Last year, we unveiled a scholarship program to bring retailers and foodservice executives to the PMA/PRODUCE BUSINESS/Cornell University Leadership Symposium. Here is how we described the enterprise:
This year, in order to encourage the participation of a diverse assortment of industry leadership in the program, PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine has partnered with Grimmway Farms and Mann Packing to make a special scholarship opportunity available for four fortunate industry executives, two each from the retail operator and the foodservice operator end of the industry.
The scholarship is all-expenses-paid, and this program will ensure that the PMA Leadership Symposium will draw on the intellectual capital of all segments of the trade.
If you work for a retail or foodservice operator, or know someone who does, this is an opportunity to attend a program that will take attendees out of the box of “industry thinking” that we often find ourselves trapped in.
And for two lucky retail operators and two lucky foodservice operators, it will only cost the intellectual commitment to make oneself a leader.
In the end, we were proud to announce that four industry leaders had won:
FOODSERVICE OPERATORS
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Gene Harris Senior Purchasing Manager Denny’s |
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Lynn Moorman Commodity Manager El Pollo Loco |
RETAILERS
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Heather Burley Produce Category Manager Kroger Company |
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Greg Corrigan Vice President Produce & Floral Raley’s Family of Fine Stores |
Well, as we prepare to attend the 2009 Leadership Symposium to be held January, 14 — 16, 2009 in Dallas, Texas, we are pleased to report that Grimmway Farms and Mann Packing have once again joined with PRODUCE BUSINESS to make this scholarship possible. After careful deliberation, we are pleased to announce the four winners of the all-expense-paid scholarships to the PMA/PRODUCE BUSINESS/Cornell University Leadership Symposium:
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Robin Fisher Buyer Boston Market Corporation Golden, Colorado |
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Maurice Totty Category Manager Foodbuy LLC Charlotte, North Carolina |
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Garry Koppers Category Merchant Wegman’s Food Markets Rochester, New York |
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Will Wedge Director of Produce/Floral Hannaford Bros. Scarborough, Maine |
We extend sincere congratulations to the winners. That they will gain much from the program and the networking is without doubt, but they will also contribute unique perspectives and insights to the program as well.
To give you a hint as to the kinds of insights these folks can contribute, read the Pundit interview with Maurice Totty here, and look at the profile Pundit sister publication PRODUCE BUSINESS did of Will Wedge’s organic program at Hannaford as well as the tribute to him when he won this past year’s New England Retailer of the Year Award, given out by the New England Produce Council and PRODUCE BUSINESS.
We also look forward to spending time with both Garry and Robin when we get to Dallas.
And it is not too late to join Maurice, Robin, Will and Garry and be part of the cross section of industry leadership that is part of the PMA Leadership Symposium Class of 2009. The event is coming up fast so register today.
