United Fresh names outstanding produce manager award winners for 2012
United Fresh has named 25 produce managers from the U.S. and Canada as honorees in its Retail Produce Manager Awards Program. The 25 were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by retailers and produce suppliers across the industry. Selections were made based on criteria that included 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 United Fresh 2012 during the Chairman’s Reception & Produce Celebration Dinner on Tuesday, May 1, at the Hyatt Dallas at Reunion in Dallas. In addition to the awards, five grand prize recipients will receive an additional $1,000.
On the United Fresh 2012 trade show floor, select program winners will also take part in a panel discussion of retail strategies and trends, as well as consumer purchasing habits.
The 2012 winners are:
• Leslie Alex, Hannaford Brothers, Dover, N.H.
• Ricky Allemand, Brookshire Grocery Company, New Iberia, La.
• John Ballard, Food City/K-VA-T Food Stores, Lafollete, Tenn.
• Phil Burgess, Safeway Stores, Bend, Ore.
• Brian Burrow, Brookshire Grocery Company, Whitehouse, Texas
• Franklin Bys, Hy-Vee, Inc., Coralville, Iowa
• James Campbell, Sunflower Farmers Market, Denver, Colo.
• Brian Collegnon, Rueben’s County Market , Hartford, Wis.
• Ross Corbin Conrad, Colemans Food Centres, Corner Brook, NFL, Canada
• Brian Corbitt, Bel Air Market/Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, Sacramento, Calif.
• Jolene Cyr, Food Maxx/Save Mart Supermarkets, Fairfield, Calif.
• Ron Danielson, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, Woodland, Calif.
• Chad Faulk, Harris Teeter, Charlotte, N.C.
• John Heon, Big Y Foods, Lee, Mass.
• Rich Jackson, Quality Food Centers, Sammamish, Wash.
• Steve Kaminski, Jewel-Osco, Westmont, Ill.
• Charmagne Kendrick, VG’s Food Center/Spartan Stores, Fenton, Mich.
• Jim Kesteloot, Harris Teeter, Reston, Va.
• Michael Kolek, Jewel-Osco, Schaumburg, Ill.
• Brian Langdon, The Kroger Company, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Mike McElmeel, Hy-Vee, Inc., Silvis, Ill.
• Elizabeth Myers, New River MCAS Commissary, Jacksonville, N.C.
• Wanda Ivy Nicholas, Travis Air Force Base Commissary, Travis, Calif.
• Nick Puleo, Vons, San Diego, Calif.
• George Sanders, Price Chopper/Golub Corporation, Barre, Vt.
Now in its eighth year, the awards program is sponsored by Ready Pac Foods.
Applications for the 2013 Retail Produce Manager Awards Program will be available this fall online at www.unitedfresh.org, with winners to be honored at United Fresh 2013. More information on United Fresh 2012 can be found at www.UnitedFresh2012.org.
