A Vancouver native who started his Fred Meyer career in 1975 as a parcel clerk will become the president and chief operating officer of Kroger Co.
The Cincinnati-based retailer, which owns Fred Meyer, has tapped Michael Ellis for the executive job.
The move, effective Jan. 1, 2014, will complete a succession plan announced in September.
Ellis, 55, is currently Kroger’s senior vice president of retail divisions, where he leads five retail supermarket divisions and Kroger’s jewelry and convenience store businesses. He previously served as president of Portland-based Fred Meyer — Kroger’s largest operating division by revenue — for six years.
“Mike’s broad-based experience on both the food and general merchandise sides of our business make him a great fit for this role,” David Dillon, Kroger’s chairman and CEO, said in a news release.
