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Kroger Chief Executive Rodney McMullen resigned from the company following a board investigation of his personal conduct, ending a more than four-decades-long career at the grocery chain.
The supermarket operator said Monday that while the personal conduct was unrelated to the business, it was inconsistent with its policy on business ethics. It has tapped lead director Ronald Sargent to serve as chairman and interim CEO.
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The Cincinnati-based company said its board was made aware of certain personal conduct by McMullen, who also served as chairman, on Feb. 21 and immediately retained outside independent counsel to conduct an investigation, which was overseen by a special board committee.
McMullen’s conduct wasn’t related to Kroger’s financial performance, operations or reporting, and it didn’t involve any Kroger associates, said the company.
“I plan to be a steady, but active hand in the execution of our strategy,” said Sargent, who has been a Kroger director since 2006 and lead director since 2017.
McMullen served as CEO since 2014 and was named chairman in 2015. He spent years climbing up Kroger’s ranks, starting as a part-time stock clerk in 1978.
Write to Denny Jacob at denny.jacob@wsj.com