The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced that Geoffrey J. Covert has been named Senior Vice President of Retail Operations, effective January 1, 2011. Mr. Covert, 59, joined Kroger in 1996. He has served as President of the Company's Cincinnati/Dayton Division for the past six years. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President and President of Kroger Manufacturing. Before joining Kroger, Mr. Covert worked for 22 years in a number of management positions at Procter & Gamble. Mr. Covert is a native of Cleveland. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1973.