Ralphs' Donna Giordano to Retire
Donna Giordano, president of The Kroger Co.’s Ralphs Grocery Co. division, will retire after 44 years of service at Kroger, effective July 23. Valerie Jabbar, Ralphs VP of merchandising, will succeed her.
Giordano joined Kroger’s King Soopers banner as a courtesy clerk in 1972, while still in college. She became a store manager at King Soopers in 1982, and later held various director-level positions in key areas, including advertising, bakery, general merchandise, grocery and pharmacy. In 1999, Kroger promoted Giordano to president of sales and marketing at King Soopers. She then became president of Kroger’s QFC banner in 2002, before entering her current role.
"Donna's distinguished leadership has helped Ralphs continue to grow, serve more customers in the highly competitive Southern California market, and help Kroger across our business," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger chairman and CEO. "She is respected throughout the industry and among our associates for her strategic leadership and engagement in the communities we serve. The entire Kroger family thanks Donna for her many contributions and wishes her and her family all the best in retirement."
Giordano volunteers with the Network of Executive Women and is a past board member of the Orange County Girl Scouts. She currently is president of the Western Association of Food Chains, where she has been a board member since 2005.
Jabbar began her career with Kroger in 1987 as a clerk in its Fry’s division. She held numerous leadership roles at the banner, including assistant store director, category manager, and drug and general merchandise coordinator. From 2002 to 2010, she held a variety of drug and general merchandising roles at Kroger’s general office in Cincinnati and at Fry’s. She became Fry’s district manager in 2010, then VP of merchandising at the Mid-Atlantic division in 2012. Jabbar entered her current role in 2013.
Founded in 1873, Ralphs Grocery Co. currently operates 204 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles.