Kroger Promotes Williams to Sr. VP, Shifts Other Executives

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. here said it is promoting Pete Williams to the post of senior vice president, effective Aug.19 — a move that has triggered several other executive changes. In his new post, Williams, a 29-year Kroger veteran, will work directly with several Kroger divisions to provide direction and guidance, the company said. Williams, 52, is president of the chain’s 129-store Mid-Atlantic division. Succeeding him in the division post will be Jay Cummins, 55, president of Kroger’s Food 4 Less division in Southern California. Taking Cummins’ place as president of the 146-unit Food 4 Less operation is Dave Hirz, 52, president of Ralphs Food Stores, who headed Food 4 Less until 2004. The new president of Kroger’s 265-store Ralphs division will be Mike Donnelly, president of the 116-unit Fry’s Food Stores division in Phoenix, a post he has held twice since 2000, with a stint in between as senior vice president, drug/GM merchandising and procurement, at the corporate level. Kroger did not name a successor to Donnelly at Fry’s.

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