Cincinnati, Oh., USA - December 12, 2014, Cincinnati, Oh., USA - The Kroger Co. announces that David B. Dillon will retire as chairman of the board on December 31, after 38 years of service.
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Mr. Dillon served in a variety of leadership roles after joining the Dillons Company in 1976 with its King Soopers division in Denver. During his career, he served in various leadership positions with Fry’s Food Stores and the Dillon Companies before being named president of Dillon Companies in 1986.
He was appointed executive vice president of Kroger in 1990, and he was elected president and chief operating officer of the company in 1995. He was named CEO of Kroger in 2003. He was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2004.
Mr. Dillon is a member of the board of directors of DIRECTV. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the University of Cincinnati Foundation, the Board of Trustees for the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, the Board of Trustees for the University of Kansas Endowment, the Board of Trustees for Bethesda, Inc., and the Board of Directors for Catalyst.
Mr. Dillon earned a bachelor’s degree in Business at the University of Kansas and a law degree at Southern Methodist University.
The Kroger Board of Directors elected Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chief executive officer, to the additional post of chairman commencing on January 1, 2015.
Mr. McMullen joined Kroger in 1978 as a part-time stock clerk in Lexington, KY. During his career with Kroger, he has served in numerous leadership positions, including Assistant Treasurer, Vice President of Planning and Capital Management, Corporate Controller, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman.
He was elected to Kroger’s Board of Directors in 2003, to President and Chief Operating Officer in 2009, and to his current position in 2014. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Cincinnati Financial Corp. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Xavier University and on the Business Partnership Foundation, Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky. ■