2018 Store Manager Award Winners Shine Bright in Food Retail Industry

Louisville, KY – Food Marketing Institute recognizes four exceptional store managers for their remarkable leadership and career achievements at Future Leaders eXperience. Among their numerous accomplishments, the Store Manager Award recipients pioneered new initiatives supporting ecommerce tactics in their stores, fostered new talent in food retail and served their communities to the highest levels.

“In a world increasingly enamored with technology, it becomes a point of differentiation to have quality, meaningful connections with people,” said FMI President and CEO, Leslie G. Sarasin. “Store managers make that point of differentiation a flesh and blood reality. They are motivating their employees to create memorable in-store and online experiences that keep shoppers personally engaged and coming back for more.”

Congratulations to the 19th annual Store Manager Award Winners:

Category A: (1-49 stores)
Al Gartner, Lunds & Byerlys, Woodbury, Minnesota

Category B (50-199 stores)
Kathy Sweigert, Giant Martin’s, State College, Pennsylvania

Category C (200+ stores)
Pam Hudson, Dillons Food Stores, a division of The Kroger Co., Hutchinson, Kansas

Category D (International)
Joanne Walker, SPAR Northern Ireland/Henderson Group, Co. Down, N. Ireland

2018 Store Manager People’s Pick
Mitch Cochran, Food City, Cleveland, Tennessee

Each 2018 Store Manager Awards winners receives a $1,000-prize and a crystal award. For the fourth year, FMI continued to host the “People’s Pick” Facebook contest that received more than 8,800 votes. The “People’s Pick” contest winner receives a special trophy and $500 to celebrate his or her store’s employees. Learn more about the finalists and winners at FMI.org/StoreManagerAwards.