Update 6/2/2026: Kroger announced the retirement of Tim Massa, Executive Vice President and Chief Associate Experience Officer, on May 26.
Kroger SVP Valerie Jabbar has retired from the company after a 38-year run, and she’s the third senior executive to leave the Cincinnati-based company since former Walmart CEO Greg Foran took the helm of Kroger in February.
Earlier this month, Global VP of the Kroger Capability Center Jamie Lancaster announced on LinkedIn that he was leaving the retailer after 18 years.
In April, Kroger’s former SVP of Retail Divisions Joe Kelley was appointed COO at Associated Wholesale Grocers.
Foran replaced Interim CEO Ron Sargent, who remained with the company as Chairman of the Board.
Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s former CEO, who served for 11 years, resigned abruptly in March 2025 following an internal investigation that revealed that his personal conduct, “while unrelated to the business, was inconsistent with Kroger’s Policy on Business Ethics,” according to a statement shared by the company.
Jabbar Rose from Clerk to SVP
Jabbar’s first job at Kroger was a Clerk role in the Fry’s division in 1987. She climbed the ranks over more than 35 years, becoming a District Manager, VP of Merchandising, Division President of Ralphs and Group VP of Center Store Merchandising. Jabbar was appointed SVP in 2021.
“Val’s journey from Store Clerk to Senior Vice President is a testament to what’s possible at Kroger,” Sargent said in a statement. “She shaped teams, developed leaders and touched countless associates across this company for nearly four decades.”
In Q4, which ended Jan. 31, 2026, Kroger reported sales without fuel increased 2.1% to $34.7 billion. The company reported an operating profit of $1.246 billion. Kroger kicked off a physical store expansion program in December 2025.
This year, Kroger projects identical sales without fuel to grow between 1% and 2%. Kroger will report its Q1 earnings results on June 18, 2026.
