Ann Burke
Former Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Planning, Wakefern Food Corp.
Following a 30 year legal career, Ann Marie Burke was appointed Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Planning of Wakefern Food Corp. in January 2008. Wakefern is a cooperative of 50 member companies who individually own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite and Fresh Grocer banners and is the largest private employer in New Jersey. Ann joined Wakefern in 1996 as Corporate Counsel responsible for litigation management, employment matters, real estate transactions, insurance, contracts and corporate governance. In her current role, she oversees recruitment, training, associate relations and compensation and benefits administration.
Ann began her career as a trial attorney for the Army Corps of Engineers in New York in 1979. She then became chief litigation counsel for a Fortune 500 engineering company for eight years before joining Wakefern.
The Executive Women of New Jersey recognized Ann in 2010 with its “Salute to the Policy Makers” Award in 2015. She was also featured as a “Woman of Influence in the Food Industry” by the Griffin Report. In 2008, Ann was honored with the Platinum WILL (Women in Leadership and Law) Award by the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association. Ann has been awarded the Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) Award by the YWCA in 1988 and 2002 for her contribution to the success of American business and now serves on the TWIN Awards board.
Active in many community youth organizations, Ann received the Elizabeth Seton Award from the Archdiocese of Newark for her 10 years as a Girl Scout leader, as well as the Outstanding Leader Award by the Essex-Passaic Girl Scout Council. In 2014, Ann was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey and is very active in leadership and mentoring programs. Ann was a founding member and Trustee of the North Jersey Association of Female Executives, a networking group that awards scholarships and provides mentoring programs for high school girls in Newark, N.J. Additionally, Ann served as the President of the Our Lady of Sorrow School Board, volunteered as the director of the Paterson Diocese National Catholic Forensic League, and was the coach of the St. Elizabeth Academy forensics team. Since 2012, she has served on the Corporate Advisory Board of the Boys and Girls Club of New Jersey and in January 2017, she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Community Health Law Project.
Ann has been a key organizer of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, which raises more than one million dollars each year for numerous charities. With support dating back to 1986, Wakefern is the longest corporate sponsor of an annual major Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament.
Ann received a Bachelor of Science degree in government and criminology from Florida State University and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University, New Orleans. She also received a certification in Human Resources Studies from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She is a member of the Florida and New Jersey Bars and is accredited by the Department of Veterans Administration.