# Rodney McMullen

> Rodney McMullen is an American retail executive who joined Kroger as a part-time stock clerk in 1978, became CEO in 2014 and chairman in 2015, and resigned in March 2025 after a board investigation into personal conduct. His career combined internal advancement, regional grocery acquisitions and investments in digital shopping, including the Ocado partnership. The failed Albertsons transaction and its subsequent litigation remain part of his career’s aftermath.

- **Role:** Retail executive; former chairman and CEO of The Kroger Co.
- **Organizations:** The Kroger Co. (former chairman and CEO), University of Kentucky (alumnus)
- **From:** Pineville, Kentucky, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Undergraduate studies in accounting and finance, University of Kentucky, Master’s degree in accounting, University of Kentucky
- **Known for:** Advanced from part-time store work to chief executive within Kroger., Served as CEO from 2014 to 2025 and chairman from 2015 to 2025., Led Kroger during the launch of the Ocado partnership and expansion of digital shopping.

## Career timeline

- **1978** — Joined Kroger in Lexington, Kentucky, as a part-time stock clerk.
- **1982** — Moved to Charlotte for an accounting role at Kroger.
- **1986** — Became a financial analyst at Cincinnati headquarters.
- **1995** — Became chief financial officer.
- **2003** — Became vice chairman and joined the board.
- **2009** — Became president and chief operating officer.
- **2014** — Became CEO on January 1, succeeding David Dillon.
- **2015** — Became chairman on January 1.
- **2018** — Led Kroger when it announced its US partnership with Ocado.
- **2022** — Advocated the proposed Albertsons combination, including in Senate testimony.
- **2024** — A federal court halted the proposed Albertsons acquisition in December.
- **2025** — Resigned in March after a board investigation into personal conduct.

## Achievements

- Advanced from part-time store work to chief executive within Kroger.
- Served as CEO from 2014 to 2025 and chairman from 2015 to 2025.
- Led Kroger during the launch of the Ocado partnership and expansion of digital shopping.
- Inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2015.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — October 20 Bloomberg Law reporting said Kroger expected to call McMullen to testify in Delaware litigation over the failed Albertsons merger; this does not establish that testimony had occurred.
- **2026-02** — Kroger appointed Greg Foran CEO, succeeding Ron Sargent, who had served as interim CEO following McMullen’s departure.
- **2025-03** — Kroger announced McMullen’s resignation after a board investigation found personal conduct inconsistent with its business ethics policy; the company said the conduct was unrelated to the business and did not involve associates.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodneymcmullen

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/rodney-mcmullen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21