Kroger announced a restructuring of its leadership and operational footprint in Texas, consolidating its Dallas and Houston Divisions into a single, unified Texas Division. The change, effective August 1, 2025, is intended to streamline operations and enhance competitiveness across the region. The newly formed Texas Division will include more than 210 stores and 26,000 employees spanning North, East, and Southeast Texas, as well as West, Central, and Southwest Louisiana.

Rudy DiPietro

 

Rudy DiPietro, currently serving as president of Kroger’s Dallas Division, has been appointed president of the consolidated Texas Division. In this role, he will oversee all retail operations across the expanded territory and report to Valerie Jabbar, Kroger’s senior vice president of retail divisions.

DiPietro brings more than two decades of retail leadership experience to the position. Before joining Kroger, he spent 21 years at Ahold Delhaize USA, holding key executive roles across several of the company’s brands. His background includes leadership in omnichannel strategy, merchandising, and operations. He previously served as vice president of Omnichannel Planning and Execution, senior vice president of Sales and Operations for Stop & Shop, vice president of Merchandising at Food Lion, and vice president of Retail Operations for Hannaford’s Western Division.

Laura Urquiza Gump

 

The leadership transition follows the planned retirement of Laura Urquiza Gump, who has served as president of Kroger’s Houston Division since 2020. Gump is concluding a 38-year career in the grocery industry, including five years with Kroger. During her tenure, she played a key role in leading store operations, employee engagement initiatives, and community partnerships across the Houston market.

Following her retirement, Gump plans to split her time between cities to be closer to family, while also pursuing opportunities in consulting, community involvement, and advocacy work.