The Kroger Co. announced several appointments of experienced enterprise leaders to new retail roles and expanded responsibilities, including promotions in corporate leadership, the Atlanta division and the Fry's division.

"We are excited to promote several talented senior executives to key roles that will position Kroger for future success," said Ron Sargent, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "Victor Smith, Monica Garnes, Kendra Doyel and Ken DeLuca are strong leaders with decades of experience, and I look forward to their continued success in their new roles. I also want to thank Colleen Juergensen and Tom Schwilke for their many contributions to our customers, associates and shareholders. We wish them well in their well-deserved retirements."

Kroger promoted Smith, president of the company's Atlanta division, to senior vice president of retail divisions. Smith brings more than 40 years of experience in the grocery industry, first joining the company as a courtesy clerk in the Ralphs division in 1983. Smith held various roles within Kroger, including store leader, district manager and meat merchandiser. In 2015, he was promoted to vice president of operations in the Houston division, before returning to Ralphs as vice president of merchandising in 2016. He was promoted to president of the Delta division in 2018 and became president of the Atlanta division in 2022.

Smith joins Valerie Jabbar and Joe Kelley as the company's senior vice presidents of retail divisions.

Garnes, currently president of the Fry's Division, has been promoted to president of the Atlanta division. Garnes began her career with Kroger in 1995 in the Columbus division. She held a variety of leadership roles in her 31-year career with the company, including produce buyer, store manager and district manager. Garnes was promoted to vice president of Merchandising for the Fry's division in 2013 and named vice president of produce/floral merchandising at general office in 2015. She was promoted to her current role in 2018.

DeLuca, currently president the Michigan division, has been promoted to president of the Fry's division. DeLuca began his 38-year Kroger career in 1988 as a clerk in the Michigan division. Since starting his Kroger career, DeLuca held multiple leadership positions in the Michigan division, including store manager, labor relations manager and operations district manager. In 2004, he moved to the Columbus division as operations district manager and in 2005 was promoted to retail operations vice president for the Dillon's division. DeLuca was promoted to vice president of merchandising in 2008 and subsequently back to vice president of operations. He was promoted to his current role in 2018.

Doyel, currently president of the Food 4 Less/Foods Co. division, has been promoted to president of the Ralphs division. Doyel joined the company in 1998 as a pharmacist in the Fry's division. Since then, she has held several diverse and important leadership roles for Fry's, Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Fred Meyer. In 2017, Doyel was promoted to HR leader for Ralphs and Food 4 Less, and in 2022, she was promoted to vice president of merchandising for Ralphs. She was named to her current role in 2025.