FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact: Amy Philpott, 202-303-3400 ext. 425
Washington, DC - United Fresh Las Vegas 2008 will be the place of honor as 25 outstanding produce managers representing 20 different retail supermarket chains, commissaries and independents, in 17 states, are recognized at this year’s convention.
United Fresh President Tom Stenzel announced this year’s winners of the 2008 Retail Produce Manager Award during his speech to the Fresh Produce and Floral Council’s Northern California luncheon today in Pleasanton, CA. “This year’s winners are among the very top performers at store level,” he said. “These are the individuals on the front line of produce sales, and we’re glad to say a small ‘thank you’ to these men and women on behalf of the entire produce industry.”
The 25 winners were selected from some 200 nominations submitted by retail chains, independent supermarkets and produce suppliers across the industry. The 2008 winners are:
Robert Cardwell, Raley's, Fairfield, CA
Gary Clay, Raley's, Santa Rosa, CA
Kevin Colligan, Brookshire Grocery Co., Lafayette, LA
Terry Cox, Foodtown Supermarket, Lambertville, MI
Eddie Duncan, Food Lion, LLC, Gate City, VA
Todd Fenton, Safeway Stores, Inc., Seaside, OR
Brian Gab, Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., Chalmette, LA
Jake Harding, Hy Vee, Inc., Omaha, NE
Neil Hartley, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Kill Devil Hills, NC
Angela Hopson, K-VA-T Foods, Big Stone Gap, VA
Amy Kirk, Safeway Stores, Inc., University Place, WA
Mark Leung, Smith's Food & Drug Center, Midvale, UT
Harry Lewis, Luke AFB Commissary, Glendale, AZ
Paul Lopez, Vons, Paso Robles, CA
David Meier, Safeway Stores, Inc., Auburn, CA
James Molloy, Hannaford Bros. Company, Nashua, NH
John Monahan, Price Chopper Supermarkets/Golub Corporation, Marlborough, MA
Ken Peche, BKT Sentry Foods, Wakesha, WI
Greg Reinhart, Hy Vee, Inc., Marshall, MN
Nancy Riekena, The Kroger Co., Peoria, IL
Julie Rodriguez, Smith’s Food & Drug Center, Bozeman, MT
Bernard Rogers, Jewel Osco, DeKalb, IL
John Schwenk, Bristol Farms, Newport Beach, CA
Richard Thompson, Meijer, Okemos, MI
Ismael Vela, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Edinburg, TX
The 2008 United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program is sponsored by Ready Pac Foods, Inc.. “Ready Pac is pleased to once again sponsor the United Fresh Retail Produce Managers Awards Program. We believe it’s important to honor retail produce managers for their hard work and dedication and to recognize their important role in promoting fresh fruits and vegetables with consumers,” said Dennis Gertmenian, chairman and CEO, Ready Pac Foods, Inc. “We look forward to presenting this award to the outstanding Produce Managers being recognized this year.”
The winners are selected based on their efforts to increase produce consumption through everyday excellence in merchandising, special displays and promotions, community service, and commitment to total customer satisfaction. All winners and their corporate produce directors will be honored at the convention during the Chairman’s Reception & Annual Awards Banquet, Tuesday, May 6 at the Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel. During the banquet, four “Grand Prize” recipients will be announced to receive an additional $1,000 cash prize.
Conference attendees will also hear from several of the winners will share their advice on produce success at the store level during Produce Sales Drivers in Store: Secrets of the Retail Award Winners, a workshop that takes place during the Produce Marketing Track on Tuesday morning.
“This program gets stronger every year,” said Amy Philpott, United Fresh’s vice president of marketing and industry relations. “We received some really outstanding nominations this year, and thanks to Ready Pac’s sponsorship, we’ve increased the number of winners from 20 to 25,” she said. “We look forward to honoring these managers and their corporate directors in Las Vegas.”
Applications for the 2009 Retail Produce Manager Awards Program will be available this fall online at http://www.unitedfresh.org/, with winners again to be honored at the United Fresh show the following year. “It isn’t too early for all retail members and produce marketers to begin looking now at potential nominees for the 2009 Awards Program, and make sure to note outstanding performances throughout the year,” said Philpott.
To attend the Annual Awards Banquet and participate in conference workshops with the retail winners, attendees in Las Vegas must have an All-Access Convention Pass. United Fresh members save $300 on the cost of the All-Access Pass. Registration is now open online at http://www.unitedfreshshows.com/.
