CINCINNATI, OH - After 38 years dedicated to the retailer, Kroger’s Delta Division President Scot Hendricks has announced his retirement, effective February 2, 2019. Victor Smith, current Vice President of Merchandising for the Ralphs division, will succeed him.

"Scot's genuine love and passion for the retail business and for his Delta family is illustrated in his interactions with everyone he meets," said Mike Donnelly, Executive Vice President and COO. "His passion for people has made him a tremendous mentor, and he will leave a legacy of driven, hard-working teams who care about each other and the customers and communities they serve."

During his time with Kroger, Hendricks led Kroger’s Delta division, which includes 15,800 associates and 101 stores across West Tennessee and parts of Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri. He first began his Kroger career in the Nashville division management training program in 1981, after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University. After two years, he was promoted to a grocery buyer, according to a press release. From 1986-2000, Hendricks served in several leadership roles in the Atlanta division, before being promoted in 2000 to Kroger’s corporate office. In Cincinnati, he served in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Grocery Merchandising and Procurement. In 2011, he was promoted to Vice President of Merchandising for the Cincinnati/Dayton division; in 2014, he was appointed Vice President of Operations; and in 2015, he was promoted to his current role as President of the Delta division.

In retirement, Scot and his wife, Jill, plan to move to Florida and spend more time with their children and five grandchildren.

Smith will succeed Hendricks as President of the Delta division, effective February 3, 2019. Before assuming the position, he will work closely with Hendricks. Smith’s successor will be announced at a later date.

"Victor has been a valuable leader for this company, no matter his role, since he started with us 35 years ago," Donnelly continued. "He brings a level of operational excellence that will only strengthen the work Scot has done in the Delta division, and will help us continue to deliver on Restock Kroger, our plan to create shareholder value by serving America through food inspiration and uplift."

Smith first joined Kroger in 1983 as a Courtesy Clerk in the Ralphs division, before advancing to Store Manager, Operations Research Analyst, Shrink Manager, Operations Coordinator, District Manager, and Meat Merchandiser. In 2015, he was promoted to Vice President of Operations in the Houston division and then to Ralphs’ Vice President of Merchandising in 2016, in which he led merchandising for all 191 Ralphs locations in Southern California.

In addition to his accomplishments with Kroger, Smith is also a 1999 graduate of the University of Southern California Food Industry Management Program, a 2015 graduate of the University of Southern California Food Industry Executive Program, and is on the board of directors for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, according to a press release.

Congratulations to Scot Hendricks and Victor Smith on these next stages!

Kroger