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Kroger Names New Leader of Consolidated Dallas and Houston Divisions

Rudy DiPietro appointed president of newly formed Texas division
Marian Zboraj, Progressive Grocer
Rudy DiPietro
Rudy DiPietro

The Kroger Co. has revealed that it’s consolidating the president roles of its Dallas and Houston divisions into a single executive position. Rudy DiPietro, currently president of the Dallas division, has been named president of Kroger’s newly formed Texas division, effective Aug. 1. Rudy will report to Valerie Jabbar, SVP of retail divisions. The change follows the retirement of Laura Gump, president of Kroger’s Houston division, after 38 years of service in the grocery retail industry and five years as a Kroger division leader.

Kroger’s newly formed Texas division consists of more than 210 stores and 26,000 associates in North, East and Southeast Texas and West, Central and Southwest Louisiana.

[RELATED: How Kroger, Albertsons Are Moving Forward Following Failed Merger]

“Simplifying into a single Texas division is a strategic decision to create more efficiencies, which allows the team to run great stores with lower prices and deeper investments in our associates,” said Jabbar. “We are confident that Rudy’s leadership and experience will bring together the two teams to create an even better shopping experience for our Texas customers.”

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DiPietro is well equipped to lead the new division. Before joining Kroger earlier in the year, he held a variety of positions during his 21-year career with Ahold Delhaize USA. Most recently, he was VP of omnichannel planning and execution, where he spearheaded omnichannel planning and execution strategies across five brands. 

He previously worked at the Stop & Shop brand as VP of omnichannel merchandising planning and execution and SVP of sales and operations, driving operational focus and customer loyalty throughout the market. Prior to his roles with Stop & Shop, DiPietro also held leadership roles with the Food Lion and Hannaford brands.

Cincinnati-based Kroger employs nearly 420,000 associates who serve more than 11 million customers daily through digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The grocer is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named Kroger among its Retailers of the Century

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