The Kroger Co. announced several appointments of experienced enterprise leaders to new retail roles and expanded responsibilities. Monica Garnes, currently president of the Fry’s Division, has been promoted to president of the Atlanta Division. Garnes began her career with Kroger in 1995 in the Columbus Division. She held a variety of leadership roles in her 31-year career with the company, including Produce buyer, store manager, and district manager.
Garnes was promoted to vice president of Merchandising for the Fry’s Division in 2013 and named vice president of Produce/Floral Merchandising at General Office in 2015. She was promoted to her current role in 2018. She currently sits on The University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees and Arizona Commerce Authority Board.
Ken DeLuca, currently president the Michigan Division, has been promoted to president of the Fry’s Division. DeLuca began his 38-year Kroger career in 1988 as a clerk in the Michigan Division. Since starting his Kroger career, DeLuca held multiple leadership positions in the Michigan Division, including store manager, Labor Relations manager, and Operations district manager. In 2004, he moved to the Columbus Division as Operations district manager and in 2005 was promoted to Retail Operations vice president for the Dillon’s Division. DeLuca was promoted to vice president of Merchandising in 2008 and subsequently back to vice president of Operations. He was promoted to his current role in 2018.
DeLuca served as an executive board member on the Rags Remembered Foundation in Michigan. During his time in the Dillon’s Division, he was a board member for the Kansas Children’s Service League and the Cancer Council of Reno County.
Tom Schwilke, president of the Ralphs Division, announced his plans to retire after seven years with Kroger and more than 42 years in the retail industry.
Schwilke joined Kroger in 2019 as division president in the Dallas Division with 35 years of merchandising and retail leadership experience, including president and general manager of Safeway’s NorCal Division, president and general manager of Perishables and group vice president of Produce and Floral. He was promoted to his current role leading the Ralphs Division in 2020.
Kendra Doyel, currently president of the Food 4 Less/Foods Co Division, has been promoted to president of the Ralphs Division. Doyel joined the company in 1998 as a pharmacist in the Fry’s Division. Since then, she has held several diverse and important leadership roles for Fry’s, Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Fred Meyer. In 2017, Doyel was promoted to HR leader for Ralphs and Food 4 Less, and in 2022, she was promoted to vice president of Merchandising for Ralphs. She was named to her current role in 2025.
She served as the board chair for the California Grocers Association and on the board of directors for the Network of Executive Women. In 2022, the CGA Educational Foundation presented Doyel with the Hall of Achievement Award for her outstanding service and dedication to the food industry.
After 45 years of dedicated service, Colleen Juergensen, president of the Central Division, announced her plans to retire.
Juergensen began her career with the company as a bakery clerk in her hometown of Great Bend, Kansas, in 1981. She served in various leadership roles in the Dillons Division including store leader, district manager, and vice president of Operations. Juergensen joined the Smith’s Division as vice president of Operations in 2012 and was named to vice president of Merchandising for Smith’s in 2015. She was promoted to her current role as president of Dillons in 2016.
