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Kroger Dallas president Adam Wampler dies at 48

Longtime grocery retailer also spent 30-plus years at Albertsons/Safeway

Russell Redman

July 1, 2021

2 Min Read
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Adam Wampler served as president of the Kroger Dallas division since March 2020, coming over from the retailer's Fred Meyer division.Kroger

Adam Wampler, president of the Kroger Dallas division, died Wednesday at age 48.

Kroger reported Wampler’s passing on Thursday but declined to disclose his cause of death, noting that his family has requested privacy. Wampler, 48, had served as Kroger Dallas president for 15 months.

At this time, Kroger hasn’t determined interim leadership for the Dallas division, a spokesperson for the business unit said in an email. Overall, the Coppell, Texas-based Kroger Dallas division has more than 15,000 employees and operates 109 retail food stores.

“The entire Kroger family is saddened by the passing of Adam Wampler, president of the Dallas division. Our thoughts and prayers are with Adam’s wife, children, family and friends,” Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of The Kroger Company, said in a statement.

Wampler joined The Kroger Co. in September 2019, when he was hired as vice president of merchandising for the Fred Meyer division in Portland, Ore. He then was promoted to Kroger Dallas president and started in that role in March 2020.

Before coming to The Kroger Co., Wampler served as senior vice president of operations at Bartell Drugs in Seattle from January 2018 to September 2019 and held the same title at Albertsons Cos. in the Northern California division from February 2016 to January 2018. Prior to that, he spent more than 27 years at Safeway (now part of Albertsons Cos.), most recently as senior vice president of operations and vice president of merchandising and marketing.

Related:BJ’s Wholesale Club CEO Lee Delaney dies at age 49

“With more than 30 years in the retail industry, Adam had a successful career with Albertsons/Safeway and Bartell Drugs in Seattle before coming to Kroger,” McMullen stated. “We are grateful Adam chose to join Kroger. He was a skilled operator, merchant and leader in the retail industry, but more importantly he was a talented, selfless leader who had positive impact on our associates, customers and communities. Adam will be fondly remembered by all for his compassion for others and zest for life.”

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About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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