CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. has promoted Donna Giordano to president of its Ralphs division.

Kroger Co. has promoted Donna Giordano to president of its Ralphs division.

The 57-year-old Giordano has been president of the company’s Seattle-based Quality Food Centers (QFC) division since 2002.

She succeeds Mike Donnelly, who was recently promoted to senior vice president of merchandising for Kroger.

"Donna is an engaging and strategic leader who has earned the respect of our associates," Kroger president and chief operating officer Rodney McMullen says. "Her extensive experience and focus on connecting with customers has contributed to the success of QFC.

"She has passion and gets the job done," he says. "We are excited that she accepted this new role to lead Ralphs."

Giordano brings nearly 40 years of retail experience to her new role with Los Angeles-based Ralphs. She began her career at Kroger’s King Soopers business unit in 1972, becoming a store manager a decade later.

Since then she has held executive-level positions in advertising, bakery, general merchandise, grocery and pharmacy.

In 1999 Giordano was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing at King Soopers, and she was named president of QFC three years later.