Mike Donnelly named president of Ralphs

CINCINNATI, Ohio The Kroger Co. today announced Mike Donnelly has been named president of the company's Ralphs Food Stores division, based in Los Angeles, effective Aug. 19.

Donnelly joins Ralphs from his current position as president of Kroger's Fry's division, based in Phoenix, where he has spent much of his career. He joined Fry's in 1978 and became president of the division in 2000. He then served as senior vp of drug/gm merchandising and procurement for Kroger before returning to lead Fry's in 2003.

Donnelly replaces Dave Hirz, who is returning to Food 4 Less as president of the division. Hirz has 36 years of experience in the supermarket industry. Prior to joining Ralphs in 2004, he led Food 4 Less, which operates 146 price-impact, warehouse format supermarkets in California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana.