Frank Lazaran, chairman, president and CEO of Marsh Supermarkets Inc., is leaving the company, the Indianapolis-based grocery chain announced Tuesday.

Sun Capital Partners, the Boca Raton, Fla.-based owner of Marsh, installed Lazaran as CEO in October 2006 after it acquired the then-publicly-owned chain for about $325 million and took it private.

Sun Capital said it has already conducted an executive search and hired a successor for Lazaran, but will not announce the new CEO until early May.

Supermarket News, citing unnamed industry sources, reported late Tuesday that former Price Chopper executive vice president Joseph Kelley would replace Lazaran. Price Chopper is a Schenectady, N.Y.-based grocery chain with about 125 locations in six states, mostly in New York.

Lazaran, 54, a 30-year grocery industry veteran, was CEO of Florida-based Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. before taking over at Marsh. His resignation will be effective at the end of April.

In a prepared statement, Marsh said Lazaran informed employees of his decision earlier Tuesday.

“Frank told employees that since the passing of his father this past summer he has realized a need to return to southern California in order to spend more time tending to family matters,” the statement said.

Marsh operates more than 100 stores in Indiana and Ohio, with about half in the Indianapolis area.