Kroger promotes exec to VP of retail divisions

Cincinnati – Kroger has promoted Mark Tuffin to senior VP of retail divisions. He succeeds Michael Ellis, who will become Kroger's president and COO on Jan. 1, 2014.



Tuffin, 53, has been president of the company's Smith's Food and Drug Stores division since 2011. He brings more than 32 years of grocery industry experience to his new role. He held various positions with other supermarket retailers before joining Smith's Food and Drug Stores in 1996, where he held several key leadership roles including vice president of merchandising. In 2009, Tuffin was named VP of transition for Kroger. In this role, he led Kroger's efforts to implement significant organizational changes between all areas of the business.



"Mark is an exceptional leader with an extensive knowledge of the grocery industry," said Ellis. "He has made significant contributions to our company and industry, while always championing our customer first strategy. We look forward to Mark's leadership in this senior role as we continue to accelerate Kroger's growth."