Title: Vice President of the Liquor Division
Company: Coborn’s Inc.
Location: Lino Lakes, Minnesota, United States
KJ Harnack, vice president of the liquor division for Coborn’s Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in the beverage and retail industry.
Celebrating 20 years in his profession, Mr. Harnack did not initially envision working in the grocery and retail world. As a college student, he briefly considered a wide range of paths, including teaching music, public relations, journalism, advertising and marketing. To try to make ends meet while he figured out what direction he wanted to head in, Mr. Harnack worked multiple jobs, including as a bartender. It was while working that job in Council Bluffs, Iowa, that he became friends with the manager of the local Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits.
Quickly recognizing the potential Mr. Harnack had alongside his enthusiasm for beer, that acquaintance encouraged him to begin working at Hy-Vee Inc. In 2008, Mr. Harnack joined the grocery chain as a beer specialist, kicking off a tenure of over 15 years with Hy-Vee. His time with the company was marked by a rapid trajectory of promotions. Mr. Harnack became the wine and spirits manager for his store in 2010, the wine and spirits supervisor for the northern and northwest districts in 2015, and finally, the director of wine and spirits in 2022. In that final role, he managed day-to-day operations for 257 stores across eight states, overseeing all wine, spirits and tobacco products.
Demonstrating his renowned skills in his field, Mr. Harnack was recruited by Coborn’s Inc. in 2024. Since then, he has served as the vice president of the company’s liquor division. Mr. Harnack notes that Coborn’s was founded just over 100 years ago during Prohibition, so it initially did not sell alcohol. He has enjoyed the challenges of helping the liquor division catch up with established Coborn’s grocery operations. Mr. Harnack has also taken on new lessons, including helping the company venture into selling THC products. He directly manages nine people, but his decisions affect all of the nearly 80 grocery store locations and 10,000 employees located across Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Before embarking on his career path, Mr. Harnack sought an education. He completed coursework in instrumental music, communications and journalism at the University of Nebraska Omaha between 2002 and 2008. Mr. Harnack has pursued additional training to supplement his professional skills, including level 2 wine certification from the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust. In 2025, he finished an executive leadership course offered by the National Grocers Association at Cornell University.
Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Harnack is particularly proud of contributing to the growth of Coborn’s, where he has aided the company in gaining market share despite a challenging economic landscape. He believes a key part of his success is prioritizing the well-being of everyone in the store, including full-time and part-time employees, guests, and himself. Mr. Harnack preaches the importance of teamwork and collaboration in order to achieve a high degree of consistency. His approach recalls one of his favorite quotes: “Consistently good beats occasionally great.”
In addition to his career, Mr. Harnack is a dedicated husband and a loving father to a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. He enjoys spending as much time as possible with his family, as well as engaging in outdoors activities like camping, kayaking and fishing. Going forward, Mr. Harnack looks forward to continuing to build on Coborn’s esteemed legacy by focusing on his team and the wider family of the company. He is committed to helping the organization succeed and grow.
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