What Happened?
Cincinnati, OH-based Kroger has Retired Paul W. Heldman as General Counsel
About the Company
Kroger, one of the world`s largest retailers, employs more than 339,000 associates who serve customers in 2,425 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry`s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith`s. The company also operates 789 convenience stores, 337 fine jewelry stores, 1,109 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger also operates over 80 “The Little Clinic” retail healthcare sites inside select Kroger, King Sooper and Fry`s stores. Recognized by Forbes as the most generous company in America, Kroger supports hunger relief, breast cancer awareness, the military and their families, and more than 30,000 schools and grassroots organizations in the communities it serves. Kroger contributes food and funds equal to 160 million meals a year through more than 80 Feeding America food bank partners.
About the Person
Paul W. Heldman served as Executive Vice President of The Kroger Co. from May 5, 2006 to May 2014, Secretary from May 21, 1992 to May 2014 and General Counsel from June 18, 1989 to May 2014. Paul Heldman, a graduate of Boston University and the University of Cincinnati College of Law, joined Kroger in 1982 as an attorney in the company's law department, where he focused on labor and employment law. He held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including senior counsel, assistant secretary, vice president, group vice president and senior vice president before assuming his current roles. As general counsel, Mr. Heldman has built a strong team of in-house law and labor relations professionals. He has played an important role in many of Kroger's major decisions. He worked alongside other leaders to help Kroger avoid a leveraged buyout attempt in 1988 and to implement a restructuring and recapitalization effort that allowed Kroger to remain a public company while rewarding shareholders and expanding the availability of stock options to associates; and he was a key leader on the team that executed Kroger's merger with Fred Meyer, Inc. in 1999 to establish the nation's largest grocery company. "Paul's contributions to our company during his 31-year career are quite remarkable," said David Dillon, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "He has been a trusted advisor and exceptional leader, providing outstanding guidance for our leadership team when we needed it most. We wish Paul, his wife Debbie and their family all the best." Mr. Heldman is also a member of the board of directors of CenterBank, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) and the Ohio Innocence Project; and he serves as a trustee for the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati.
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