The
United Fresh Foundation, through its Center for Leadership Excellence, is now
accepting nominations for the 2011 United Fresh
Retail Produce Manager Awards Program. Established in 2005 by founding
sponsor Ready Pac Foods, Inc., the program will honor 25 retail produce
managers at the store level and include their corporate produce directors in
formal recognition at the United Fresh 2011 convention and expo, May 2-5 in New
Orleans.
"Retail produce managers are some of the
most public faces for the fruit and vegetable industry. That brings with it a
great amount of responsibility and opportunity," said Vice Chairman of United’s
Retail-Foodservice Board Randy Scott, Category Manager Produce for Food Lion.
"Each manager has a unique opportunity to interact directly with the consumer
and has the ability, through innovative displays, promotions and sheer
creativity, to positively affect all of our bottom lines."
The 25 award winners and their
corporate produce directors will receive complimentary airfare, hotel
accommodations and registrations to United Fresh 2011. The winners will be
honored at the annual United Fresh Awards Banquet on Thursday, May 4, where
five grand prize winners will be announced as recipients of an additional
$1,000 cash prize.
"As a direct line to the consumer, retail
produce managers are our industry’s best advocates," said Michael Solomon,
President and CEO of Ready Pac Foods, Inc. "Ready Pac is pleased to
sponsor this program and honor these exceptional men and women who are working
tirelessly to promote the fresh produce industry."
"Great employees, empowered by their
management, make a huge difference in store sales, and the unwavering support
from supermarket executives to honor their front line produce staff has been
tremendous," said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel. "It’s a
great sight to see the who’s who of senior retail executives attend the awards
ceremony year after year to stand up and cheer for their winners."
Nominations for the Retail Produce Manager
Awards Program may be accessed online and
must be received by February 7, 2011.
"This program presents a tremendous
opportunity for retailers and produce companies who work closely with retail
companies, to recognize store-level produce managers who excel in their role,"
added Victoria Backer, United Fresh senior vice president of member services,
foundation.
Click here
for more information, including selection criteria and a list of winners since
2005 or contact Backer at vbacker@unitedfresh.org or
202-303-3400, ext. 408.
The
2010 Retail Produce Manager Award winners included:
§Douglas
Collins, Food City, Prestonsburg, KY
§Lynette
DeClerck, Niemann Foods, Inc., Pana, IL
§Brent
Doud, Safeway Stores, Inc., Albany, OR
§Samuel
D. Fannin, The Kroger Co., Reynoldsburg, OH
