Its been a more than 42 years at The Kroger, chief operating officer Mike Donnelly plans to retire this spring.
Kroger said last night that he would announce Donnelly’s successor at a later date, and Donnelly also holds the title of Executive Vice President. Since December 2017, he has served as Chief Operating Officer of supermarket giant Cincinnati, responsible for overseeing Kroger Health’s operations, sales of goods, marketing, supply chain, manufacturing and health services.
“With his unwavering focus on customers, Mike leads the organization to prioritize the things that matter most: food shelves, fresh food and friendly staff,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger President and CEO. “It makes our team vital, every time we can deliver results and the best experience to each customer. What matters is that Mike has trained and developed countless employees, motivated them to grow and maximize their potential, many of whom are waiting for key leadership positions across the organization. ”.
Prior to his promotion to Chief Operating Officer, Donnelly (left) was Executive Vice President Commodities from September 2015 to December 2017 and Senior Vice President Commodities from July 2011 to September 2015.
Donnelly began his career in the grocery business in 1978 as an employee at Fries Food Stores in California, where he was promoted to a variety of leadership roles, including district administration. In 1995 he was named Vice President of Fry for Merchandise Sales and in 2000 he was promoted to Head of Fry’s Division. He has since held the position of Senior Vice President for Kroger for Marketing of Pharmaceuticals and Daily Supplies before returning to the Fry Division as President in 2003. Donnelly was appointed Head of the Ralphs Division in 2007 and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Marketing. at Kroger in 2011.
“His passion for talent and developing a world-class team will be one of his lasting legacies,” added MacMullen. “We wish Mike and his family all the best after retirement.”
In total, Kroger & Company operates nearly 2,800 grocery and department stores in 35 states. Flags include: Kroger, Ralph, Dillon, Smith, King Supers, Frey, Qatar Financial Center, City Market, Irving, JC, Underbay, Baker, Gibbs, Harris Teeter, Pick’n Save, Metro Market, Mariano’s, Fred Meyer., Food 4 Less, and Foods Co.