The Kroger Co. has revealed a slate of new executive appointments. These include:
• Ed Oldham as head of sourcing — Oldham joins Kroger from PetSmart, where he was senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, according to a news release. He led the company’s distribution and transportation strategy across North America, overseeing an international distribution network and 2,500 associates.
Oldham brings more than 25 years of experience in retail, CPGs and consulting, where he led planning, buying, replenishment, operations and sourcing decisions across multi-billion-dollar categories. Before joining PetSmart, Oldham held multiple leadership roles at Petco, Walmart, Ernst & Young and Walgreens. He is set to join Kroger on Aug. 4.
“Ed brings a wealth of knowledge from his time working at and supporting a variety of different retailers,” says Ron Sargent, chairman and CEO of Kroger. “Sourcing plays a critical role in making sure we can provide lower prices to our customers every day. We look forward to Ed bringing his unique experience to this role and helping us improve the customer experience.”
• Ann Reed as group vice president of Our Brands — Reed, currently president of the Cincinnati-Dayton division, is set to begin her new role Aug. 4. She began her career as a co-manager in the Central division in 1993. Since then, she has held a number of leadership positions, including store manager, category manager, deli/bakery merchandiser, director of deli/bakery and director of Fresh Ready Meals, the company says.
Reed was promoted to vice president of merchandising for Fry’s in 2010, followed by vice president of merchandising for Fred Meyer in 2013. She was named vice president of Customer 1st Promise in 2015, promoted to Louisville division president in 2017 and named Cincinnati-Dayton division president in 2022.
“Ann has deep experience across our organization, and she understands what our customers want to buy,” Sargent says. “She worked in divisions throughout the country, getting to know how our customers want to shop and what they want to buy. Ann is bringing a great perspective on the ways we can better take advantage of the significant growth opportunities Our Brands represents for Kroger.”
• Jake Cannon as president of the Cincinnati-Dayton division — Currently president of the Louisville division, Cannon is set to succeed Reed in her former position beginning on Aug. 1. Cannon has more than 20 years of retail experience, beginning his Kroger career as a produce clerk in the Smith’s division in 1999. He held various leadership roles, including assistant store manager, store manager, lead HR coordinator, key retailing special assignment, Customer 1st Promise manager, district manager and division meat merchandiser.
Cannon was named director of operations for the Cincinnati-Dayton division, vice president of freshness and standards for retail operations, then served as vice president of operations for the Cincinnati-Dayton division, and was named Louisville division president in 2022.
“Jake is a great merchandiser and leader who understands the Cincinnati-Dayton division that Kroger calls home,” Sargent says. “He knows how to run successful stores that our customers love, support his associates and invest in our communities. We look forward to the great things that Jake will bring to Greater Cincinnati.”
• Josh Harpole as Louisville division president — Harpole, currently vice president of deli, bakery and prepared foods, is set to succeed Cannon in his former position. Harpole joined the company as a courtesy clerk in the King Soopers division in 1994. He held a variety of leadership positions in the division, including bakery, customer service and general merchandising manager, store manager, operations coordinator, assistant merchandiser and district manager before being promoted to vice president of merchandising for the Louisville division. Harpole was appointed to his current position in 2020.
“Josh knows how to lead great teams,” Sargent says. “He has deep experience across our company, as well as spending time leading our strategy in categories we know are important to our customers. Josh makes selling fun, and he will be a great addition to our team of division presidents as well as an asset to the Louisville community.”
