David Dillon

David B. Dillon (born March 30, 1951) was the CEO of Kroger in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Early life

Born in 1951 in Hutchinson, Kansas, Dillon graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1969. Dillon is an Eagle Scout and was a senior patrol leader in Boy Scout Troop 301, of which his father was Scoutmaster. Dillon attended the University of Kansas, where he was student body president and initiated into Sigma Chi. Dillon also attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

J.S. Dillon, Dillon's great-grandfather, a Presbyterian pastor, started a self-service grocery store in Sterling, Kansas. His sons, including David's grandfather, continued growing the enterprise into a chain of stores. David's father, Paul, along with two cousins, guided the corporation in the next generation when Dillon Stores became a public corporation. It was headquartered in Hutchinson, 20 miles from Sterling.

Career

In 1982, Kroger bought out Dillon Stores. Eventually, a member of the fourth generation of the family, David, became the CEO.

It was announced on September 20, 2013 that he would be retiring as CEO of Kroger effective January 1, 2014 to be succeeded as CEO by W. Rodney McMullen current COO of the company and that David would remain on as Chairman of the Board through the end of 2014.

He sits on the Board of Directors of the Consumer Goods Forum.