Mr. Bolton became affiliated with Jewel Food Stores in 1966 through a cooperative education experience while a food marketing major at WMU. Sixteen years later after a series of promotions within the supermarket chain, he was named vice president.
He held several other top-management positions, including executive vice president of marketing and, in 1992, was named president of Jewel.
In 1995, he was named chairman and chief executive officer of Bruno's Inc., in Birmingham, Alabama.