Organization transformed to focus on the stores.(Eckerd Corp.)(Brief Article)

LARGO, Fla. -- Entering 2001, Eckerd Corp. revamped its organizational structure to better service its stores, according to Dave Aston, the drug chain's executive vice president and chief operating officer.

"Before that we had a headquarters-centered organization, with the focus on decisions made from there," says Aston, a supermarket industry veteran who joined Eckerd in January. "But we have changed our focus to district managers, store managers and pharmacists, because we believe the most important decision makers in our organization are at store level."

To facilitate that shift, the company moved from 10 operating regions to five -- Florida, Texas, …