$63.3 billion Walgreen Co., has appointed Laura Merten as chief compliance officer. She assumes the role from Chester Young, who will be retiring at the end of January after 41 years with the company.

Merten also will continue serving as privacy officer. After joining Walgreens as an attorney in 1988, she was promoted to director of new business development in 2000, and later named the company’s privacy officer in 2002 before being promoted to director of Walgreens Health Services’ legal division in 2004.

Most recently, Merten served as divisional vice president of health law, a role she assumed in 2007. That role will be assumed by Bryan Schneider, director of healthcare contracting and regulatory law since 2008.