Kroger Taps Walmart’s Sonya Hostetler as New Nashville President

The Kroger Co. has named Walmart veteran Sonya Hostetler as the new president of its Nashville division, effective Aug. 1.

Hostetler succeeds Zane Day, who is retiring after nearly 45 years with Kroger.

Hostetler spent the previous 30 years with Walmart Inc., where she began as an hourly associate and went on to hold key leadership positions in retail, asset protection, human resources and operations.

Most recently, Hostetler was VP and regional general manager based in Dallas, one of Walmart’s largest markets. In this role, she led 13 markets, 122 stores and 45,000 associates, Kroger said.

Sonya Hostetler, president of Kroger's Nashville division

“Sonya is a well-respected leader in the retail industry who’s innovative and strategic. She will help us to continue to redefine the grocery customer experience and develop talent, accelerating our Restock Kroger vision in the Nashville market,” Mike Donnelly, Kroger’s EVP and COO, said in a statement.

Also at Walmart, Hostetler was corporate VP of asset protection and safety; VP and regional general manager based in Bentonville, Ark.; senior director of divisional loss prevention; senior people director, health and wellness human resources; and store manager.

Hostetler has served on the boards for the Arkansas Rice Depot, a local food bank and North Texas Food Bank. She has also volunteered with the Children's Miracle Network, Race for the Cure and the American Heart Association. 

Kroger’s Nashville division includes 91 stores across east and Middle Tennessee, north Alabama and southern Kentucky.

Day has been Kroger’s Nashville president since 2016. He began his career with Smith’s on the night crew in Ogden, Utah, in 1974, and went on to hold various leadership roles, including store manager and director of merchandising.