Phononic Appoints PJ Stafford as Senior Vice President Sales to Drive Strategic Engagement and Growth

Seasoned executive brings extensive grocery industry and omnichannel solutions experience to solid-state cooling innovator

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Phononic, a global leader in solid-state cooling technology, announced the appointment of PJ Stafford as Senior Vice President Sales – Cold Chain. Stafford will leverage his deep experience in the grocery industry and omnichannel solutions to unleash the full potential of Phononic’s innovative solid-state cooling solution in the rapidly expanding e-Grocery category.

Stafford brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles, most recently serving as the solutions manager on the Kroger account for Ocado Solutions USA. In this role, he was instrumental in rolling out the Ocado Smart Platform to Kroger Central Fulfillment Centers nationwide. Prior to that, Stafford advised Canada-based Fresh Local Solutions and FoodX Technologies on a go-to-market strategy for its end-to-end e-grocery management solution. As vice president of sales and marketing at Alert Innovation, Stafford positioned a leading grocer to outcompete Amazon with a pilot program delivering a sophisticated in-store automated order fulfillment solution that enabled significantly faster turnaround of orders for customer pickup.

“I’m excited to welcome PJ Stafford as Phononic’s new Senior Vice President Sales – Cold Chain,” said Tony Atti, Co-Founder and CEO of Phononic. “PJ’s extensive background in the grocery industry and his success in implementing omnichannel solutions make him the perfect addition to our leadership team. As Phononic continues to innovate and expand in the e-Grocery sector, PJ’s expertise will be invaluable in driving strategic engagement and growth.”

“I’m thrilled to join Phononic’s leadership team and contribute to the future of cooling,” said Stafford. “Phononic’s innovative solid-state cooling and heating solutions offer significant benefits for the e-grocery sector, and I look forward to working with leading grocery retailers to drive adoption and success.”

Stafford earned his Master's in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Georgetown University.

This appointment follows recent successful customer installations from Phononic, including the launch of the Phononic’s ACS™ (Active Cooling Solutions) Ecosystem, which includes ACS™ Refrigerator and Freezer Totes, ACS™ Rack Kit, ACS™ Cart Kit and ACS™ Growth Accelerator – which enable tri-temperature order consolidation for curbside and delivery operations.

About Phononic:

As the global leader in solid state cooling technology, Phononic is driving the world to a more sustainable way to cool. Its transformational technology reduces greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions and supports climate goals, while meeting the demanding performance needs of the market. The company’s thermoelectric devices and integrated products are mission critical to how people work and communicate; how datacenters cool and transmit data; how automobiles ‘see’; to cooling solutions supporting grocery cold chain fulfillment needs; to the protection and effective delivery of life-saving vaccines and drugs, and to innovative methods that cool living and workspaces. For more information on the company, visit: www.phononic.com.