Tops Markets, LLC has appointed Kathleen Graim to the newly created position of Rochester community relations specialist. Graim will be responsible for all of the regional grocer's community relations and charitable functions in the Rochester, N.Y. area.

"Rochester is a vitally important market for Tops Markets," explained Tops president and c.e.o. Frank Curci. "Having Kathleen on the ground in the community on a daily basis will be a benefit to our operations in Rochester and will help Tops...to better serve our customers and the community as a whole."

Graim will be based in Rochester as the local, day-to-day contact and representative for Tops in the community, and will manage the execution of customer fundraising programs. Among the charitable functions she will head in Rochester are annual food drives such as "Check Out Hunger," "Hope for the Holidays," and "Food for Families," as well as yearly fundraisers for the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation and the Children's Miracle Network.

Graim joined Tops in 1988 as a bakery department clerk, and was promoted to bakery manager shortly after. Her most recent position was a bakery field specialist.

Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops operates 71 full-service supermarkets and five franchise supermarkets, and employs over 10,000 associates in western and central New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.