Twenty-five more produce managers have received a significant career honor this week in being named winners in the United Fresh Produce Association's Retail Produce Manager Awards Program.
“Produce managers are the face of our industry to the consumer," United Fresh president and CEO Tom Stenzel said in a news release. "Their creative merchandising and positive approach to customer service directly correlates to the growth of sales and ultimately consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables."
The program, which started in 2005, has recognized more than 375 industry members over the years.
The winners for 2021 are:
- Fadi Abou-Ali, Metro, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toni Adams, Harps Food Stores Inc., Springdale, Ark.
- Lee Anderson, Hy-Vee, Inc., Omaha, Neb.
- Bobby Andrake, Haggen Northwest Fresh, Olympia, Wash.
- Chad Bays, Food City, Prestonburg, Ky.
- William Blalock, The Kroger Company, Atlanta, Ga.
- Maria Broda, West Point Commissary, West Point, N.Y.
- Jacqulyn Brodell, Meijer, Greenfield, Wis.
- Stephany Buonomano, Bob's Windham IGA, Windham, Conn.
- Mikaela Claude, Sprouts Farmers Markets, Las Vegas, Nev.
- Tyler Christy, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Charlotte, N.C.
- Chris Contakos, Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets, Schenectady, N.Y.
- Shawn Fast, Coborn's Inc., Sauk Rapids, Minn.
- Jessica Granier, Rouses Markets, Thibodaux, La.
- Jesse Jordan, Fred Meyer, Bellingham, Wash.
- Adam Kalurza, Jewel-Osco, Naperville, Ill.
- Jim Keller, Hornbacher's Foods, Fargo, N.D.
- Peter Kenney, Big Y Foods, Inc., Ludlow, Mass.
- AK Khalid, Giant Food Stores, Inc., Front Royal, Va.
- Karen O'Dell, Martin's Super Market, Granger, Ind.
- Joe Ortiz, Brookshire Grocery Company, Monroe, La.
- Apolinar Parra, Gelson's Markets, Century City, Calif.
- Dusty Taylor, Tops Friendly Markets, Amherst, N.Y.
- John Truncale, Brattleboro Food Co-Op, Brattleboro, Vt.
- Jeff Wilmes, Roth's Fresh Market, Salem, Ore.
Check out interviews with seven of the 2020 winners here, and click the image below to read industry veteran Steve Patt's insightful column "Elevation of the produce manager."
The 2021 winners will be celebrated at United's annual conference in June. Five grand prize winners will each receive $1,000.