially worked in stores, where his performance caught the attention of company executives and led to an opportunity in corporate buying. From 2001 to 2003, he served as an Assistant Buyer, setting him on a path that would eventually lead to confectionery.

Alan joined CVS in 2010 as a Category Manager overseeing personal care, seasonal candy and beverages. It was while managing seasonal candy in 2011 that he fell in love with the confectionery industry. An early challenge from The Hershey Co. to achieve record-breaking Easter sales for Cadbury Crème Eggs changed his perspective on retail, showing him that finding creative ways to market candy could be both successful and fun.

Alan was later promoted to Director of Confections before leaving CVS in 2018 for an opportunity with brokerage CA Ferolie, where he served as Director of Confectionery, HBC and GM/Ahold Team Lead. He returned to CVS in 2020 and, the following year, was named Director of Confections and Front-of-Store Merchandising, his current role.

This new position presented a unique challenge: building a thriving candy business within a health-focused company. Alan focused on developing consumer-driven programs and planograms based on market research; he reinvented seasonal and everyday merchandising and expanded confectionery into pharmacy and checkout queues. He also led a complete reinvention of CVS’ front-of-store impulse strategy, work that earned him the 2025 CVS Innovation Award.

Alan applies that same creative and collaborative approach to leadership, measuring his success by the growth of his teams. He has mentored dozens of associates and supplier partners, encouraging them to communicate transparently and pursue ambitious goals. Among his proudest accomplishments is seeing former mentees advance beyond his own position, including watching longtime colleague Maureen Keenan earn induction into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2019.

His approach to business is straightforward: be honest, transparent and fair. Suppliers know where they stand with Alan, helping him build lasting partnerships throughout the industry. He also believes humor has an important place in business. When things get stressful, a well-timed joke can change the atmosphere and help a team move forward.

Alan’s impact extends beyond CVS through his collaborative work with suppliers and his commitment to bringing innovative ideas to confectionery merchandising. In recognition of his contributions, he received the NCA’s 2026 Confectionery Leadership Award.

Away from work, Alan enjoys playing guitar in his band, Puddlefish, boating and grilling, and considers himself something of a barbecue master. He loves watching Marvel movies with his youngest daughter, Kylie.

Through it all, Alan’s priorities have remained consistent: work hard, treat people honestly and fairly, build strong teams and make room for fun. He hopes to be remembered as a tough but fair partner who helped others succeed and, most importantly, as someone who always put his family first.