Coffee For Two

Starbucks Coffee Co. (Seattle) has promoted Anne Saunders to senior vp, marketing, retail North America, and Michelle Gass to senior vp, category management.

Saunders leads the brand marketing, retail North America field marketing, Hear Music, creative, public relations and market research teams, as well as the Starbucks Card and Starbucks Card Duetto Visa programs.

Gass is responsible for the strategic and operating plans of Starbucks category portfolio, which includes coffee, beverage, food and merchandise. Gass also oversees the day-to-day activities of the research and development team.

“We are proud of the contributions that Anne and Michelle have made to Starbucks during their respective tenures,” says Jim Alling, executive vp, business and operations — U.S. “They continue to innovate in all areas of our business, delivering transformational products and services like CD burning in our retail stores, the Starbucks Card Duetto Visa, Starbucks Black Apron Exclusives coffee program and exciting, new Frappuccino blended beverage flavors.”

Saunders joined Starbucks in August 2001 as vp, Starbucks interactive, and led company programs including the Starbucks Card, the company's wireless initiative and Starbucks.com. Saunders was also responsible for developing new programs that targeted mobile customers and customers who are early adopters of technology. Before being promoted, Saunders served as vp, marketing, retail North America.

Gass joined Starbucks in 1996 as category manager, blended beverages. She has held several roles in the marketing organization and is credited with evolving the Frappuccino blended beverage line from a two-flavor product offering to a full product and brand platform that now represents significant sales across all business channels. In January 2001, Gass was promoted to vp, beverage category. In November 2003, Gass became vp, category, adding coffee, food, merchandise and research and development to her portfolio.