Kroger Swaps Division Presidents as Bruce Lucia Retires

Bruce Lucia, president of Kroger's Atlanta division, is set to retire after 44 years with the company. He will be succeeded by its Cincinnati/Dayton division president, Tim Brown. In addition, the company said current Michigan division President Scott Hays would succeed Brown as president of the Cincinnati/Dayton division.

Bruce Lucia

Lucia started as a Kroger clerk in Atlanta in 1974 and worked his way up to manager, field specialist and district management following his graduation from the University of Georgia. From 1987 to 1996, he moved on to leadership roles in Kroger's Nashville, Central, Columbus and Michigan divisions and served as Michigan division president in 1996 before moving into his current role in 2000.

"In his more than 40 years with Kroger, Bruce has earned the admiration and respect of his teammates by forging real, genuine connections with associates and customers," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "Bruce has been a tremendous mentor to countless associates throughout our business. He will leave a legacy of strong, hard-working teams who care about each other. We wish Bruce and his family all the best in retirement."

Lucia also works with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Susan G. Komen, The ALS Association, Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance, Special Olympics of Georgia, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, The Muscular Dystrophy Association, Boy Scouts of America and United Way.

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McMullen welcomed Brown into his new role, calling him "passionate" about Kroger's customers and mission. 

"His leadership in supporting Restock Kroger will continue to drive business results in our Atlanta division and help us achieve our vision to serve America through food inspiration and uplift," McMullen said.

Tim Brown

Brown started out as a bagger at age 17 and joined Kroger's management training program in 1981. He has since held positions such as VP of meat, seafood and deli/bakery operations in general office, VP of merchandising in both the Columbus and Atlanta divisions, president of the Delta division and president of operations for the Mid-Atlantic division before his promotion to president of the Cincinnati/Dayton division in 2015.

Moving into Brown's role will be Hays, current president of the Michigan division. His successor will be announced at a later date, according to company officials.

Scott Hays

Hays joined Kroger in April 2017 as VP of operations for the Fry's division after holding roles at Albertsons and Jewel-Osco. He was promoted to his current role in September of the same year.

"In just a short time with the company, Scott has already made a lasting impact," said McMullen. "Scott's passion for people and wealth of grocery and retail experience makes him an ideal leader for Kroger as we work to redefine the customer experience. We look forward to Scott's leadership of Restock Kroger in our Cincinnati/Dayton division."