Kroger creates two new Texas divisions, names execs

Cincinnati - The Kroger Co.is establishing two new supermarket divisions in Texas -- a Dallas division and a Houston division. Previously, both markets were served as part of Kroger's Southwest division.



Kroger also announced that Dana Zurcher, VP of operations for the Southwest division has been promoted to serve as president of the company's new Dallas division, effective Oct. 1. Bill Breetz, who has been serving as president of the Southwest division since 2002, will continue to oversee operations in Texas and Louisiana for the remainder of the year, and serve as president of the new Houston division.



The company has previously outlined capital investment plans of approximately $700 million in Dallas-Fort Worth and $500 million in Houston for the next three years.



Kroger's new Dallas division includes 105 stores in the Dallas and Fort Worth markets and in the Shreveport and Alexandria, Louisiana area. The new Houston division includes 109 stores in the greater Houston region, as well as stores in Lake Charles, Louisiana.



Zurcher brings 30 years of leadership experience to her new role. She began her Kroger career in Indianapolis store management in 1985. She served in a number of leadership roles in the Central division, including store manager and district coordinator. In 2002, she was named a district manager in the company's Fry's division in Phoenix. In 2008, she was promoted to director of operations for the Ralphs division in Los Angeles, where she served until she was promoted to VP of operations for Kroger's Mid-South division in 2011. She has served in her current role since 2013.