Child of adoption, troublemaker, martial artist, business leader and philanthropist. These attributes not only describe Chris L. Kenny, Esq. the person, but trace the journey from his challenging youth to Chief Executive Officer of one of Delaware’s largest supermarket chains. His story of resilience and personal growth serves as an example for all of us seeking to thrive in the face of adversity.

Shortly after birth, Chris was adopted. His adoptive mother has a passion for babies and opened her home to over 100 newborn throughout her life. Chris was fortunate to be the first child adopted into the family.

Chris spent much of his early years exploring youthful indiscretions and pushing limits to the fullest. His will, curiosity and brazen force was overwhelming for his parents and teachers to deal with, getting in frequent fights with other kids and spending more than his fair share of time in detention.

To escape his troubles, Chris’s mind drifted into the world of medieval fantasy. He sought refuge in daydreams about heroes and heroines, myths, monsters and magic, including imagining himself as a young Arthur pulling Excalibur from the stone. That same imagination now supplies the vision that guides Chris’s bold risk-taking.

After one too many phone calls from the school principal, Chris’s parents shipped him off to military school. They decided it was the best option for him to discover how to channel his energy towards maturity. They were right, it was at Valley Forge Military Academy that Chris began to establish the habits that would facilitate his personal growth.

Notwithstanding his frequent insubordinate behavior, Valley Forge provided structure and discipline to Chris’s life. The rigorous schedule, high expectations and strict rules brought purpose to his daily routine. He learned important principles of integrity and leadership, coming to revere the school’s motto: Courage, Honor, Conquer. True to his nature, Chris ultimately graduated magna cum laude while accumulating the most demerits on campus along the way.

Following graduation, Chris went on to earn a degree in business and finance from the University of Delaware and a corporate law degree from Delaware Law School, ultimately passing the bar exam in three jurisdictions. Eventually, Chris would join his family’s business operating a string of grocery stores in Delaware. After a decade working in successive leadership roles in the company, he would become President and CEO.

Since assuming the reins of Kenny Family Shoprites of Delaware, Chris has doubled their number of stores, revenue and jobs created by their family business. Chris serves as a current and former board member to over a dozen Delaware non-profits. His family, business and the Kenny Family Foundation have collectively donated over $6 million in charitable contributions to over 1,000 local organizations since establishing in Delaware in 1995.

As a multifaceted citizen of the world, Chris travels when his schedule allows, immersing himself in new cultures, customs and cuisine. A student of the martial arts, he especially connects with philosopher Sun Tzu, applying his teachings on self-defense and strategy throughout his life. Chris feels his evolution is never complete, always looking for the next adventure and opportunity to learn. In 2019 he founded A Better Delaware, a non-partisan public policy and political advocacy organization that supports pro-growth, pro-jobs policies and greater transparency and accountability in state government. In 2020 Chris founded Delaware Live, a locally owned statewide media company and free digital media platform rooted in traditional journalism.

Chris lives with his wife, Teresa, and their two daughters in Wilmington, Delaware.

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