CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. announced that Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO, has been appointed to the American Heart Association (AHA) CEO Roundtable. McMullen joins more than 40 CEOs who are committed to improving the health and well-being of their employees and communities.

Rodney McMullen

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., directly impacting our associates, customers and communities every day,” said McMullen. “I believe that through food education, engagement and innovation, we can change the way Americans think about their heart health and overall well-being. I’m honored to represent The Kroger Co. as a member of the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable, and I am excited to partner with my fellow roundtable members to turn actionable health strategies into results.”

Formed in 2013, the AHA CEO Roundtable is dedicated to implementing evidence-based approaches to workplace health. Together, the leadership collaborative—representing many of the world’s largest and most admired companies—works to design, test, evaluate and scale workplace health initiatives.

“As an influential leader for one of the largest retailers in the U.S., Rodney is a champion of workplace and community health,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “We welcome Rodney to the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable leadership collaborative and look forward to working together on innovative solutions to help employees and communities live longer, healthier lives.”

For the third consecutive year, Kroger Health is offering free heart health screenings to customers throughout American Heart Month. The one-on-one consultations, performed by Kroger Health’s licensed healthcare professionals, provide customers with personalized health and wellness recommendations based on cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and blood glucose results. The free screenings are available at more than 2,000 Kroger Family of Pharmacies locations through Saturday, Feb. 29.

“Our vision is to help people live healthier lives,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “By offering free heart health screenings this February, we hope to encourage our customers to proactively safeguard their heart health, not only during American Heart Month, but also throughout their lifelong health and wellness journey.”