2023 NE Emerging Leaders

The Griffin Report of the Northeast is pleased to honor...

Nichole Brunette Peapod Digital Labs Human Resources Business Partner Every day, Nichole touches the lives of many employees by creating a relationship of trust and by treating each person with respect and equity.

Nichole started her career on the frontlines of grocery at Hannaford Supermarkets, a brand of Ahold Delhaize. While at Hannaford, she served in many capacities within a 14-year period, starting as a front-end supervisor. It was in her final role at Hannaford as an associate relations manager that she began her career in

Pam Centonze Campbell Soup Co. Customer Sales Lead Pam Centonze joined Campbell in 2016 as an audit team leader but has found her place and emerged as a true retail food leader since 2018 through her work in promotional planning, category

management and sales.

While supporting Wakefern for Campbell’s meals and beverage portfolio, Pam leads and manages the development and implementation of strategic business plans with the Wakefern corporate and divisional teams.

She partners with Wakefern to develop aisle flow and

Candace Davis ADUSA Procurement Senior Manager, Demand Systems Throughout her career in retail grocery, Candace has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to problem-solving and implementing solutions that maximize the customers' shopping

experience.

Her dedication and passion for her work are evident

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EMERGING

LEADERS

human resources, serving as in-store HR support, helping with tasks associated with everything from labor and employment law to employee relations.

During her time at Hannaford, Nichole became known for her care, kindness, love of people, resourcefulness, diligence in getting work done and great work ethic. Nichole helped everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or age. Her goal was – and is – to always provide equal support to anyone and everyone.

Following her time at Hannaford, Nichole continued her career in human resources at the Retail Business Services brand of Ahold Delhaize. She is now at Peapod Digital Labs, the e-commerce engine that supports the U.S. grocery brands of Ahold Delhaize. She stepped into Peapod and became a mentor and coach to many employees and leaders.

The organization, like many corporate companies, faced

recent challenges, which not only greatly increased Nichole’s workload but brought with it increased stress, often amid ambiguity. Nichole took it all in stride.

Nichole’s passion for people and PDL’s DEI initiatives extends outside of her work. She gives back to her community in Maine as a volunteer for the Troop 280 Girl Scouts.

She recently led her troop as they packed more than 300 traditional meals for refugees facing food insecurity.

Nichole works with a DEI mindset at all times by helping to better the company’s inclusion networks’ membership and participation and by taking the lead and adding a DEI presence during onboarding meetings for new hires. She is an extremely humble and team-oriented person. Nichole plays a huge part in making the brands of Ahold Delhaize a great place to work.

planograms that best represent shopping behaviors. Working with cross-functional team members, she also develops and drives key brand strategies and initiatives that best present and showcase Campbell’s innovation in-store and online.

One of Pam’s key strengths is her ability to engage and motivate. With the same determination that closes sales, she challenges colleagues to think outside the box and question unproductive ways of working with the simple statement, “If you don’t ask, the answer is always 'no.'”

Pam’s primary focus is not just on the job, but also on the people. She believes the more we learn about others, the better we understand how to form meaningful relationships. That’s why she is involved in every Campbell employee resource group, including the Black Resource Group, Women’s Inclusion Network, OPEN, Veterans’ Connection and Latino Network. And she encourages others to participate.

She spearheads Campbell’s relationship with the women’s development program NextUp. A true culture builder, she’s also an active member of Campbell’s Sales Fun Committee, where she welcomes new employees, organizes events and created a weekly communication promoting attendance at company events and celebrating birthdays and other key milestones.

In 2023, Pam was recognized at Campbell’s National Sales Meeting with the organization’s Brave Space Award for supporting the work of the Diversity & Inclusion Sales Council.

In her Philadelphia community, Pam serves meals every week at the Philly House homeless shelter. She also coaches CrossFit at Fearless Athletics, where she mentors high school athletes through Forging Youth Resilience, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young people to build physical and mental strength.

in her tireless efforts to identify and overcome challenges.

Through her innovative ideas and relentless pursuit of optimization, she has consistently delivered results that enhance the overall shopping experience and positively impact the organization.

In addition to her dedication to retail grocery, Candace has exhibited remarkable leadership qualities that truly motivate others to do their best in their daily tasks. Her exceptional ability to inspire and motivate other team members creates an environment where individuals feel empowered and driven to excel.

Through her clear vision, effective communication and inclusive approach, she fosters collaboration and unity within

the team, resulting in increased productivity and outstanding outcomes.

Furthermore, Candace has played a pivotal role in leading large-scale software implementations, RELEX Solutions, aimed at transforming supply chains and reducing waste.

Her strong project management skills, strategic thinking and technological acumen have been instrumental in driving significant improvements.

Through her leadership, she has successfully guided teams through complex projects, leveraging innovative software solutions to revolutionize supply chain operations.

Her efforts have led to substantial cost savings and enhanced sustainability, positioning ADUSA as a leader in the industry.

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Stacie Diehl Martin’s Store Manager Stacie oversees 90 team members at the Martin’s store in Keyser, West Virginia. She is a passionate, team-oriented leader, committed to making an impact in the local community through customer offerings and community involvement. Stacie also demonstrates innovative leadership with unique goal setting in a price-focused community.

Stacie makes a significant impact on the customers she serves by leading her team in excellent customer service.

Team member engagement is important to her, as she believes that every team member can be themselves and be valued for the impact they have. Her store environment is

Justin Doolittle Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets Zone Director Justin Doolittle joined Price Chopper in 2003. He was accepted into its Retail Management Academy. Justin’s dedication and the drive to succeed allowed him to complete the program at the top of his class and become a store manager in spring 2007.

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one of growth and opportunity, so every team member can pursue their own personal and professional growth.

Because of Stacie’s focus on self-development and fostering a positive workplace, she looks for ways to improve store performance through implementing processes and researching new ways to incorporate efficiencies. Stacie is driven to support and care for her team through inspiring leadership and continual improvement opportunities.

In 2022, she worked with her management team to identify and promote 10 team members to key leadership positions in her store, which helped to strengthen her store and a neighboring store near Keyser.

Stacie has significantly impacted the Keyser community through organizing volunteer events and partnering with multiple nonprofits. Her efforts to help eliminate hunger and change children’s lives have inspired her team to continually give back to their community.

Under Stacie’s leadership, 120 team members volunteered more than 980 hours last year. The store had the most

volunteer hours in the region and was one of the top five stores with volunteer hours.

Stacie plays an integral role in the annual Dominion Energy EMERGING Mountain Storm Power Station food donation event, which supports five local food pantries. She led her team in the procurement and organization, coordinating a $25,000 donation with the company’s community impact team.

Together, hope and care were brought to more than 200 local families.

Stacie and her team partner with the Faith in Action Food Pantry to provide volunteers weekly. Stacie’s connection with this organization has developed a tremendous following, which prompts her team to serve every Thursday and supply a workforce on delivery days.

Justin’s analytical abilities and understanding of the financial side of the operating business made him a go-to for his peers and a mentor for up-and-coming store managers.

These abilities and his success at impacting results propelled Justin to senior product specialist.

During his time in that role, Justin was able to achieve outstanding metrics results with great leadership. As a result of his efforts, he was promoted to his current position in a short period of time. Justin developed daily shrink by item and created a company data spreadsheet, which is still used today. Justin also developed key strategies to achieve daily store standards. Justin holds huddles daily in the stores to improve service and morale.

Justin’s clear vision of the company’s goals, excellent

communication and effective leadership allow him to plan strategically, motivate and build collegiality among his team to reach the desired results. In one year as a zone director, Justin has set a company record for safety results in his zone.

It also led the chain in customer service results.

Justin is a self-motivated, bright and ambitious individual.

He has an “athlete’s” heart, which makes him a driven and proven leader. Justin is always trying to improve his leadership by listening to tapes and reading several books on leadership.

He volunteers his time to teach golf and other sports in his community. Justin delivers food to customers in need.

His community knows him by name for the great things he does.

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AUGUST 2023 • THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST

Gani Gashi The Giant Co. Store Manager Gani has driven store performance, engagement among her 190 team members and customer satisfaction at the Giant on West Emmaus Avenue in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Fostering this type of atmosphere within her store has allowed the team to achieve several financial accomplishments, including having record sales in total fresh, bakery, dairy and floral. The store also achieved a 4.2 percent increase versus the previous year in sales. In addition to financial gains, the store had three consecutive floral contest wins within the region. The team was able to achieve shrink budget, pass all internal and food safety audits and achieve zero-waste.

Laura Holland Burdette Beckmann Inc. Senior Director Sales, Grocery Division Laura Holland has served the consumer packaged goods industry for 17 years in several roles, including sales executive, district sales manager, sales strategy

Courtney Hopcraft The Giant Co. Store Manager Courtney oversees 220 team members at the Giant store in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

She is an organizational leader, achieving strong sales growth yearover-year by generating excitement and consistently motivating her team members to be their best selves.

This is a mindset Courtney also demonstrates while helping to solve the challenges of today’s families. She oversaw the growth of Giant Direct pickup from store operation to developing staff. She has the vision to see how important the omnichannel model is to the future sales

Steven Jennings Ahold Delhaize USA Stakeholder Relations and Brand Lead, Health and Sustainability Steven Jennings is an extraordinary associate. The ADUSA health and sustainability team develops and delivers on annual targets and long-term ambitions based on four strategic pillars – healthier choices and personalized guidance, transparency and sustainable products, eliminating hunger and waste and taking bold climate action.

Steven started as a bagger at a grocery store. Twenty-six years later, he supports all areas of the business, including collaborating with external stakeholders and supporting Giant

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Throughout her career, Gani has had many mentors that helped her along the way to achieve her goals. And she has made it her mission to do the same for others. Gani has worked tirelessly to create a culture that encourages friendly competition among team members and promotes interaction and teamwork.

Thanks to her dedication to further develop talent, 18 team members were promoted to leadership positions. In addition, she successfully mentored three team members last year to graduate from Central Penn College and receive a certificate in organizational management. Through this success, five more of Gani’s team members will be attending Central Penn College this year.

Gani has a true passion to give back to those who are less fortunate. Through the company’s Making a Difference campaign, which provides team members with an opportunity to donate a portion of their paycheck to various organizations, Gani’s store achieved the highest percent increase vs. goal and raised the highest dollar amount in the entire region.

To continue giving back to the community, Gani personally volunteers with many organizations, including Mountainville Memorial Minor League, Second Harvest EMERGING Food Bank and the Lehigh Humane Society. She even took on a lead role in coordinating events with the store’s local YMCA. In leading by example, Gani inspired her team to get out into the community and achieve 110 volunteer hours.

She also serves as her region’s lead member for Giant’s MOSAIC Business Resource Group, which builds awareness and promotes inclusion of all cultures and ethnicities within the organization and the communities it serves. The group hosted a Candy Lane Event at her store, providing a fun-filled shopping trip, gifts from Santa and other holiday festivities for more than 100 kids.

director, trade marketing director and senior director of sales.

Her career has allowed her to work for several organizations, such as the Boston Beer Company, Hershey, Ferrara, Ferrero and, most recently, PIM Brands. She has also expanded her network during that time, working with multiple broker organizations and distributors that have supported her businesses, allowing her to collaborate across multiple levels.

She is grounded in leadership principles and certified in Lean Six Sigma, diversity, equity and inclusion in the

workplace and situational based leadership. She has found a passion for contributing to growth within the grocery channel through sales leadership while staying relevant and active in her own personal development.

As an active contributor of her local community, Laura remains involved in multiple events around families and children coping with lifelong illnesses. Most importantly, Laura is a mom to three young children who enjoy all the treats that she brings home from work trips each week.

growth of her store and brought her team into that vision.

Courtney has an acute sense of understanding the customer's needs and establishing systems to support those goals. For example, her deli prepared foods categories saw some of the best growth in the region by providing full varieties of the freshest meal solutions Giant offers.

Courtney combines leadership, systems and processes with a passion for people. She brings people together to understand the goal at hand with daily huddle communications. Courtney makes people better and she infuses energy into everything that she does.

Courtney is active in spreading the mission of servant leadership as it pertains to addressing the greatest needs in her community. She facilitated a partnership between her store team and the local Project SHARE food pantry in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Her team assisted during food pantry distribution days, helping stock the pantry and helping community members with the pantry shopping process.

Courtney is passionate about fostering a culture of inclusion and equality within retail operations and sits on the Steering Committee for The Giant Co.’s Lead, Inspire, Network and Connect Business Resource Group, which provides opportunity for collaboration with other businesswomen.

She also sits on The Giant Co.’s Store Manager Council, providing insight and solutions by collaborating to address opportunities and concerns faced within stores.

When not at Giant, Courtney is an active member in her community. She is a class of 2018 graduate of Leadership Harrisburg, a program designed to increase community awareness and enhance leadership effectiveness.

Courtney is also an adjunct professor at Messiah University, where she teaches college courses on Congress and public policy for the department of history, politics and international relations.

Food’s strategy toward a healthier, more sustainable business model.

Steven is a problem-solver. He recognized a need for a strategy to pull together activities across the ADUSA brands in a meaningful, profitable way. He connected with colleagues who shared his vision to develop a business case for capturing market potential in the food as medicine space.

In partnership with the government relations team, Steven spearheaded the retailer perspective on work that led to Congress passing the Food Donation Improvement Act. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and corporate leaders at WeightWatchers sent Steven letters of gratitude and appreciation for his work on the project, which better protects people involved in the donation and distribution of food and grocery products from civil and criminal liability.

Steven led successful ADUSA programs, including Flashfood and Giant Food’s partnership with Loop, the circular reuse platform developed by TerraCycle. Customers

can walk into participating Giant Food supermarkets and purchase more than 20 products from leading consumer brands, all packaged in reusable containers instead of single‑use packaging.

When Steven sees a need, he acts on it. When he learned a co-worker he barely knew needed a kidney transplant, he offered his without hesitation. He now shares his experience as a volunteer speaker and advocate for the Gift of Life Donor Program.

Steven is an active supporter of diversity and inclusion, regularly leading educational sessions for the company.

He’s an ADUSA Brand Ambassador for NextUp, whose core mission is to advance all women in business.

Steven is a dedicated mentor, coaching health and sustainability interns. He matches students with employees who will help them grow and complete meaningful projects.

After their internships end, Steven remains in touch, continuing to mentor.

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Nicole Katz Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets Director of Financial Planning and Analysis Nicole has been with the company for four years and continues to grow in her role. She started with the company as a manager of financial planning and analysis before being promoted to director. Nicole reports directly to President Blaine Bringhurst to develop and deliver the annual budget, analyzes financial results, builds proformas for upgraded and new units and leads cost savings initiatives for the operating company.

Andrew Kent Glass Gardens ShopRite EVP Andrew Kent was a member of the year-long New Jersey Food Council Leadership Development Program’s inaugural class in 2015.

He then immediately became the first graduate to join the organization’s board of directors.

Andrew is a next generation owner of the family-operated supermarket that is a member of Wakefern Food Corp. His commitment, enthusiasm, communication skills, knowledge base, intelligence and work ethic impressed the 35-member board as he quickly emerged as an active and effective member.

Ben Kuethe Divert VP, Customer Solutions and Success Ben Kuethe is leading retailers’ fight against wasted food. Early in his career, Ben recognized that grocers and food retailers have a huge role to play to reduce the amount of wasted food in the U.S. and the negative effects it has on the environment.

In 2016, he joined Divert, an impact technology company that provides retailers with the solutions they need to prevent wasted food and meet their sustainability goals, including technology, logistics and anaerobic digestion facilities. He quickly rose to his current role and has made a lasting impact

Quang Kwok Invafresh Senior Product Manager Over the course of his 15year tenure with the company, Quang Kwok has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication to solving problems and a relentless commitment to enhancing the shopping experience for customers.

Quang's career in retail grocery has been marked by remarkable achievements and a steadfast focus on implementing innovative solutions. His contributions to Invafresh's Fresh Retail Platform have been invaluable.

Quang has played a pivotal role in the ongoing

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Simultaneously, Nicole works with Northeast Shared Services Accounting and FP&A teams to report results to the parent company, Northeast Grocery.

Nicole is responsible for analyzing, reporting and assisting with strategy development for the financial results of the organization. She prepares annual financial plans, periodic forecasts, capital expenditure plans and the long-range strategic plans. She leads the analysis of business results for 130 stores within the Price Chopper/Market 32 operating company, its distribution centers and capital project results.

In building the annual profit plan, Nicole has streamlined the process, reducing the number of teammates involved, decreasing the time frame and ultimately creating a more accurate budget for the operating company.

Nicole also led an expense-cutting initiative early in the fiscal year. In doing so, she identified multiple opportunities, partnered with stakeholders to develop a plan and that

resulted in decreased expenses on the profit and loss statement.

Nicole is also responsible for driving the financial analysis for converting Price Chopper EMERGING locations into Market 32s.

Nicole develops the proforma to convert locations and makes recommendations about their viability. Converting them to Market 32s helps to deliver the shopping experience customers seek while enhancing the profitability of the company.

In her short time, she has built cross-functional relationships from distribution, merchandising, operations and risk management within the organization. Nicole is respected by all for her leadership and approach. The cost-saving efforts she leads allow the company to invest in enhancements for customers.

He embraced serving as an advocate for the grocery industry by meeting with members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, state legislators, regulators and other important government contacts in Trenton and Washington, D.C. He confidently advanced his role to serve as an engaged voice of the state food industry. The board gave Andrew the opportunity to address Gov. Phil Murphy during a special board meeting. His speech clearly articulated and defined the economics of supermarkets operating in the state and impressively cemented his leadership position within the industry.

As the industry was battered by the tsunami of COVID-19 and the supply chain crisis, Andrew was not deterred and served as secretary then vice chairman of the board. Today, he is in the second year of his term as chairman, leading board meetings, major industry events and the council’s food industry agenda.

In 2023, Andrew continued to advance his education, receiving a master’s degree in science management and advanced entrepreneurial leadership from his alma mater, Babson College. He also is a recent graduate of Cornell’s Omnichannel Leadership program. He received his first master’s degree from New York University. He also holds certificates from the Cornell Food Executive Program, Center for Creative Leadership and International Culinary Center.

Andrew is focused on family, faith, education and the community, with his first focus on wife Audrey and their three children. Andrew has other board involvement in local community outreach activities, food banks and religious groups and is a member of the Garden State Chapter of the Young Professional Organization. He also coaches a championship Little League team in North Jersey. Through ShopRite/Glass Gardens, he funds local educational programs.

on the company and industry at large.

Ben is constantly thinking about what’s next for the industry and ways that Divert can improve its solutions for retailers. Working directly with customers, he develops true partnerships to develop personalized technologies and approaches to support their individual zero-waste goals.

His ability to devise effective solutions stems from his extensive knowledge on the wasted food landscape and his comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. As such, he has been instrumental in fostering relationships between Divert and its customers. In fact, Divert now works with some of the biggest retailer names in the industry, including CVS, Kroger, Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons and Target.

Under Ben’s leadership, Divert’s retail customer base has surged from 600 retail stores in 2016 to nearly 5,400 nationwide. Through Ben’s guidance and partnership with Divert’s customers, the company has processed more than 2.3

billion pounds of wasted food. In 2022 alone, it processed more than 417 million pounds of wasted food.

On top of that, Ben has worked closely with retailers to ensure that still edible, unsold food goes to communities in need instead of landfills. He helped forge relationships with local food banks and food recovery programs, facilitating the donation of more than 11.5 million pounds of food to people in need, including organizations such as Feeding America. In 2022 alone, that number was 2.2 million pounds of food.

This is just the start of Ben’s impact on the industry. By 2031, Divert is expected to expand its anaerobic digestion facilities to be within 100 miles of 80 percent of the U.S. population, enabling it to manage 5 percent of wasted food.

Ben’s work with customers is an integral component of this vision, from helping onboard new customers to developing solutions that improve food management and forging a better path for the environment and communities.

development of the traceability, recipe manager and commissary modules, which have significantly improved operational efficiency and regulatory compliance for clients.

His expertise in fresh grocery retail has enabled him to successfully roll out implementations globally, making a lasting impression on the industry as a whole.

What truly sets Quang apart is his exceptional leadership qualities that inspire and motivate others to perform at their best. He leads by example, consistently going above and beyond to tackle challenges head-on and foster a collaborative environment. Quang's ability to effectively communicate his vision, coupled with his strong work ethic, has garnered the respect and admiration of his colleagues and subordinates alike. Under his guidance, teams have flourished, surpassing targets and achieving remarkable results.

Quang brings together cross-functional teams to create impressive and innovative demonstrations that effectively

highlight the cutting-edge features and functionalities of the company’s offerings. His ability to collaborate seamlessly with designers, developers and marketing professionals ensures that each technical demo is not only visually captivating but also accurately represents the value and potential of solutions.

Quang's dedication to delivering high-quality demos has greatly contributed to Invafresh's success in securing new partnerships and expanding its market presence. His passion for staying at the forefront of technology trends and his commitment to excellence make him an invaluable asset to the team.

Quang is a true emerging leader in the retail food industry.

His career achievements and dedication to problem-solving have set him apart as an invaluable asset to Invafresh. His exceptional leadership qualities inspire others to perform at their best. His community service work epitomizes the qualities and values this award represents.

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LoAnne Lyons Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets Director of Deli/Foodservice/Bakery LoAnne began her career in February 1994 as a part-time teammate at the West Rutland location, working on the front end while attending Castleton State College.

LoAnne started helping in the deli department a couple months after, that and became a deli team lead within a short time. Her first store as a team lead was Springfield, Vermont.

From there, LoAnne continued to move up in volume and finally became the food service team lead at the Shelburne

Brian Maguire JOH EVP of New England Produce Brian began his career at JOH in 2001 while in college. As an account executive, he worked tirelessly with the team to help develop and build JOH’s produce business across the regions.

Additionally, he launched JOH’s commodity produce business, which continues to be a strong growth opportunity.

Brian's ability to tackle challenges head on and his relentless pursuit of excellence have cemented his reputation as a trusted leader. With his keen insights and strategic

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Road location.

LoAnne was then promoted to deli/food service specialist, a position she held for 24 years. LoAnne was incredibly successful in this role and built a reputation as being one of the most knowledgeable and helpful specialists in the company. She consistently put her store’s needs first and acted as a conduit between store operations and merchandising.

Her efforts were recognized when she was promoted to her current role in May. In this capacity, LoAnne leads deli/ bakery specialists across all eight zones (130 stores).

Throughout her career, LoAnne has helped with many new store/remodel openings. In the remodel process, she is always quick to help lead training, coaching and merchandising initiatives with her teammates. LoAnne made it a point to learn from other specialists, trade partners, category managers and supervisors to help build knowledge of the business.

LoAnne attended specialty cheese trainings, trade shows and participated in a tour of Wisconsin cheesemakers, where she helped make cheese.

Having a close working relationship and understanding of Starbucks allowed LoAnne to help coach the team leaders and store teams so the organization meets the needs of its evolving guests.

LoAnne believes we must lead by example to get the best results from a team, always putting customer service at the forefront. LoAnne has a natural ability to develop the confidence of those who report to her, as well as store and co-managers, which leads to improved financial results.

LoAnne’s leadership abilities are proven and directly related to the successes of her team. LoAnne gives credit where credit is due, making a point to recognize good performance by providing honest feedback to help motivate teammates and improve results.

acumen, he consistently drives his team toward achieving new heights.

The company is fortunate to have Brian leading its New England Produce Division and contributing to the ongoing success of clients and customers. His passion for delivering outstanding outcomes is contagious, inspiring all to go above and beyond.

In addition to his remarkable professional accomplishments, Brian's well-rounded expertise extends beyond his role at JOH. His active involvement in the community and dedication to the industry further exemplify his passion for making a difference. Brian's commitment to giving back is evident through his role as a coach for Chelmsford Youth Baseball, where he has selflessly dedicated his time to mentoring and guiding young athletes.

Furthermore, Brian's influence extends to his engagement

with prominent industry organizations. He serves on the board of directors for the New England Produce Council, where he plays a vital role in shaping the future of the produce industry in the region. Additionally, his membership in the Southeast Produce Council and Eastern Produce Council, as well as his recent involvement in the Annual Family Convention for the Massachusetts Food Association demonstrate his commitment to collaborating with industry professionals and fostering connections that drive innovation and growth.

Brian's leadership, industry expertise, work ethic, integrity and unwavering dedication to clients and customers make him an outstanding executive. We are proud to have him as an integral part of the team, shaping a brighter future for JOH and the industry at large.

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AUGUST 2023 • THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST

Nick Mastronunzio Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets Store Manager Nick is a seasoned store manager who came to Price Chopper in 2020. He began his career in 2005, working with Big Y on the front end as a part-time cashier while attending college at Central Connecticut State University. Nick made his way around the retail operation by finding the future start to his career in the meat and seafood department. Nick worked his way up to meat and seafood manager at an early age, spending six years in that role with Big Y. By 2012, Nick had become an assistant store manager

Charlotte Myer FreshDirect Interim Co-Lead Merchandising Charlotte leads the center store category management group, as well as the site merchandising and monetization team at FreshDirect.

The most rewarding aspect of her job is working with her team to offer the strongest possible value proposition to customers. Whether they are launching innovation in assortment, implementing a new pricing strategy or creating engaging content for the home page, she loves serving as the connection point between brands and customers.

Cody Nichols Campbell Soup Co. Customer Sales Lead Cody Nichols exemplifies every aspect of what the next generation of retail food leaders should aspire to be. His natural skills as a problem-solver shine through in his work with leading value retailer Dollar General to grow Campbell’s beverage, Italian and Mexican portfolios and drive strong joint business planning partnerships.

Since joining Campbell in 2015 as a customer service analyst, Cody has also driven meals and beverage growth with value and specialty retailers and earned not only the deep respect of internal and external colleagues, but also a

JR Rivera Godshall’s Quality Meats

with that organization, ultimately leaving for future career growth with ShopRite. In 2018, Nick accepted a promotion to store manager with ShopRite in Cromwell, Connecticut.

In 2020, Nick accepted a store manager position with Price Chopper in Middletown, Connecticut. Nick has since relocated to Rutland, Vermont, where he is leading the conversion of that unit to Market 32.

Nick excels in team building/leadership core fundamentals. During his time in Middletown, Nick developed and brought out the potential of his team through in-the-moment coaching and leading by example. The store was able to promote various teammates over the course of the year, along with building a bench for the organization’s future sustainability.

In 2020, Nick was selected as a “Rockstars of 2020” by the Connecticut Food Association. Nick was recently recognized by the organization for his strong leadership skills

by being one of the first three store managers to receive a top internal leadership award and placed on the Leadership Wall of Fame in the corporate offices.

EMERGING Nick firmly believes that his people are the key to his successes. During Nick’s time as a store manager, he has taken it upon himself to self-develop through various courses to further his dedication to teammate engagement and leadership.

Nick builds strong ties with the community by having in-store events with local organizations. He is personally involved with the Disabled Veterans of Middletown, as well as the Middletown Police Organized PAL Sports League, where he mentored local youth.

She is passionate about helping to create a market for emerging brands, especially those that drive diversity and representation in the industry.

One of the biggest challenges she faces is staying ahead of the fast-paced changes within the industry and making sure her team never stops evolving to meet customers where they are.

She's had so many mentors over the course of her career, but one of the most important was Paula-Jo “PJ” Oleksak, another influential woman in the industry. PJ taught her the power of building strong teams and the skill of setting expectations high, while leading with kindness and empathy.

With her as a role model, Charlotte has found that working with her team to unlock each individual’s superpower is one of her greatest joys. Charlotte's biggest piece of advice for up-and-coming professionals is to not be

afraid to take a leap. Some of the best decisions she's made in her career have felt scary at first but have led to opportunities she previously couldn’t have dreamed of.

Charlotte was recently promoted to her current position.

She has been with FreshDirect for more than seven years, joining the organization as a senior associate/e-commerce merchandiser for FoodKick (now known as FD Express) and working her way up to VP of merchandising.

During her time at FreshDirect, Charlotte has played a crucial role in growing incremental revenue streams through retail media, shopper marketing and data insights monetization. In her current role, Charlotte is responsible for leading non-perishable teams end-to-end, from demand planning and procurement to category strategy and site selling.

Campbell Sales Merit Award honoring his accomplishments.

He’s also developed a reputation as a leader who truly motivates others to do their best.

Cody brings diversity and inclusion to life through his daily interactions and through leadership roles supporting key Campbell initiatives. Through his membership in Campbell’s Black Resource Group, he joined the steering team that plans and executes Black History Month celebrations across nearly a dozen Campbell locations. He also spearheaded the creation and execution of Campbell’s first Green Book, which aims to support Black-owned businesses in Campbell communities. He has been recognized with the BRG’s Architect award for his community pride.

Cody is a founding member and core team communications lead for Campbell’s Diversity & Inclusion Sales Council, which supports inclusive behaviors, hiring, education and problem-solving. Through DISC, he created the M&B sales team’s Brave Space recognition program,

encouraging leaders to recognize colleagues.

Cody also established and executed Campbell’s first video podcast series, “The DISCussion,” in which he and a senior leader talk about promoting equity, valuing uniqueness, solidifying a sense of belonging and being courageous to learn.

Cody is passionate about community outreach. As the M&B sales team’s leader in the Campbell Cares volunteer program, he has planned and executed nine volunteer events over the past two years. These include helping transform an abandoned school building into an apartment complex, packaging sandwiches for a food pantry and unpacking and organizing food donations.

Outside of Campbell, Cody has been active with the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity for more than a decade, including serving as a youth mentor, the undergraduate chapter advisor for Dickinson College and Bucknell University and on the board.

LEADERS

always available to assist in any project and works across all departments. It’s been a pleasure to have someone like JR as a leader we can always count on.

VP, Sales JR is an exceptional leader who listens and mentors his team on a daily basis. JR has always been an incredible resource and has created a true team environment. He is

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THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST • AUGUST 2023

AJ Rollins The Giant Co. Regional Director AJ Rollins oversees 17 stores comprised of more than 2,800 team members. AJ is a forward thinker who is committed to understanding the competitive landscape to leverage The Giant Co.’s strengths

in the marketplace.

AJ’s leadership and passion for talent development has helped grow business and company culture. In his previous role as Greater Philadelphia Division human resource manager, AJ was pivotal in developing and implementing the company’s expansion and team development strategy, which was a critical priority for the company’s expansion in

Sarah Sandberg Invafresh Chief Customer Officer Sarah Sandberg’s strong leadership, dedication to delivering exceptional customer experiences and her trailblazing role as a young female leader in a male-dominated industry make her an outstanding candidate for this esteemed recognition.

Sarah has played a pivotal role in transforming the way we engage with customers. She has spearheaded initiatives to ensure that every touchpoint of the customer journey, from onboarding to implementation, project management

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Philadelphia.

He supported the growth of new strategic relationships in the community, facilitated exponential team member growth, navigated new employment laws and developed a culture that reflected the company’s vision and purpose.

AJ currently leads teams to deliver quality standards and team and customer promises through business operations.

Results oriented, AJ excels at executing the company’s omnichannel strategy, combining operations and human resource principles to create functional solutions. He has built reporting capabilities to capture talent metrics to support human resource initiatives such as reducing turnover and creating staffing efficiencies. AJ has implemented best practices and standards, resulting in some of the highest increases in Flashfood execution, zero waste and food waste to food sales goals regionally across the brand.

Driven by his commitment to excellence, AJ embraces his responsibility as a role model and mentor. He has

implemented business finance and shrink training for his team, trained four human resource business partner leaders and serves as a mentor to two team members seeking to grow within the company.

AJ’s commitment to professional development has inspired a healthy competitive spirit and inclusive environment. He incorporates team building into his meetings, fostering a sense of belonging and a collaborative spirit across his teams.

An authentic leader, AJ is never afraid to stand up for what is right. In 2022, he was awarded The Giant Co.’s “Be You” Team Promise Award. AJ volunteers with the Urban League of Philadelphia and serves as the culture pillar committee chair for The Giant Co.’s PRIDE business resource group. He was key to implementing the company’s volunteer program across the Greater Philadelphia Division.

to customer success and customer support, is optimized to deliver best-in-class experiences.

Sarah's relentless commitment to understanding the needs and expectations of customers has led to the development of innovative strategies that enhance their satisfaction and drive long-term loyalty.

In an industry that is historically male dominated, Sarah's presence as a young female leader is truly inspirational. She has broken barriers and shattered stereotypes, serving as a role model for aspiring women leaders. Sarah's unwavering determination, resilience and ability to navigate challenges with grace and poise have earned her the respect and admiration of her peers and colleagues.

Under Sarah's leadership, the customer engagement teams have thrived. Her ability to motivate and inspire others to go above and beyond in their daily tasks is truly commendable.

Sarah fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. Her leadership style encourages open communication, innovative thinking and a customer-centric mindset, resulting in exceptional team performance and outstanding customer outcomes.

Furthermore, Sarah's commitment to community service underscores her dedication to making a positive impact beyond the workplace. She actively volunteers her time and expertise to initiatives that uplift and empower communities.

Sarah's efforts have produced tangible results, whether it be mentoring aspiring professionals, supporting local charitable organizations or participating in community outreach programs. Her dedication to community service aligns with company values and reflects her genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

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AUGUST 2023 • THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST

Jennifer Schell The Giant Co. Human Resources Business Partner Jen is responsible for total human resource operations for a region of 15 stores and more than 2,700 team members. Over the past year, she was part of a project team to reconstruct the Store Manager Development Center for The Giant Co. She created a business case study that is relevant in today’s operations and is used to develop future leaders with skills in strategic thinking, problem solving and business acumen. This process is now used to identify the readiness of future store managers for the organization.

In addition, she created content for the Store Operations Competency Dictionary, defining store operations

Jennifer Scott The Giant Co. Director of Merchandising Acceleration and Chief of Staff Jennifer Scott integrates best practices to accelerate merchandising processes and works on a cross-functional team to accelerate merchandising initiatives, as well as enhancing the partnerships to facilitate the transformation to self-distribution.

In her chief of staff role, she organizes and prioritizes critical issues and required information for leadership to facilitate efficient decision making, encapsulating the strategic direction of the leadership team that drives the

Emily Schwartz Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets Store Manager Emily Schwartz has been with Price Chopper/Market 32 for 14 years. Emily began her career working part time in the deli department at the Syracuse location. She was then selected for the Assistant Team Leader Development Program, successfully completing it in 2011. She was then quickly

Tom Shrader Invafresh Director Sales Tom Shrader’s exceptional leadership skills, dedication to driving sales excellence and his invaluable contributions to the organization make him a deserving candidate for this prestigious recognition.

Tom has played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing sales strategies that have significantly contributed to the company's growth and success. His deep understanding of the market dynamics, coupled with his

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competencies from a foundational, advanced and mastery level as part of a retail operations functional competency project.

Jen is also a lead on all operations elements impacting a recently entered urban market. She proposed changes to current operations to impact the overall profitability in the market by reducing costs and driving profits through researching data and analytics, market share and competitive landscapes, logistics, structure and functionality, demographics and customer needs and innovative technology.

She is a pillar lead for The Giant Co.’s THRIVE Business Resource Group, which focuses on unlocking opportunities and facilitating career development – fundamentally improving the way Giant develops talent in order to reimagine the workplace of the future. Jen was a guest speaker at a Hispanic Heritage Month networking event to share The Giant Co.’s passion for driving diversity, equity and inclusion through its dedication to creating a culture that

reflects local communities, resonates with families and connects families for a better future.

Additionally, inspired by a call for help from a local nonprofit EMERGING agency that impacts the lives of children in the local community, Jen led an organized toy drive partnering with The Children’s Home of Reading. CHOR experienced its largest need in history to ensure every underprivileged child had a gift this year.

Inspired by a young boy who asked for only a Hershey’s candy bar for Christmas, Jen’s leadership and influence drove the region to set up a team member donation drive in every store breakroom. In two weeks, the teams came together and every store had a tremendous number of more than 500 gifts donated, which the team members personally delivered and sorted for a happy holiday for local children.

company forward, acting as the glue to ease communications and unite people. She also oversees strategic business initiatives from development through successful execution under the guidance of senior leadership and department leads.

Jennifer fully embraces the company’s purpose of connecting families for a better future and putting the customer at the heart of all she does. As a category manager, she made decisions on what items go on the shelf and meal solutions Giant could offer today’s families to make their lives easier. In addition, she made sure all items in her category were priced at competitive prices and offered the customer the best assortment on the shelf.

In her current roles, she has served as a change agent and been able to inspire and influence team members, which improved processes that led to efficiencies. For example, she has improved on-time delivery to stores by creating beneficial

adjustments and ensures omnichannel commercial leaders are operating as one commercial team in line with the total company strategy, providing tactical support to implement ideas and keep projects on task and on time.

Jennifer also embraces the company's purpose in her volunteer roles and believes in giving back to the communities in which she serves. She plays an active role in her school community as a volunteer-elected school board member, serving as VP. Jennifer also serves on the joint operating committee for Dauphin County Technical School as VP, driving its mission to prepare students to enter postsecondary schooling and job industries.

Recently, Jennifer was appointed to two boards, Court Appointed Special Advocates, which advocates for abused and neglected children, and Urban League of Philadelphia, an organization working to empower underserved residents as they enter social and economic mainstreams.

promoted to food service team leader. In 2014, she was promoted to a co-manager position and relocated to Vermont.

Based off her strong performance, eagerness to learn and willingness to relocate, she was promoted in 2017 to store manager of the location in Lincoln, New Hampshire. She has since relocated to Upstate New York and is managing the Market 32 store in Plattsburgh (one of the company’s flagship locations in the region). Emily was awarded a Gold Profit Award for her financial performance in 2022.

Emily leads her team through her well-rounded experience and strong work ethic. She is knowledgeable of all departments and strives for excellence, shown daily by consistent store conditions. She motivates her team to ensure

they deliver great customer service, while driving results with outstanding morale in her building. She builds sales by thinking outside the box with cross training to solve problems and overcome obstacles.

Emily has a can-do attitude and is always willing to jump in to help her team, which proves that they are all in it together. Emily often can be found working alongside her team, always with a smile on her face. Her leadership style and positivity shine during team building events.

Emily enjoys the outdoors and is an avid rock and ice climber in the Adirondacks.

ability to identify and leverage key opportunities, has resulted in remarkable sales performance. Under Tom's guidance, the sales team has achieved and exceeded targets, consistently delivering outstanding results.

Tom's leadership style is truly inspiring, as he motivates and empowers his team to reach its full potential. He leads by example, setting high standards of professionalism, integrity and customer-centricity. Tom fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, encouraging his team members to share ideas, best practices and insights. His ability to build strong relationships, both internally and externally, has been instrumental in forging successful partnerships and nurturing long-term client relationships.

Furthermore, Tom's dedication to customer success sets him apart as a leader in the industry. He recognizes the importance of understanding and addressing the unique

needs of customers, ensuring that their expectations are not only met but exceeded. Tom actively engages with clients, listening attentively to their feedback and concerns and proactively finding solutions to enhance their experience. His commitment to delivering exceptional customer value has not only earned the trust and loyalty of clients but also positioned the organization as a trusted partner in their success.

In summary, Tom Shrader's exceptional leadership in driving sales excellence, his dedication to customer success and his active involvement in community service make him an exemplary candidate for the Emerging Leader Award. His ability to inspire and empower his team, coupled with his commitment to delivering exceptional value to customers, sets him apart as a true leader and catalyst for positive change.

LEADERS

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THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST • AUGUST 2023

Brody Slacer Flashfood Head of Growth and Impact Growing up on family farms, Brody has had a passion for food his entire life. He worked in the food industry early on as a sous chef, in sales roles and later in ingredient sourcing. His “eureka” moment came while working at a meal kit company. He learned firsthand of the food waste problem, realizing the systems in place to deliver value to consumers are often what drives the problem.

Approximately 30-40 percent of food is wasted in the U.S. and estimates suggest 8-10 percent of GHG emissions are tied to uneaten food. Meanwhile, we are experiencing

Amanda Terencio Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets Zone Director Amanda began working for Price Chopper in 2001 at age 17. She worked part time while attending the University of Vermont. She was then selected for the Retail Management Academy training program and relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts. Amanda graduated from RMA after exceling in her training program and finishing at the top of her class.

She was then promoted to co-manager in the Worcester area.

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all-time highs in food insecurity globally. While massive, this problem is an opportunity for change that benefits retailers, shoppers and the planet, but it will take an entire ecosystem to solve it.

Flashfood is an app-based marketplace designed to reduce retail food waste alongside the cost of food for consumers. It relies on mission-aligned retailers to make its mission successful. In addition to providing affordable, nutritious food to consumers who need it, the company’s partners also benefit from less waste – recovering lost profits on food otherwise thrown away while eliminating the need for and cost of disposal.

In his role at Flashfood, Brody owns the relationships with retailers: ensuring all partnerships are driving value for the retailers and their customers and celebrating retailers’ accomplishments. Part of this includes regular visits to partner stores and walking the floor with retail executives

and employees at every level. This on-the-ground approach is essential to the success of Flashfood and drives mutually beneficial innovation for retailers and shoppers.

One example is the invention of the mixed produce box, Flashfood’s top-selling item in North America. This innovation came about in one of Brody’s store walks, when a district manager pointed out most shrink existed because they frequently threw out entire bags of produce when only one or two items inside were unsellable. Brody and the team came up with the idea to offer customers a mixed box of produce for cheap, which solved a huge issue for the store and offered customers affordable produce at a time when healthy food is getting more expensive.

Brody’s on-the-ground, solutions-oriented approach is driving meaningful value for retailers and shoppers across the country. As Flashfood continues to expand, this impact will only grow.

In 2012, she was promoted to store manager, running several stores within the Worcester market.

Over the next several years, she managed the location in Sutton, Massachusetts (one of the flagship Market 32 locations), which exceeded sales, service, conditions and profit goals and for which she was awarded Store of the Year twice (2017-18).

In 2019, she was hand-selected to be one of four people to pilot the new position of senior product specialist, leading a team of six product specialists across two zones (32 stores).

She was able to successfully drive sales and profitability through her dedication to teaching company standards and proficiencies throughout her area.

As a result, she was promoted to her current role in 2022 and relocated to her home of Vermont. In her first year in this position, her zone had the highest EBITDA percentage over

budget in the chain.

Amanda has always strived to excel in all the positions she has held throughout her career, moving for opportunities while continuing to balance her family life. Amanda’s peers would say she is incredibly helpful and always willing to assist anyone in need, both professionally and personally.

Amanda works closely with her store managers to provide mentorship, collaboration, positivity and holds high expectations of herself and those around her. Amanda strives to provide her team clear communication and expectations/ plans. As a result, she gets the best out of her team. She loves to celebrate with her team and finds ways to have fun. They know they have a leader they count on to hold them to high expectations, deliver results and celebrate their victories.

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AUGUST 2023 • THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST

Ryan Tierney JOH EVP, Grocery, Frozen and DairyNew England and Albany Ryan’s exceptional leadership skills, dedication to his career and highly engaging yet humble nature make him a perfect nominee for this award.

Ryan began his career in the food industry in 2004 as a retail merchandiser at JOH. He was promoted over the years

to category management analyst, account executive, director of headquarter sales and his current role.

In addition to his decades-long commitment to the food industry, Ryan is also a natural problem solver. He enjoys analyzing how JOH’s clients go to market and how consumers shop in order to improve the experience and grow brands. Not only is this a benefit to JOH’s clients but to customers as well. Specifically, Ryan’s talent and leadership helped grow the Reckitt Benckiser family of brands and countless others.

Ryan’s experience and expertise become even more well-rounded when considering his community and industry involvement. Since 2008, Ryan has been supporting the

Newburyport Learn to Skate program.

Over the last three years, Ryan has also spent time each week coaching Newburyport Youth Hockey. He is on the board of directors EMERGING for New England Wholesale Food Association and recently served as a committee member for the Mass Food Association’s Annual Family Convention.

Ryan has an impressive background in the food industry, a strong commitment to his community and is full of positive energy.

LEADERS

The Giant Co.

Retail Business Services

The Giant Co.’s commitment to DE&I is integral not just in how it goes to market but in the inclusive culture it fosters and the community support it provides. As a nearly 100-yearold omnichannel grocer, it embraces the unique talents and celebrates the differences of its team members, customers, suppliers and community partners to deliver on its purpose of connecting families for a better future. Guided by its “Be You” team promise, the company works to create a culture where everyone is respected, valued, heard and welcomed.

Hosting compassionate listening sessions, developing programs to assist with recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse talent and conducting an in-depth analysis of its programs, policies and practices are just a few examples of the company’s strategy in action.

The company also hosts a variety of Heritage Month events for internal and external audiences through in-store efforts, social media and community events, donations and volunteerism. Its business resource group provides a forum for networking, mentoring and career development and celebrating diversity, building equity and promoting inclusion within the organization.

A few notable accomplishments for its DE&I program in 2022 include: • 200 of the company’s managers completed Neurodiversity at Work training.

• Working with 170 certified diverse-owned suppliers to deliver fresh, local and culturally appropriate food to families.

• Contributing more than $358,000 in donations to 146 organizations that support the vision for equality by celebrating diversity, building equity and promoting inclusion.

And finally, the company held its first Giant Inclusion Week and DE&I Summit with the theme of “Engage, Educate and Elevate.” Team members and guests took part in a day dedicated to building a culture of inclusion with candid conversations, learning opportunities, engagement and inspired action. Throughout the day members of the Giant leadership team and 10 presenters and speakers shared inspiring messages with attendees.

President John Ruane closed out the day by emphasizing the theme of inclusion and belonging in the workplace and encouraging team members to continue to engage in these conversations and learn from one another.

“Together, we can make our stores, facilities and offices trusting places where you can be you and where we can continue to bring our purpose of connecting families for a better future to life."

At Retail Business Services, the services arm for the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA, our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion drives our collective success. RBS fosters a culture of care where the qualities and perspectives that make us unique are valued and celebrated and our people always feel like they belong. In 2022 we: • Increased diverse hiring practices: Continued efforts to recruit diverse candidate pools with respect to gender, race, ethnicity and veteran status. Results included a more gender-balanced workforce and an overall increase in diversity of the workforce. Inclusive leadership behaviors were also integrated into resources and tools to raise awareness of potential biases.

• Made benefits and policies more inclusive: Policies were revised to reflect more inclusive language and several health benefits became more inclusive for same-sex couples, including parental leave for all genders.

• Created DE&I Council priorities: Defined DE&I priorities anchored around social justice, associate mentorship, sponsorship and retention, talent recruitment and management and awareness and education.

• Offered over 100 DE&I learning opportunities: Activations were held during heritage months, holidays and key DE&I moments year-round, ensuring topics and speakers reflected the diverse audiences they were meant to serve.

• Honored with The Shelby Report's 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Award: RBS and its DE&I manager were recognized for building and sustaining impactful programs, as well as creating ways to foster greater diversity and inclusion related to sex, gender, race, ethnicity, disability and age.

• Supported associates amid moments of tragedy and national crisis: following occurrences such as the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting and murder of Tyre Nichols, forums for discussion, dialogue and support for associates were quickly created.

• Grew membership of Business Resource Groups: Increased the size of our BRGs, the committees that support unique qualities and perspectives of our associates by hosting events and meetings to provide our people with the support they need to grow and thrive in both their professional and personal lives.

• Prioritized BRG chair leadership development: Developed a curriculum to support BRG chairs as leaders in building a culture of belonging in their respective groups and throughout the business.

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RBS associate programming celebrated service members throughout July Retail Business Services, the services company of grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, honored and celebrated veteran and active-duty associates and military families in July.

The month-long celebration was in partnership with Salute + Allies – the Retail Business Services internal business resource group. It is dedicated to the growth and advancement of active military associates and veterans through networking, career development and service opportunities. The company’s BRGs are an associate-led organization, and they all include “+ Allies.”

“It's really important to our organization to not only have people that are represented in that group, as veterans, but also those that are family members and friends of those that are in the military,” said Valencia Hill, diversity, equity and inclusion lead for RBS. “All of our groups are fantastic, but this group in particular, they make a huge impact to the community. They do a lot of community Valencia Hill service, a lot of donations to their community. And they also have really impacted our business quite a bit. They've proposed different opportunities for us to stand up new offerings within Retail Business Services. We're just really proud of this group.”

During July, the company offered several supportive and educational programs and events, including: • A 30-minute lunchtime walk session with veteran Ryan Vander Weit of Home Base, a national nonprofit dedicated to veterans of all eras, service members, military families and families of the fallen, who led a conversation on the four main barriers to reaching fitness goals.

• A lunch-and-learn program to benefit Semper Fi and America’s Fund.

• A keynote speaker session with Darren McBurnett, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, combat veteran, professional photographer, author and motivational speaker. He discussed

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his military experience and promoted personal growth by sharing how to navigate adverse environments.

• The creation of a Wall of Honor on the RBS intranet to spotlight veteran and active-duty associates, recognizing their service and sharing their stories.

“My military background has served me well in my career,” said Gary Newell, a U.S. Navy veteran and a special projects and store development specialist at RBS. “Skills I learned in the Navy – team development, fostering morale and collaboration, working with diverse groups – has helped me succeed not only in my role at RBS, but also in my everyday life.”

Gary Newell Newell served four years on board the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3). He was forward deployed to the Far East and based out of Sasebo, Japan. He participated in Run to Home Base in July as part of the Salute + Allies BRG. “With over 125,000 veterans who have lost their lives to suicide since 2001, what Home Base does to help got my attention instantly. I have the honor and privilege to be a part of something bigger than myself. This year I run in honor of Josh and Joey Smith, brothers of a colleague here at RBS.” Beth Sampson is chair of the Salute + Allies BRG. “I come from a military family, and the support from both RBS and our military-focused business resource group, Salute, is incredible.

Military associates and their family members are able to connect on their shared experiences, and our entire company is able to learn more about their fellow associates.”

In addition to the programming and events held in July, donations were made via RBS Cares, the charitable arm of Retail Business Services, to both Semper Fi and Home Base to further the support and care of military personnel and their families.

Hill said the Salute + Allies group had approached her department about designating a heritage month for veterans,

active-duty military and their families.

“They started thinking through what programming they wanted to bring forth for the organization for the month of July, so they prepared quite a bit. They proposed it to us. We not only agreed with all that they proposed for the month, but we also showed them how we can cross-support some of the things that they're doing. And we're so proud of what they've put together.”

Hill said her department works with the BRGs to “remove barriers, to empower them, to source for them.”

When it comes to the heritage month observations, she said they always come up with some offering for all associates.

If the BRG creates something else as a bonus, the associates can enjoy that, too.

In addition to Salute + Allies, Retail Business Services also has: Balance + Allies (Caregivers Business Resource Group); Conexíon + Allies (Hispanic BRG); Elevate + Allies (Women’s BRG); Heritage + Allies (Native American BRG); Edge + Allies (Black BRG); Next + Allies (Generations BRG); Tradition + Allies (Asian/Pacific BRG); Pride + Allies (LGBTQIA BRG); and Thrive + Allies (Disabilities BRG).

Quincy, Massachusetts-based Retail Business Services provides services to five omnichannel grocery brands: Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Co., Hannaford and Stop & Shop.

Retail Business Services leverages the scale of the local brands to drive synergies and provides expertise, insights and analytics to local brands to support their strategies.

It does so through services that include Business Integrity Services (legal, risk management, quality assurance), Business Services (HR technology systems and process management), communications, omnichannel services, finance business services, financial planning and analysis, human resources, indirect sourcing, procurement, information technology, pharmacy services, store development, leasing, facilities support and strategy and business development.

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AUGUST 2023 • THE GRIFFIN REPORT OF THE NORTHEAST

Student Case Study Competition leverages emerging leaders

by Jim Dudlicek NGA director, communications and external affairs Employee recruitment and retention remains a top issue facing the independent retail industry. According to many industry and academic research studies, at least 58 percent of U.S. retailers said they have experienced hiring challenges over the past two years that have negatively impacted their business.

During this time, most of these retailers increased wages and benefits for full-time employees, yet they still saw a significant increase in their employee turnover rate.

Independent grocery retailers must assess how they should structure their financial plans and team activities to increase recruiting and retention. How can companies develop a comprehensive strategy that delivers the best combination of internal benefits with competitive corporate positioning?

As part of the NGA Student Case Study Competition in February, 11 colleges worked on strategies and tactics for marketing and implementation of this program. Auburn University emerged as champion.

The National Grocers Association and the NGA Foundation hosted a recent webinar to explain more about how this program can benefit independent grocery retailers.

Moderated by Kelly Hanson, the foundation’s senior project manager, the discussion included: Erica Campbell, director of talent management at St. Louis-based grocery retailer Dierbergs (the retailer at the center of this year’s case study contest); and Jarrett Prizel, a supply chain management student at Auburn University and a member of Auburn’s winning case study team.

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Here are some key takeaways from the discussion: The contest promotes industry leadership and innovative thinking. The competition provides college students considering careers in the grocery industry with hands-on, real-world experience, exposure to the independent grocery sector and a chance to develop solutions that can impact the industry, amid a spirit of fair competition and good sportsmanship.

After researching, developing and finalizing solutions presented during three rounds at the NGA Show, the winning school receives $4,000, with each student team member taking home $1,000.

Students were uniquely equipped to address this year’s topic. Grocers are seeking to enhance their employee recruitment and retention, and students are of the age group representing the industry’s emerging work force.

Teams could bring personal perspectives to these questions: What can grocery retail do to improve the connection points with employees of all ages and reduce turnover rates? How can grocers position themselves as a top potential employer for younger generations seeking fulfillment beyond financial in their career? How should independent grocers restructure their team to support employees’ needs during the hiring and training process? What are unique offerings independent grocers can offer both full-time and part-time employees that will encourage retention?

The contest offered students a real-life challenge. In Prizel’s case, his team brainstormed for about a month and created a network of professors to assist in developing his team’s skills in different business areas, including finance, supply chain management, entrepreneurship and consulting.

Students tackled how to fit solutions to case requirements and company culture; structure teaching while allowing for worker autonomy; identify industry-leading strategies; and

explain how their solution worked EMERGING financially and strategically.

Auburn’s winning solution. The team impressed Dierbergs and contest judges with its three-phase plan that encompassed employee education, recognition, gamification of work processes, career coaching, employee retreats and networking groups.

Retailer takeaways from the contest? Dierbergs aims to focus on digital marketing to enhance its recruitment and culture; establish a mentoring program; increase its investment in scholarships, SAT/ACT prep courses and GED programs; and invest in learning and leadership development.

I’m a retailer and want to participate – what do I have to do? Dierbergs was asked to collect and provide data that would support the student’s research and solutions; coordinate with the NGA Foundation to answer student questions; and participate in the judging of the competition at the NGA Show.

In addition, Dierbergs sent a delegation of seven senior leaders to attend the NGA Show, sponsored a lunch for students at the show and hosted two of the competing teams, one to participate in a share group and another to spend a day with the management team in St. Louis.

Engagement opportunities for next year’s contest – a retailer partner, sponsorship partner, topic ideas and contest judges.

LEADERS

Online Learn more about the NGA Foundation’s student programs at www.nationalgrocers.org/ foundation/student-case-study or contact nga-foundation@nationalgrocers.org.

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