Jan 14, 2008
ARLINGTON, VA – January 14, 2008 – Liz Minyard, former co-chair and co-CEO of Minyard Food Stores, received the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) 2008 Sidney R. Rabb Award today for her efforts to feed the hungry and help the homeless, students and people who suffer from chronic diseases.

     She was the first woman to chair the Board of FMI, serving from 2003-2005. “Minyard trail-blazed the movement for promoting women into the executive ranks of the industry and for promoting diversity throughout the workforce,” said FMI Board Chair Steve Smith. The award was presented at the association’s 2007 Midwinter Executive Conference in Scottsdale, AZ.

     Minyard helped found the North Texas Food Bank, which has distributed enough food to provide 300 million meals to needy families in the past 25 years. She is strong supporter of the United Way Foundation of Metropolitan Dallas and the Dallas Urban League, having served as a long-time Board member and Board chair for both organizations. She has supported education through the annual “First Class Teacher” initiative honoring educators and their schools. She was the first woman to chair the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

     In 1993, she helped launch the annual “Minyard Buddy Run,” which has raised more than $1.6 million for the Leukemia Association of North Central Texas, founded by her father after her mother died of the disease.

     FMI established the Sidney R. Rabb Award in 1977 to honor supermarket industry leaders for outstanding service to the community, consumers and the industry. Its namesake pioneered the consumer- and community-driven role of the supermarket as chief executive of The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company.