Rosauers COO Mike Shirts retiring after 50 years

SPOKANE — In 1974, Mike Shirts was bagging groceries at the local Rosauers Supermarket in Moscow. Numerous promotions and 50 years later, he is retiring as the chief operating officer.

He previously held a role as the senior vice president of merchandise and marketing, according to a press release from the organization.

Rosauers CEO Cliff Rigsbee said in a statement that Shirts earned his first managerial position when he was a teenager.

“I want to congratulate him for a hugely successful career and thank him for his unbelievable contribution to our company,” Rigsbee said. “We will miss his positive attitude, willingness to help, business acumen, and his ever-constant, witty one-liners.”

When Mike started as a grocery bagger, Rosauers was a modest company.

Now, it has grown to employ approximately 2,100 workers in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. With headquarters in Spokane, the company consists of 18 Rosauers locations, 4 Super 1 Foods locations, and a Huckleberry’s Natural Market.