Cincinnati — Lynn Gust, the president of Portland, Ore.-based Fred Meyer Stores, plans to retire and Jeff Burt has been promoted to succeed him. Burt currently serves as president of The Kroger Co.’s central division.
“Throughout his distinguished career, Lynn as always led by empowering, encouraging and supporting others,” says Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “Lynn is widely respected throughout our company and industry for his passion for people, the food business, and the communities we serve. The entire Kroger family wishes Lynn and his family all the best in retirement.”
Gust began his career with Kroger in 1970 as a parcel clerk at Fred Meyer’s Fourth Plain store in Vancouver, Wash. In 1972, he entered Fred Meyer’s food management program and advanced to serve in a variety of leadership roles in the division, including food department manager, training coordinator, grocery buyer and director of grocery sales & merchandising. After serving as group vice president for the food group, he was named senior vice president of the store operations group in 2003. Gust was named executive vice president of corporate merchandising and advertising in 2006, followed by vice president of operations in 2011. He was promoted to president of Fred Meyer in 2012.
Burt is currently president of Kroger’s central division, which operates food stores primarily in Indiana and Illinois. His successor will be named at a later date.
“Jeff is a strong, dynamic leader who brings out the best in our associates,” says McMullen. “His enthusiasm for serving our customers combined with both broad and deep experience in our business — including in the Pacific Northwest — will serve our Fred Meyer team well. We are grateful he agreed to take on this important role.”
Burt began his career with Kroger in 1986 as a management trainee. He has held a variety of leadership positions with the company in Cincinnati, Florida, Indianapolis and Seattle, including store manager, produce merchandiser and vice president of merchandising and operations. In 2004, he was named corporate vice president of deli/bakery merchandising and procurement, before being promoted to group vice president of perishables merchandising and procurement in 2010. He has served as president of Kroger’s central division since 2013.
Kroger, one of the world’s largest retailers, has 2,774 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Banners include Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Pick ‘n Save, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s. The company also operates 786 convenience stores, 326 fine jewelry stores, 1,360 supermarket fuel centers and 37 food processing plants in the U.S.
SOURCE: The Kroger Co.