CINCINNATI, Ohio — The Kroger Co. on September 20 announced that Richard K. Davidson has been elected to the Board of Directors.
Mr. Davidson, 60, is chairman and chief executive officer of Union Pacific Corp., based in Omaha, Nebraska. He has held that position since 1997. Mr. Davidson joined Union Pacific Railroad in 1982 when it merged with the Missouri Pacific and the Western Pacific Railroads. He was promoted to Vice President-Operations in 1986 and to Executive Vice President in 1989. He was appointed President and CEO of Union Pacific Railroad in 1991 and chairman and CEO a short time later.
Mr. Davidson currently serves on the board of directors of Grupo Ferroviario Mexicano. He is a director of Creighton University and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Boy Scouts of America.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,447 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under approximately two dozen banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith’s, Fry’s and Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 782 convenience stores, 439 fine jewelry stores, 307 supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants.