Robert Clark, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Enterprise Sourcing, has announced his retirement after more than 35 years with Kroger. But, as we have seen time and again, every end marks a new beginning. Stepping in to succeed Clark is Gabriel Arreaga, who most recently served as the Senior Vice President of Supply Chain for Mondelēz International, effective today, October 1.
In his new role, Arreaga will be responsible for the supply chain organization including logistics, inventory, and replenishment. In his former position, Arreaga led a team of over 14,000 employees within the network of 41 internal and external factories, 49 fulfillment centers, direct-to-store branches, and logistics and product development.
Prior to this, Arreaga served as Vice President of Operations for Stanley Black and Decker, as well as having worked in similar roles at Unilever.
"Gabriel's proven history of outstanding leadership and management of complex supply chain and logistics functions will accelerate our ability to provide a seamless shopping experience for our customers," noted Rodney McMullen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We welcome Gabriel and his 22 years of leadership experience in the industry and look forward to adding his fresh perspective and insights to our growing operations."
Looking to Clark as he passes the torch, McMullen shared glowing words for the retiring leader’s impact on the company.
"We thank Robert [Clark] for his 35 years of dedicated service and leadership," McMullen continued. "He's been an instrumental leader at all levels of our organization and has built collaborative teams and developed business strategies that have advanced our operations and uplifted our associates and customers."
As the two leadership paths diverge and new chapters begin, Deli Market News offers our congratulations to both as we continue to report on the changing of guards and what that may hold for brands like Kroger in our industry.
