Table of Contents
CINCINNATI — Michael Ellis will become president and chief operating officer of Kroger Co. on January 1, completing a succession plan announced in September.
Michael Ellis will become president and chief operating officer of Kroger Co. on January 1, completing a succession plan announced in September.
Ellis, 55, will succeed W. Rodney McMullen, 53, who will become chief executive officer. David Dillon, 62, will retire as CEO on January 1, while continuing to serve as chairman for another year.
Ellis has been senior vice president of retail divisions since 2012, leading five retail supermarket divisions, plus Kroger’s jewelry and convenience store businesses. He previously served as president of Portland, Ore.-based Fred Meyer — the company’s largest operating division by revenue — for six years.
A 38-year Kroger veteran, Ellis joined Fred Meyer as a parcel clerk at age 16 and went on to serve in a series of operations and merchandising leadership positions in stores, division management and as a corporate officer. He was vice president of Fred Meyer’s food group before joining Kroger as a senior officer in 2004. He returned to lead Fred Meyer as president in 2006, significantly improving employee engagement. He was influential in the growth of the company’s successful Marketplace store format, which offers a wide assortment of general merchandise including home goods, toys and apparel in addition to full-service grocery and pharmacy departments.
"Mike’s broad-based experience on both the food and general merchandise sides of our business make him a great fit for this role," said Dillon. "Mike is a team builder who will be a great partner with our entire leadership team."
McMullen called Ellis "a key player in our strategic efforts for many years, including the expansion of Fred Meyer’s general merchandising expertise throughout the company and, more recently, our accelerated growth plan. His extensive knowledge spans our multiple formats and unique approaches to merchandising."
