DAVID B. LEWIS ELECTED TO KROGER BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CINCINNATI, OH, March 19, 2002 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that David B. Lewis has been elected to the Company’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Lewis, 57, has been chairman and a director of Lewis & Munday, a Detroit law firm, since 1982. Prior to that, he served as president and chief executive officer for 10 years. From 1972 to 1978, he also served as associate professor of law at the Detroit College of Law.

Mr. Lewis serves as a director of TRW Inc. and Comerica Inc. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Bond Lawyers. He is a former Chairman of the Board and currently serves as General Counsel to the National Association of Securities Professionals. Mr. Lewis has more than 30 years of experience as a bond attorney.

He replaces Carlton J. Jenkins, who recently resigned from the Kroger board after three years of service.

“We appreciate the fine service that Mr. Jenkins provided to Kroger during his tenure on the board,” said Joseph A. Pichler, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of fiscal 2001, the Company operated 2,418 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, Dillon, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operates 789 convenience stores, 427 fine jewelry stores, 227 supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.

« Go back