Lori Raya has been named president of the Kroger Mid-Atlantic division. Raya succeeds Paula Ginnett, who has been promoted to group vice president, retail operations with Kroger’s corporate headquarters in Cincinnati.
Bringing with her more than 30 years of experience in the grocery industry, Raya most recently served as Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer for SpartanNash, a wholesale grocery distributor and retailer. Prior to that, Lori had a successful career at Safeway/Albertsons where she held a number of executive leadership roles. She was division president for Albertsons from 2015-2018 and division president for VONS, a Safeway umbrella company, from 2012-2015. At VONS, Lori led the grocer’s largest division, comprised of more than 275 stores and was the first woman to serve as division president for the brand.
“Lori is a respected leader within the grocery retail industry and her perspective will be a valued addition to the Mid-Atlantic division. She is a people-first leader who will build on the success of Paula and the division team to continue deliver a full, fresh and friendly experience to every customer,” said Valerie Jabbar, senior vice president of retail divisions. “We are so grateful for the leadership that Paula has shown over the past two years, and we are pleased to know that we’ll continue to benefit from her experience as she transitions to a new role with the company.”
Raya is an active and dedicated member of her community, with particular interest in hunger initiatives, youth education and sport. Progressive Grocer named Raya to its Top Women in Grocery awards from 2011 – 2018 and in 2017 she received the publication’s prestigious Trailblazer award. Raya and her husband Sam are excited to relocate to the Richmond region.
“I’m thrilled to be the new president of Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic division, and I can’t wait to work with the talented and passionate team of associates that proudly serves our customers,” said Raya. “One of the things that drew me to Kroger was its focus on supporting communities, and I am looking forward to getting involved and making a difference in Richmond and the other communities Kroger serves throughout our Mid-Atlantic division.”
Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic division, which is headquartered in Richmond, Va., operates more than 100 stores across five states and employs more than 18,000 associates.
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