Lindholz steps down as Kroger Health president

CINCINNATI — Colleen Lindholz has retired as president of Kroger Health after more than three decades with the grocer.

"It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to lead the Kroger Health team, and I’m beyond proud of the purpose-driven work we’ve accomplished together," she wrote on LinkedIn.

As president of Kroger Health, Lindholz led pharmacy, clinical and nutrition operations, including health care–related digital solutions and telehealth platforms. Kroger Health comprises more than 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics across 35 states, serving over 17 million customers each year.

A passionate advocate for Kroger Health’s vision of helping people live healthier lives, Lindholz led the development of the company’s Food as Medicine strategy.

"The ideas she championed will continue shaping the future of health for years to come," the Nourishing Change movement posted on LinkedIn.

Lindholz "helped turn a bold idea into a movement that reshaped how our industry thinks about food, health and the connection between the two," Nourishing Change wrote. "Her philosophy was simple and unwavering: prevention, not treatment. Proactive, not reactive. She believed, and proved, that as a grocery store first, Kroger could put food at the center of health and help combat illness before it begins."

That same spirit became the foundation of Nourishing Change, it said, "built on the belief that improving health is too big for any one organization to solve alone. Today, the movement brings leaders across retail, healthcare, science, policy, technology and community together to turn ideas into action and help people eat better, access care and live healthier lives. Nourishing Change is what it is today because leaders like Colleen had the vision to show us what was possible and the courage to pave the path forward."

Lindholz joined Kroger in 1995 as a pharmacist in the Cincinnati/Dayton division and went on to hold a variety of roles including manager, coordinator, sales promoter, recruiter and merchandiser. In 2013, she was promoted to director of pharmacy sales and marketing at Kroger’s general office. She later served as president and chief executive officer of The Little Clinic beginning in 2015. In April 2017, she became the first president of the newly established Kroger Health organization.

Lindholz’s leadership has earned wide recognition. She has received Kroger’s Chairman’s Award and Leadership Award. Her accolades also include the Forbes Best Service Award.

In 2018, the Break the Ceiling Women in Leadership Summit honored her as one of the Most Inspirational Female Leaders of the Year. In 2019, she was named one of Eat­ing­­Well magazine’s American Food Heroes and one of Forbes’ Powerful Women Shaping the Future of Food. More recently, she was recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s Top Women Leaders in 2023 and a Mass Market Retailers Influential Woman in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

"What I will carry with me most are the people," she wrote on LinkedIn. "I’ve had the honor of working alongside extraordinary associates, providers, leaders, and advocates who show up every day to serve others. Any success we've achieved has been a reflection of their perseverance, expertise, and heart.

" Thank you to the countless people who have shared my vision, challenged my thinking, and entrusted me with the opportunity to lead. The impact I've had was made possible by you.

"No matter where I am, I remain grounded in my values and vision for the future of healthcare. The pursuit of helping people live healthier lives never ends. And our work is not done.  I’m looking forward to new ways to lead, learn, and contribute. I want to use my experience and passion to bring more good into the world.  My role may change, but my calling will not."