Kroger Taps Walmart Veteran to Succeed Retiring Mid-Atlantic Division President

Kroger Co. said Jerry Clontz, president of the retailer's Mid-Atlantic division, will retire effective Nov. 1. Paula Ginnett, a Walmart veteran who currently is a Kroger VP, will be promoted to take over the role, the company said.

Clontz held a number of roles at Kroger for more than 48 years. 

He joined Harris Teeter in 1971 as a bagger in North Carolina. After that, Clontz held various retail positions, including store manager, store director and field specialist. He was named a district manager in 1991 and then promoted to regional director three years later. 

Jerry Clontz

In 1997, Clontz was named a regional vice president, and was known for his contributions to Harris Teeter's successful expansion to new markets, including Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland and coastal Delaware. He was named SVP of operations in 2007, and under his leadership, Harris Teeter added 79 new stores. In 2017, Jerry was named to his current role.

"Jerry has been an outstanding leader and colleague over his nearly five decades with the organization," said Mike Donnelly, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Cincinnati-based Kroger. "His passion for both people and results has been exemplified throughout his career. We applaud his mentorship and development of associates and teams across our family of companies."

Ginnett is a veteran of the grocery and retail sectors, having joined Kroger in August after more than 25 years with Walmart. For the past five years, she was VP and regional general manager for Walmart, based in Phoenix, leading 188 stores and 45,000 employees. Ginnett was involved in store planning and real estate execution for new Walmart and Sam's Club store openings, as well as remodels and special projects, Kroger said. She has also held various leadership positions in merchandising and operations.

Paula Ginnett

Ginnett, a graduate of Capella University, an online university based in Minneapolis, is also known as a dedicated community leader, volunteering with the American Cancer Society—Making Strides, the American Heart Association, the Children's Miracle Network and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. 

"Paula is well-respected in the industry for being both a dynamic leader and a top retail strategist," Donnelly said. "She brings more than 25 years of retail experience to her new role as president of our Mid-Atlantic division. We look forward to her leadership in redefining the grocery customer experience, developing talent and living our purpose."

Kroger's Mid-Atlantic division operates 110 stores across five states and employs more than 15,000 associates.