Former Kroger CEO Lyle Everingham Dies at 94

Private services are to be held for Lyle Everingham, the former chairman and CEO of The Kroger Co., remembered for fighting to save the company from hostile takeover bids in the 1980s.

Lyle Everingham courtesy of Geo. H. Rohde & Son 

Everingham, who was Kroger’s top executive from 1978 to 1990, passed away in Cincinnati on Jan. 6 at age 94, according to a Geo. H. Rohde & Son Funeral Home obituary.

Everingham served Kroger for 44 years, having joined the company as a clerk in 1946. His biggest challenge as CEO came in holding off 1988 takeover bids by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Herbert and Robert Haft’s Dart Group, engineering a $4.6 billion restructuring plan involving consolidation of divisional offices and asset sales and a massive dividend to shareholders. The plan was said to have been the first time a U.S. company successfully fought off a hostile takeover from KKR.

Everingham’s tenure also included the 1983 acquisition of Dillon Cos., the Kansas-based retailer that produced two of Everingham’s succeeding CEOs, Joe Pichler and David Dillon. Kroger’s current CEO, Rodney McMullen, succeeded Dillon in 2013.

According to his obituary, Everingham was a “farm boy” from Onaway, Mich., who joined Kroger at age 20 following a Purple Heart-winning stint fighting in World War II for the U.S. Army.

He served on the boards of many companies, including Bethesda Inc., Cincinnati Milacron, The Central Trust Co., Capital Holding Corp. and Federated Department Stores. Everingham was a trustee for the University of Cincinnati and received honorary degrees from that institution as well as the University of Toledo.

In 2002, Everingham was featured as one of the Chamber of Commerce’s “Great Living Cincinnatians.” His charitable spirit was demonstrated through his involvement in The United Way, St. Rita School for the Deaf, and many other charities.

Everingham enjoyed traveling, flowers and playing golf with his son, Mark.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Rlene (nee Lajiness); his parents, Kenneth and Christina Everingham; and sister, Donna Miller. He was a loving father to Nancy (Thomas) Hensley, Mark (Elizabeth) Everingham and Christine (Jeffrey, deceased) Tucker; and was a grandfather of six and a great grandfather of 15.