Ron founded the Yucaipa Companies, a private investment firm that invests primarily its own capital. Yucaipa has completed 16 transactions in the supermarket industry nationwide including the acquisition and sale of Dominick's Finer Foods and mergers including: Ralph's Grocery Company, Alpha Beta and Hughes Markets; Fred Meyer, Inc.; Smith's Food and Drug; and QFC. In May of 1999 Yucaipa completed the merger of Fred Meyer, Inc. with the Kroger Company, forming the largest supermarket company in the Unites States. Ron is a member of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kroger Company and a member of the Boards of Kaufman & Broad and Occidental Petroleum Corporation. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) America; Member of the Medical Sciences at UCLA; Co-Chairman of the Center for International Relations at UCLA. |