Ukrop’s name is synonymous with his family’s former Virginia grocery chain that opened in 1937 and was purchased in 2009 by Dutch retail conglomerate Ahold. In recent years, Ukrop rebooted one of the Ukrop’s stores’ most beloved features: its line of prepared foods. Not long after the sale of the grocery chain, he and his two sons-in-law founded Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, which manufactures baked goods and ready-to-eat meals. In 2020, the company opened Ukrop’s Market Hall in western Henrico County.
Ukrop is heavily involved in supporting regional athletics. In the early 1980s, he helped build The Diamond, Richmond’s baseball stadium. These days, he is focused on swim access and safety, sitting on the board for SwimRVA. “My passion is to work with others, to not only drown-proof RVA but drown-proof the entire commonwealth of Virginia through Learn to Swim programs in schools in all jurisdictions,” he says.
HOW I CHOSE MY CAREER: I loved the idea of helping our family’s business grow and prosper and have the opportunity to help our community as well.
HOW I UNWIND FROM WORK: Swim laps
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: Richmond Kickers