2025 Top Women in Grocery: Store Managers

Maria Bowman

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #0171, Virginia Beach, Va.

• A 25-year veteran and four-time regional Store Manager of the Year honoree currently overseeing 60 associates, Bowman increased same-store sales by almost 4% and met all shrink targets in 2024, and her store had the region’s lowest turnover.
• Adoption was initially slow following the introduction of Food Lion To Go pickup and home delivery at her store, but surveys later showed that 90% of customers would recommend it; she also trained four new managers and effectively ran her store while acting as the manager of another.
• Bowman works with Families for Families, bringing monthly groceries to 25 households facing food insecurity.

Kathy Cassels

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #0210, Roanoke, Va.

• Cassels was among only 55 managers to receive Food Lion’s 2024 Store Manager of the Year award; her total store sales increased 7%, unit movement and customer count each grew 5%, and during Super Bowl week, sales rose more than 17%, the region’s highest increase.
• Also in 2024, her store’s deli/bakery sales increased 13%; produce sales and unit movement each grew 10%-plus; meat department sales rose 10%, with unit movement up 5%; frozen and dairy department sales rose 5%, with unit movement up 3%; and grocery sales rose 5%, with unit movement up 3%.
• Cassels and her team partner with churches and schools to feed needy families.

Christian Dendy

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #0575, Elizabeth City, N.C.

• Year-to-date sales at Dendy’s store led her region with a nearly 4% increase over the previous year, and she motivated her team to deliver outstanding e-commerce service to customers through Food Lion To Go, an improvement of more than 11%.
• Reflecting her dedication to ensuring that associates are properly trained, she also led her region with a 99% completion rate for learning modules.
• Dendy is the primary volunteer organizer in her region for Food Lion Feeds events; as a team, associates at her store completed 112-plus volunteer hours serving at local food pantries and participating in community events, well above the 25 hours annually requested of each store.

Elizabeth Duke

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #0610, Hayes, Va.

• A store manager since 2001 who oversees 72 associates at her current store, Duke was among 55 managers to be named a 2024 Store Manager of the Year, out of 1,100.
• Continually finding ways to expand business in a small-format store while minimizing controllable expenses, she surpassed all of her KPIs and increased Food Lion To Go sales by 20%-plus; meanwhile, her store received a 97% score in food and workplace safety.
• Supporting her community is a point of pride for Duke, who is a board member for a Scout troop of 14- to 21-year-old boys and girls, and a parent liaison for the local high school’s crew team.

Lynn Ernesty

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #2613, Fayetteville, N.C.

• In 2024, Ernesty’s store had to continue operating during a major remodel; her ability to adapt to change and prepare her 80-person team for this event earned her Store Manager of the Year recognition for the region.
• Her store surpassed its KPIs, and she also took the lead in executing the Electronic Production Planning Tool for inventory and product management, ranking at the top of her region, while sales in the location’s meat and produce departments surpassed the previous year’s results.
• Dedicated to helping peers achieve career potential, Ernesty promoted three associates to leadership roles last year.

Katrina Goff

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #1592, Windsor, Va.

• Having joined Food Lion as a part-time associate 26 years ago, Goff was among 55 managers named a 2024 Store Manager of the Year, out of 1,100 at the chain.
• Two years after surviving breast cancer, she continued delivering: In 2024, her annual store sales increased 5%, shrink was under 2%, sales for online shopping platform Food Lion To Go grew 25%, and her net promoter score hit 90.
• Goff maximized efficiency in her small-footprint store through such creative merchandising as adding a table display in bakery to promote a popular baked goods brand; she also helps local families facing hardship.

Jaylan Polk

Store Manager, Food Lion Store #2833, Hahira, Ga.

• Demonstrating quantified efficiency and productivity in store operations, as well as a commitment to exceptional customer service and a welcoming store environment, Polk achieved two consecutive years of perfect audit scores, excelling in regulatory compliance and in-stock performance.
• Her leadership was instrumental in double-digit same-store sales growth, and her store consistently balanced driving sales and meeting shrink targets, ensuring financial stability and operational excellence.
• Polk’s associate development efforts have led to high retention, reduced overtime costs and increased productivity at her store.

Sherry Beitler

Store Manager, Giant Store #6501, Ephrata, Pa.

• Beitler consistently exceeded performance expectations, achieving financial and operational targets across key metrics, including sales, earnings, shrink reduction, labor efficiency, zero waste and audit compliance, with her ability to drive innovation and execute strategic initiatives consistently resulting in measurable success.
• Her contributions extended beyond her store: She served as a regional hiring panelist, facilitating interviews with high-potential team members, and away from work, she donated products from her family’s farm to local schools and groups.
• In 2025, Beitler has taken on additional responsibilities, supporting the regional associate engagement lead.

Magbule Gashi

Store Manager, Giant Store #6314, Coopersburg, Pa.

• Under Gashi’s leadership, her store experienced significant six-figure sales growth versus last year, beat the budget year to date and achieved the best perishable shrink performance in the region.
• She was tapped to be the mentor for one of the company’s future leaders, serving as her guide through the company’s salaried management training program, a 19-week course to prepare those newly promoted into store manager roles.
• Through The Giant Co.’s signature Feeding School Kids program, along with initiatives focused on healing the plant, changing children’s lives and eliminating hunger, Gashi led her team to raise more than $27,000 in 2024.

Jessica Lees

Assistant Store Manager Fresh, Giant Store #6074, Allentown, Pa.

• For several months, Lees was a floating team member, covering for managers on leave, or taking on assistant manager duties; with expertise in the fresh departments, center store and customer experience, she could jump in and support store teams in need, building trust and delivering results.
• As part of a special assignment, she designed, constructed and piloted an entirely new mobile training site for front end store roles such as cashiers, checkout coaches, cash office associates, customer service associates and janitorial staff.
• At her previous location, Lees was named Assistant Store Manager of Customer Experience of the Year in 2022.

Joanna Renzulli

Store Manager, Giant Store #6573, Philadelphia

• In 2024, taking over an urban location facing many challenges when it came to staffing, training and establishing trust, Renzulli was able to interview and hire more than 50 team members for the store, eventually promoting 22 of them to leadership roles in which all of them have excelled far beyond management’s expectations.
• Additionally, through one-on-one meetings in which she gave continuous feedback and provided positive affirmations, she helped to build up her team members’ confidence.
• As a result of these actions, Renzulli’s store saw a significant improvement in turnover, which decreased by 24%, and a 12-point associate engagement score increase from 2023.

Amy Stainbrook 

Store Manager, Giant Food Store #303, Baltimore

• One of the best in the brand, Stainbrook’s store racked up a net promoter score eight points higher than the prior year and has consistently achieved great audit results.
• Stainbrook and her team delivered year-over-year sales growth of more than 7% by delivering strong in-stock and merchandising plans.
• By instilling knowledge through her department management team, Stainbrook improved her overall associate engagement result by more than 5%; additionally, thanks to her strong communication and follow-up on daily store standards, she and her team beat her shrink budget by more than 30 basis points.

Dalene Bonham

Store Manager, Martin’s Store #6297, La Vale, Md.

• Bonham led her store to an impressive turnaround in sales, achieving a 405-basis-point improvement over the previous year, with 2024 ID sales up 1.93% versus a decline of 2.15% in 2023; she also delivered underlying operating profit nearly 1.5% above plan, and gross profit just shy of 1% above plan.
• Besides breaking multiple performance records, her associates excelled at key selling programs, winning such initiatives as the floral Valentine’s Day upgrade sales contest and Q4 fresh sales contests.
• Bonham served on the Store Manager’s Council and actively contributed to leadership initiatives and operational improvements across the organization.

Paula Lingenfelter

Store Manager, Martin’s Store #6466, Altoona, Pa.

• Lingenfelter’s store achieved a high associate engagement score that was four points above the region score and six points above the division store, increased its net promoter score by 13 points over the previous year, and earned a safety score of more than 90%.
• She hosted monthly open interviews for internal positions, which contributed to three manager promotions last year, and was chosen to be the associate engagement score champion for her region.
• Following a major remodel that spanned several weeks, Lingenfelter’s location still managed to end the year with sales 14% above budget and 5% above the prior year.

Colleen Wagner

Store Manager, Giant Food Store #6094, Fairless Hills, Pa.

• Wagner and her team beat last year’s sales budget by 2.66% dollars, in addition to beating the store’s gross profit budget by 3.29% and underlying gross profit by 20%; her store’s net promoter score also increased by 19% over the previous year.
• Under her direction, the Fairless Hills store has achieved zero waste, meaning that 90% or more of its total waste is diverted from a landfill or incineration.
• In the past year, Wagner has played a crucial role in getting eight team leads, two assistant department managers and two salaried managers promoted, with two more associates currently in training; away from work, she assists with the food pantry at her local parish.

Maryann Holton

Store Director, Acme Markets Store #1054, Midland Park, N.J.

• Even while competing against new grocers in her market in 2024, Holton continued supporting her customers by delivering outstanding customer service and exceeding net promoter score goals and her plan and expectation for shrink.
• A servant leader who put her team first, she also took on leadership roles in the district through various successful in-store sales events.
• A member of the New Jersey Food Council, in which capacity she helps spread the word about food insecurity across the state, Holton is also a training store director for the Assistant Store Director Leadership Program, a new external-leadership trainer and a person-in-charge trainer.

Carissa Ford-Howard

Store Director, Albertsons Store #358, Bakersfield, Calif.

• Maintaining consistent stellar store conditions, setting team expectations and training her associates, Ford-Howard and her team beat their sales projection by more than $80,000 in Q3; she made her shrink target, controlled overtime and met her labor budget.
• She helped lead this year’s Bakersfield HaLAWeen event, during which the district raised more than $16,000 in candy donations for safe distribution by the local police department; her team also volunteered at the event, handing out candy to 10,000-plus kids.
• Ford-Howard has graduated from the McKinsey Leadership Development Program.

Nicole Goins

Store Director, Albertsons Store #1211, Danville, Calif.

• As store director, Goins “crushed EBITDA targets” for all four quarters throughout the year, according to her nominator, and her store has also seen excellent service and food safety results and exceeded expectations for nonperishable shrink.
• While overseeing the store, she stepped up to serve as acting operations specialist for the center of the store; in this district-level role, she supported key operational functions, helped drive KPIs and trained leadership teams in the store.
• As a labor and scheduling champion for Albertsons’ District 7, Goins trained two external assistant store directors, one store director and three department managers in the past year.

Jennifer Jagneaux

Store Director, Albertsons Store #0717 Lake Charles, La.

• As the director of a pilot store for grocery delivery to maritime businesses, Jagneaux led her team to deliver more than 30 nearly 1,000-piece grocery boat orders to three customers from Texas and Louisiana; the program’s success led to two more division stores delivering to maritime businesses.
• During her tenure as hiring and compliance lead, the district had the lowest number of job needs and overtime hours; she also significantly improved morale and sales at her store, bringing the service net promoter score above 90%.
• Jagneaux partnered with local law enforcement agencies on a brunch for female police officers.

Andrea McHone

Store Director, Albertsons Store #1266, Truckee, Calif. 

• McHone’s store experienced a great 2024, coming in $1 million over its sales plan.
• The store’s food safety and sanitation audits were at 100%, with a “green” on both food safety and sanitation.
• As an assistant manager  trainer and facilitator for her district, McHone has promoted and trained two associates over the past year and is always willing to help other stores in need through feedback and suggestions; she is also the district Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN) coordinator and net promoter store champion in customer experience; beyond Albertsons, she is deeply involved in the local community and participates in local events with a food bank.

Lavee Steblay

Store Director, Albertsons Store #2549, Mission Viejo, Calif.

• Within two months, Steblay turned a store with low employee morale, poor net promoter scores and flagging sales into the top-scoring store in a struggling district; her location also achieved positive ID sales.
• She’s a volunteer at the Second Harvest Food bank who passionately promotes the organization’s Hunger Bags initiative in her store; during the last Hunger Bags campaign, her location outpaced the goal of 50 bags a day, selling an average of 75 bags a day.
• A manager who’s constantly in development mode, Steblay prioritized recruiting and developing future leaders, identifying and mentoring multiple high-potential associates at her store.

Laura Yates

Store Director, Albertsons Store #972, Martinez, Calif. 

• Yates, an Albertsons veteran with more than 20 years’ experience as a store director, managed to bring in big-store sales – $750,000-plus on average – at a unit that’s less than 40,000 square feet.
• She set a strong foundation for her team with consistent training and coaching and was always the first to recognize her team’s achievements.
• Yates consistently ranked at the top of her district: She was voted Store Director of the Year by her peers for the past two years, and, for the past 10 quarters, she has won a district trophy that recognizes the store that leads the way in 17 key metrics, including sales performance, shrink plan and customer service.

Nycke Bozilovic

Store Director, Jewel-Osco Store #4308, Schaumburg, Ill.

• Bozilovic took over a store in Schaumburg, Ill., where she boosted pickup sales by 5% after strengthening that business and also beat EBITDA projections two quarters in a row; when she was store director at a nearby location, she likewise beat sales and EBITDA by 4.6% and 6% in successive quarters.
• She additionally took the time to develop and promote various team members, including a night crew chief, a full-time night crew associate and an assistant grocery manager.
• Bozilovic has been successful in community outreach programs; among other efforts, she raised funds at a holiday event to feed 180 needy families and collected more than 200 coats for a Salvation Army drive.

Robin Clavelle-Wright

Store Director, Jewel-Osco Store #3288, Oak Park, Ill.

• Overseeing 225 crew members at a busy store in Oak Park, Ill., Clavelle-Wright drove up average weekly sales and grew EBITDA by 94 basis points year over year.
• She hired more than 50 associates last year, cultivating future managers in the process, and also mentored a new assistant store director; as part of her efforts, she teamed with a local school to help students find work and learn responsibility by joining her store team.
• Clavelle-Wright co-chairs the Black Inclusive Network of Diversity resource group at Jewel-Osco and takes part in many community events; she is also a passionate supporter of Autism Speaks.

Rama Diallo

Store Director, Jewel-Osco Store #3376, Chicago

• Diallo’s store in Chicago’s Loop was the site of the kickoff celebration for Jewel-Osco’s 125th anniversary and its MOMents campaign.
• She consistently beat EBITDA and her store achieved a top-20 net promoter score of 87%; the site also hit 99% out of 100% for in-stock, stocking and shelf conditions, and back-room conditions.
• Diallo completed certification from the McKinsey Academy Accelerator Managers Program; additionally, she belongs to the banner’s Black Inclusive Network of Diversity resource group, spoke at the company’s internship event and volunteers at a nonprofit that provides resettlement support for refugees.

Tiffany Foley

Store Director, Jewel-Osco Store #3118, Clinton, Iowa

• At her Jewel-Osco store in Clinton, Iowa, Foley oversaw sales ID growth of 6% year over year (YoY) during 2024, and also improved total store shrink by 1.5% YoY and total store margin by 2% YoY.
• Working alongside her team to achieve goals and standards, she additionally helped increase year-over-year e-commerce sales by more than 40%, and her store became one of the first to become omnichannel certified.
• Foley is heavily involved with the local food pantry, as well as always helping out with charitable events: For example, her store donated almost 200 dinners for Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2024 to local families in need.

Erica Little    

Store Director, Jewel-Osco Store #3181, Chicago

• As a store director in Chicago, Little was dedicated to not only meeting her financial metrics, but also to fostering strong relationships with her team to achieve her location’s goals.
• Her store was No. 3 in the district for total store sales, and her identical sales for the total store were also up year over year; additionally, the store was No. 1 for sales ID in liquor; health, beauty and baby; and grocery.
• Maintaining strong working relationships with local police officers, lawmakers, and numerous churches and schools, Little still somehow manages to find the time to be an active member of McKinsey Academy and to volunteer at the New Directions Grace Church.

Raquel Welch

Store Director, Jewel-Osco Store #1074, Joliet, Ill.

• Welch’s store in Joliet, Ill., achieved a 2% sales increase year over year while also improving shrink, and the location additionally became the first in her district to be awarded an e-commerce certification for achieving a five-star rating.
• Her achievements didn’t end there: the store also recorded notable customer experience metrics and racked up the highest compliance achievement rate in the district for fall and spring evaluations.
• Welch is involved with the Jewel-Osco Black Inclusive Network of Diversity and the Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network (WIIN) resource groups, as well as participating in various community events.

Christine Gallegos Barba

Store Director, Pavilions Store #2224, Pasadena, Calif.

• Barba’s team reimagined store merchandising strategies to maximize operational efficiency and customer engagement — an initiative that improved customer satisfaction net promoter score by 2.3%.
• Using insights from the company’s annual Associate Engagement Survey, she fostered a strong team culture and improved team engagement by 14% to reach an overall team engagement score of 81% — the No. 2 ranking in the district.
• Barba has made significant strides in strengthening community bonds in Pasadena through her dedicated efforts with such local organizations as Union Station Homeless Services and Friends In Deed.

Robin Clark

Store Director, Safeway Store #342, Spokane, Wash. 

• When Clark was assigned to her current store, sales and profits were declining, as the neighborhood was struggling with an unstable economy and a reduction in SNAP benefits; in her first year there, she exceeded the EBITDA plan every quarter, ultimately surpassing the annual plan by more than $400,000.
• She motivated her team by creating excitement around contests and events, as well as by celebrating their successes, and she also coached associates on department operations and financials.
• Clark takes on significant leadership roles in her district, serving as the labor champion and trainer; she was also selected to represent the district at the Store Director Council.

Lucy Endres

Store Director, Safeway Store #544, Bonney Lake, Wash. 

• As the community of Bonney Lake, Wash., continues to grow, Endres is leading her store to some major successes: In the third quarter of 2024, the supermarket achieved 10.54% EBITDA, due in part to consistent operations and high standards.
• She is committed to developing future leaders and serves a mentor in the company, last year successfully developing and promoting three grocery managers to assistant store director roles and another associate to a grocery manager position.
• Endres also took on leadership roles in her district, serving as a trainer, as well as a member of the Seattle division’s task force dealing with employee onboarding and training.

Tracy Hoadley

Store Director, Safeway Store #486, Tacoma, Wash. 

• Hoadley’s collaborative leadership style has helped reduce turnover at her store by 50%, while her competitive drive has earned top rankings in customer service and food safety.
• Last year, she developed a plan in collaboration with her produce team to add a new fixture to the produce department, which ended up driving sales; her store has also consistently surpassed its annual targets for both sales and EBITDA.
• Hoadley is an active member of Albertsons’ WIIN (Women’s Inspiration and Inclusion Network) committee and has received multiple quarterly district performance awards from the retailer, as well as six Quad Green Certificates from Ecolab.

Amber Krantz

Store Director, Safeway Store #1827, La Grande, Ore. 

• Krantz led her store through a “remarkable” total remodel in the past year, according to the Albertsons executive who nominated her, and she continued to keep the store in immaculate condition and make use of strategic sales displays.
• She also drove growth by maintaining best-in-class out-of-stock rates under 300 daily, and her most recent back-room inventory was under 10%.
• A natural leader, Krantz is a valued mentor at the company, training and developing new store directors; outside of her daily role as store director, she plays a pivotal role in organizing and leading sponsorship for the Annual Safeway Girls Buckle Classic wrestling tournament.

Maria Garay Palmer

Store Director, Safeway Store #1834, Dutch Harbor, Alaska 

• Palmer excelled in leading a store located in an extremely remote area about 1,200 miles from Anchorage; she trained her team on best practices in ordering to ensure that the store would be able to handle unforeseen delivery issues.
• Last year, her store ranked No. 1 in shrink percentage versus target for both perishable and nonperishable items; it was also the top store in EBITDA percentage and contribution.
• Palmer volunteers for fundraising campaigns, food distribution to the elderly, and more; her store led the district in fundraising for Nourish Everyone, an annual food drive and donation campaign backed by Albertsons.

Thayalini Pathinathan

Store Director, Tom Thumb Store #2580, Southlake, Texas

• Tasked with the challenge of having her store reach the million-dollar sales mark in 2024, Pathinathan met that goal before Christmas.
• Her store was the first store to become five-star certified in Albertsons Cos.’ Drive Up & Go program and has remained certified to date; the location also earned a top net promoter score and had zero employee accident claims in Q3 2024.
• Pathinathan, who came to this country at the age of 18 and didn’t speak English when she first started working at Albertsons as a cashier, volunteers with Meals on Wheels to feed about 5,000 families in her area, in addition to participating in many other community efforts.

Season Amador

Store Director, Vons Store #2118, San Diego

• Prioritizing collaboration and open communication, Amador fostered a workplace environment that generated trust among team members; as a result, the employee turnover rate dropped from 48.2% to 36.8% last year.
• The high standard she set for a clean and safe store had a big impact on sales, which increased significantly each quarter; her store beat its P&L plan, maintained an increase of 8.97% ID sales and increased basket size by 8.15% year over year with in-stock conditions.
• The store’s campaigns to boost awareness of the San Diego Food Bank helped Amador’s district raise $277,000-plus in food contributions.

Robyn Lilleberg

Store Manager, Amazon Fresh Store # MAC9, Long Beach, Calif.

• Lilleberg led her store to exceptional sales results, ranking No. 1 in the region and No. 5 overall for Amazon Fresh stores nationwide during Prime Day — marking her store’s second consecutive year as a top-five performer.
• Team leadership and professional development are priorities for Lilleberg, and she has implemented initiatives to strengthen team dynamics and communication; her efforts have led to outstanding people metrics, with 100% scores in two key areas.
• She continues to work as a volunteer with local organizations, including Ronald McDonald House, the Water of the Blues Society and the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Jessica Ferraro

Store Director, Big Y World Class Market #40, Cheshire, Conn.

• Ferraro’s ability to achieve strong financial results while focusing on customer service and team engagement led to her store exceeding its sales budget in 2024 by 1% and increasing sales by 1.5% over the previous year.
• She mentored several employees into leadership positions across the company; her commitment to cross-training and promoting from within has created a dynamic team, with nearly half of her employees trained in multiple departments.
• Ferraro volunteers for customer service events such as managing the hydration station for the MS Walk and organizing swag bags and job information for Quinnipiac University’s Freshmen Move-In Day.

Jennifer Harlan

Store Manager, Food Maxx Store #449, Carson City, Nev.

• Harlan increased her sales by $97,000 last year due to her involvement with two community nonprofit food banks: the Dream Center, resulting in increased sales of more than $75,000, and FISH, leading to $12,000 more in sales; she additionally achieved and exceeded her four-wall EBITDA target.
• Despite a challenging employment environment, she kept her store fully staffed; committed to associate development, she identified and mentored an internal candidate to take on the role of assistant store manager.
• Harlan is a dedicated community volunteer: During the Thanksgiving holiday, both she and her assistant built holiday baskets for the FISH food bank.

Kristina Hale

Store Director, Fresh Thyme Market Store, Evansville, Ind.

• Hale’s location – which was named the Southwest Region Store of the Year in 2024 – finished second overall out of 70 stores, measuring all financial metrics; it was also consistently among the top-10 highest-comping stores in the company, with comps as high as 40% year over year.
• She led her location with a servant leadership mentality, as well as an eye on the details and financial acumen, teaching and mentoring all of her team members to help them succeed while serving on the company’s store director council.
• Hale volunteers at the United Methodist Youth Home, which offers refuge and life planning for at-risk youths up to the age of 21.

Tamantha Nemeth

Store Leader, Giant Eagle Store #0060, Monroeville, Pa.

• Known for running a clean, safe and well-stocked store with good service while exceeding company compliance standards, Nemeth received 100% scores on all of her audits – store, pharmacy, beer, cash office and OSHA.
• Having earned the highest efficiency rate in the region, her store was chosen to pilot a new shrink initiative/theft reduction initiative for the company.
• Active in running successful Full Plate, Zero Waste register campaigns in the East division for an impressive 27 years, Nemeth also leads her store’s efforts to raise funds for the American Heart Association, United Way and Giant Eagle’s internal Team Member Care Fund.

Sheronda Irick

Store Director, Harris Teeter Store #118, Holly Springs, N.C.

• For the past year, Irick’s store achieved an average scan audit score of 3 or lower; the location also consistently maintained fewer than 30 outs on the out-of-stock scan.
• During the holiday season, her strategic planning resulted in breaking a new sales record, hitting $1 million in sales for the first time; she also reduced employee turnover by 53% year to date, cutting it in half and fostering a more stable and engaged workforce.  
• Irick partners with Vocational Rehabilitation Services to help adults gain valuable job skills, and she coaches at Fuquay Varina Parks and Recreation Center, providing mentorship and guidance to local youth.

Hope Starrett

Store Director, Harris Teeter Store #357, Greenville, S.C.

• Store #357 achieved a 98% composite score for the year — the highest in Starrett’s district, third in the region and in the top 10 company-wide; the location also boasted the district’s highest IVR survey response rates, averaging 150 responses per period.
• Despite increased competition from a new nearby Harris Teeter store, Starrett’s store exceeded last year’s sales by 1.77%, averaging more than $855,000 in weekly sales — the second highest in the district; it also outperformed last year’s operating profit and surpassed budget by more than 2%.
• Starrett also teamed with the local fire department to donate meals to displaced families during the holidays.

Lindsey Flanigan

District Store Director, Hy-Vee stores in Fort Dodge and Webster City, Iowa, among other retail locations, Hy-Vee Inc.

• Flanigan helped organize an event to share the need for pharmacy benefit manager reform with pharmacy customers.
• Both of her grocery stores successfully brought together inventory management, financial operations and merchandise planning under a single software and reporting system.
• Flanigan volunteers at the Chamber of Commerce and Business Leaders Under 40; the Fort Dodge Study Club, which supports local fine-arts endeavors; the YWCA; and Meals on Wheels, and she drives the Joy of Reading Bookmobile, which provides free books for kids.

Erma Vazquez

Store Leader, Fry’s Food Store #675, Buckeye, Ariz.

• The Fry’s Food Store in Buckeye, Ariz., was experiencing operational challenges, including missed sales goals and low scorecard ratings, before Vazquez’s leadership; she improved that scorecard to more than 90% and drove a 6% year-over-year sales increase.
• Under her watch, pickup orders increased, and shrink was cut to 1.57%, she relied on her 20 year of grocery experience – which began at this very store – to set examples for 262 employees, including two of her own daughters.
• Vazquez volunteered at a nearby elementary school and food bank, as well as participating in the banner’s multicultural resource group.

Michelle Valdez

Store Leader, King Soopers Store #87, Conifer, Colo.

• Valdez’s performance last year was described as “nothing short of extraordinary”: She guided the location through several challenges and was one of the first to implement Store Operational Segments, a process elevating already strong stores to even greater heights.
• She led 20-plus associate engagement events, spurring a double-digit increase in associate insight results, and her efforts led to higher store sales, lower waste, and composite score results that far exceeded the company goal; her exemplary work led to her promotion to division operations specialist.
• Valdez was also actively involved in the banner’s Hispanic and Pride resource groups.

Nicole Draper

Store Leader, Kroger Store #436, Frankenmuth, Mich.

• Draper led two stores in 2024, including her current location in Frankenmuth, Mich.; at both sites, she sparked improvements in performance metrics, customer satisfaction and financial growth.
• Her previous store hit a 100% composite score several times, and she bumped up her current store’s score from 74% to 94% in short order and increased the highly satisfied customer rate to 82%; she also led the Frankenmuth store to consistent sales growth, with a 7% or higher increase each period.
• Beyond the store, Draper led an event benefiting the 1% Veteran Food Pantry that raised more than $10,000 in goods for vets in need.

Alicia Jones

Store Leader, Kroger Store #685, Atlanta

• In the busy Atlanta market, Jones’s leadership at a store with 180 employees was evident in her location’s weekly average of $1.2 million last year, a significant increase that added $1 million to the bottom line.
• Her location was the first in the division to roll out a new operational segment, a move that allowed her to better understand her customers and adjust store metrics to meet their needs.
• To help members of her community better enjoy their shopping trips, Jones worked with a local health provider to bring elderly customers into the store and teach them how to navigate digital experiences; she also teamed with a local nonprofit that serves unhoused citizens.

Ranee Ward

Store Leader, Kroger Store #670, Powell, Tenn.

• Now a two-time Top Women in Grocery honoree, Ward continued to raise the bar at her store in Powell, Tenn., achieving a 7% sales increase and driving EBITDA up 109 basis points at the location.
• Her leadership led to a 71% reduction in turnover from 2021 to 2024 and the promotion of several associates to department leaders; as a result, her team received the company’s 1st Half Operational Excellence Award for District 4.
• Ward earned top provider recognition for Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Initiative and is involved in Kroger district leadership committees, where she helps shape strategic initiatives and mentor future leaders.

Jessica Winebrenner

Store Leader, Kroger Store #359, Bellevue, Ky.

• Within her first year as a store leader at a location in Bellevue, Ky., Winebrenner, an 18-year Kroger veteran made a big impact on the team and division, boosting shrink and composite score.
• Her creativity and ability to simplify complex processes inspired her team of 133 associates to succeed in their roles, whether she created games to explain processes or baked cupcakes for employees.
• Thanks to her dedication, the store began preparing food rescue donations six days a week and forged close relationships with schools, the police and fire departments, and local leaders; Winebrenner also volunteers at a local hospital.

Mafi Vasquez

Store Leader, QFC Store #835, Lynnwood, Wash.

• Born in Peru and currently in charge of a QFC store in Lynnwood, Wash., Vasquez started a career in nursing but pivoted to grocery when she came to live in the United States.
• Enjoying the common theme of connecting with people, she led her store to surpass its turnover goal and was an integral part of the assistant store leader training program; her store scored above 85% on holiday tours and surprise visits, metrics that also reflected her unwavering drive for excellence.
• Vasquez is a founding member of QFC’s multicultural resource group, and her store consistently ranks among the top sellers of $10 holiday bags for community members in need.

Liz Mercado Martinez

Store Leader, Ralphs Store #118, Murrieta, Calif.

• Martinez’s store team in Murrieta, Calif., achieved exceptional composite scores this year, consistently maintaining an 85%-90% rating, with a peak of 94% in Period 13; she was also recognized for Best Labor Percent Effective in the first half of 2024.
• She recently earned a certification of participation for graduating from the Allsafe Focus Store Program.
• As for community involvement, Martinez organized an initiative to recognize the work of local firefighters by having associates and customers sign a giant card and delivering a cake to the firehouse as a thank-you for their service; she also works with the Angel Tree Foundation each year.

Christy Warren

Store Manager, Lidl Store #1052, Augusta, Ga.

• Warren helped her Lidl store in Augusta, Ga., consistently exceed performance benchmarks and earn recognition for both customer satisfaction and financial achievements.
• She has been honored with numerous internal awards, including the Checkout Olympics Award and the Graham Grizzly Award, both of which recognize her exceptional strength and resilience in leadership.
• During Hurricane Helene, Warren stepped up as a pillar of the Augusta community, and despite the immense challenges posed by the disaster, she led her team to provide essential services and helped organize resources and coordinate with local relief efforts.

Kimberly Barber

Store Director, Lowes Foods Store #188, Jamestown, N.C.

• Barber oversaw a store remodel last year, and under her guidance, the location not only transitioned smoothly, but has also since experienced double-digit sales increases week after week.
• Entrusted with a higher-volume, more complex store, she took on the challenge of an underperforming location and, in just six months, completely transformed its operations: The store is now delivering 3%-5% weekly sales growth and exceeding P&L expectations.
• Barber actively volunteers at her local church and has helped grow an in-store donation initiative supporting Helping Hands of High Point, N.C., organizing weekly food collections to aid the local ministry.

Elizabeth Brewster

Store Director, Lowes Foods Store #191, Raleigh, N.C.

• Brewster’s Raleigh, N.C., store battled a competitive opening but came out ahead of budget, with every department achieving its department yield, nonperishable inventory results performing better than tracking and guest trip frequency higher than the division average.
• Her store achieved the No. 1 ranking in the division for the Cart to Class program, which allows households to donate a portion of their purchases to local schools.
• Brewster was actively engaged with Healing Transitions outreach as well as Millbrook United Methodist Church, helping to provide meals for those in need.

Katie Hicks

Store Director, Lowes Foods Store #182,Walkerton, N.C.

• Hicks’ focus on engaging, coaching and empowering her employees, coupled with her strong support for the community, brought about an outstanding audit performance at her store.
• She has implemented numerous initiatives to boost morale and engagement, including regular team-building activities, personalized birthday and work anniversary cards, and quarterly themed employee appreciation events like ice cream socials.
• Hicks volunteers with Horse Power Therapeutic Learning to help meet the unique and diverse needs of her community, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Jen Saylor

Store Director, Lowes Foods Store #230, Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.

• Saylor’s coastal North Carolina store was awarded Store of the Year for 2024 in her division, and her innovative leadership was pivotal to the location’s success, especially given its seasonal nature.
• She implemented cross-training for hosts in multiple areas and actively incorporated their feedback to eliminate process inefficiencies, which ensured high standards in both guest-facing and back-of-house operations.
• Saylor is actively engaged with the Wilmington Food Bank, helping to provide more than 75,000 meals for those in need this past year.

Jennifer Boteler

Store Director, Meijer Store #184, Lexington, Ky.

• Over the course of 2024, Boteler led her team to drive exceptional results in all areas, including a year-over-year sales increase and a traffic increase that leads all other stores in the market by more than 200 basis points.
• She partnered with Citi to develop a training program to drive loyalty metrics that was then rolled out chain-wide.
• Boteler helped mentor female leaders in the market by facilitating a regional Women in the Workplace program to help female leaders overcome gender-based challenges, not only presenting an event, but also creating content used by others to facilitate the program.

Amy Griffis

Store Director, Meijer Store #137, Lafayette, Ind.

• At her store, Griffis helped increase the on-shelf availability score by 400 basis points and exceeded sales plans; she also led with 200% accountability in safety and ended 2024 with zero lost-time accidents.
• Her store received the Regional Blue Ribbon Award for Best Inventory Management System Health Score in the Illinois-Wisconsin region.
• Griffis is chair of the Illinois-Wisconsin Women at Meijer team member resource group, helping develop content for the group and co-facilitating monthly Mindset Monday calls during which regional teams can listen and participate in discussions.

Leighanne Heitkamp

Store Director, Meijer Store #235, Marysville, Ohio

• Under Heitkamp’s leadership, her store achieved a turnover rate of 46%, ranking third in the market, with a 20% improvement compared with the previous year; she also took the time to connect with new hires to ensure that they were satisfied in their roles, and if they weren’t, she assisted them in finding suitable positions within the store.
• Her focus on on-shelf availability led to a year-end rate of 95.20%, the best in the market and 17th out of 58 in Meijer’s Ohio region.
• Heitkamp’s store hosted the Shop with a Hero for the Holidays event, at which 40 children had the opportunity to shop with their heroes.

Manjiri Joshi

Store Director, Meijer Store #188, Livonia, Mich.

• Despite overseeing a significant store remodel that lasted for more than nine months, Joshi was still able to deliver a remarkable $2.5 million increase over plan, along with a year-over-year sales increase.
• Additionallly, her leadership contributed to a dramatic improvement in staff retention, lowering turnover from 57.7% to 47.7% in 2024 – the lowest the store had ever seen.
• Joshi received the Game Changer coin for her exceptional performance in the last quarter of 2024, in recognition of her ability to drive sales, improve net promoter scores and manage shrink during a challenging remodel year; she’s also committed to helping her community.

Andrea Pickens

Store Director, Meijer Store #51, Findlay, Ohio

• Pickens’ unwavering passion and competitive spirit drove her store to exceed the fiscal 2024 sales plan by an impressive 7% while also outperforming 2023 with a remarkable 15% increase.
• Her team was awarded the prestigious title of 2024 White Glove Champion at both the market and regional levels, and the store was named the 2024 Best Grocery Store in a local magazine’s survey.
• Pickens led her team in several volunteer initiatives that included helping at a homeless shelter and food pantry and building homes with Habitat for Humanity; additionally, she serves as the Habitat ReStore chair on her local Habitat for Humanity board.

Natalie Stacey

Store Director, Meijer Store #53, Waterford, Mich. 

• Stacey’s store exceeded its sales plan by more than $1.5 million in the past year; meanwhile, her strategic efforts to address shrink resulted in a 25-basis-point improvement.
• Under her leadership, customer experience scores significantly improved, reaching 59.2 versus 51.1 the prior year, and her store ranked No. 2 in the region for team member friendliness.
• Stacey was appointed the market champion for West Detroit vendor relations, a role in which she enhanced the overall store-vendor experience; she also served as the market champion for West Detroit store operations compliance, overseeing and implementing compliance initiatives across 11 stores.

Vannessa Valdivia 

Assistant Store Manager, Save Mart Store #105, Riverbank, Calif.

• Starting as a clerk 13 years ago, Valdivia became bakery manager and eventually an assistant store manager at one of the company’s highest-volume locations, where she helped with a multimillion-dollar remodel and launched successful new programs that were expanded to other stores.
• Following the remodel, foodservice was up 23.91%, with a total store positive of 9%, thanks to her standardized schedule to maximize foodservice efficiency.
• Valdivia mentored a service specialist regarding customer service skills related to Freebie Friday giveaways; this undertaking positively affected the store’s Voice of the Customer score.

Diana Fritz

Store Manager, ShopRite Store #235, Carmel, N.Y.

• Fritz’s 163-associate location recorded a 7% year-over-year sales increase, and her meticulous attention to merchandising and operational efficiency contributed to a reduction in shrink favorability by 0.16 points.
• Her focus on exceptional customer service resulted in a 72% associate engagement index, two points ahead of the retail benchmark, and two out of three shoppers reported being “highly satisfied” with their experience, three points ahead of the company trend.
• Fritz promoted seven associates to full-time positions, and her team-building and employee engagement efforts led to a 92% retention rate, 16 points ahead of the company average.

Claudia Pavone

Store Manager, ShopRite Store #276, Thornwood, N.Y.

• At Pavone’s previous location,  sales increased by $1 million, shrink dropped 0.18 points and controllable expenses decreased, resulting in a DSC contribution of $136,000 over the previous year, while a 98% employee retention rate was among the company’s highest.
• She then transferred to the Thornwood, N.Y., store, which averages $1 million in weekly sales; despite the presence of two new area competitors, she’s been running 3% ahead without taking a sales loss, continued to drive down shrink by 14 points and reduced controllable expenses by 0.20 points.
• Pavone and her team donated 23,000 pounds of food to Feeding Westchester.

Sevilla Burns

Store Manager, Sprouts Farmers Market Store #226, San Diego

• Having begun her career as a courtesy clerk/utility clerk, Burns rose to oversee 114 employees at the same location, which is one of Sprouts’ most successful locations.
• In 2024, her store achieved first place with a perfect 100 points on the Sprouts company scorecard; she surpassed the total store sales target by 103%, achieving the shrink target set for her store by 56 basis points and achieving customer satisfaction scores that were 6% higher than Sprouts’ target.
• Burns earned her college degree in 2023 and has completed every Sprouts training program; she also recently graduated from the McKinsey Executive Leadership Program.

Melissa Sims

Store Manager, Sprouts Farmers Market Store #530, Smyrna, Ga.

• Sims’ location experienced exceptional year-over-year growth: Average weekly sales grew, with an above-average comp increase in basket size, and her operational efficiency took EBITDA growth from negative to positive.
• As her district’s service and loyalty captain, she helped improve its customer satisfaction score with a year-over-year 170-basis point increase; headed up the Loyalty Rewards rollout, exceeding her target by 130%; and maintained the lowest turnover rate.
• Additionally, as the market community events leader for her area, Sims took the lead within her peer group to build strong relationships with local leaders. 

Devin Smith

Store Manager, Sprouts Farmers Market Store #28, Prescott, Ariz.

• Last year, comps at Smith’ store exceeded projections: Numbers of transactions increased, surpassing the company average for basket size growth, and she scored a perfect 100 on the company scorecard in Q4, winning the Ultimate District Award for 2024.
• When the Flagstaff, Ariz., store lost its manager, she volunteered to help, staying at a local hotel to provide leadership; while there, she rebuilt trust, reduced turnover, increased sales and led the team to a bonus.
• Partnering with the Inspiring Women @ Sprouts team member resource group, Smith helped bring a mammography truck to her store, providing free mammograms to area residents.

Gwendolyn Pratt

Store Manager, Tops Markets Store #49, West Seneca, N.Y.

• Pratt was a leader for the district and a key trainer due to her sales-driven perspective, great merchandising skills and ability to create themed displays.
• Her store was at 105% of budget for total store contributions year to date, and she was at 101% of her budget for sales and had five weeks where she exceeded $1 million dollars in sales, an average 8% increase compared with last year; she was also the liaison between operations and merchandising to ensure in-stock conditions.
• Pratt supports the local Boy Scouts and school sports teams, as well as actively partnering with local organizations to hire adults with special needs.

Kimberly Traver

Store Manager, Tops Markets Store #725, Tannersville, N.Y.

• Traver’s inside sales were up 2% year over year and 101% of this year’s budget; she instills good food safety practices in all associates to ensure that the highest-quality products are available to customers.
• She excelled as a teacher, trainer and developer, having helped three assistants and department managers improve their skills in the past year.
• For Mother’s Day last year, Traver prepared and donated about 100 bouquets of flowers for students at the local grade school so they could present their moms with a gift on their special day; she has also been recognized by her district manager for exceeding all community fundraising goals at her store.

Mindy Amado

Store Team Leader, Whole Foods Market, Fairfax, Calif.

• Amado’s location was within the top 20 stores in Whole Foods Market’s balanced scorecard ranking for two quarters in a row in 2024.
• Through her diligent elevation of standards, the Fairfax store created a welcoming environment for customers and enhanced the overall shopping experience, which enabled the location to re-establish itself as the neighborhood’s favorite grocery store, with double-digit comps since last year.
• Nominated to participate in 2024 executive leadership training, Amado was recognized as a star pupil by Laurel Gerencer, Whole Foods Market senior talent management consultant, team member services.

Catherine Kiely

Store Team Leader, Whole Foods Market, Lexington, Ky.

• Kiely’s store ranked second in the Midwest Operational Area and 33rd out of all Whole Foods Market stores in metric performance for 2024.
• Last year, she was elected as the only store rep to the board of directors for the Whole Foods Market Foundation, in which capacity she visited Senegal to meet with partner organizations and several clients while creating a blog to celebrate the foundation’s success stories across that country.
• Kiely was also on the team to create and launch Whole Foods Market’s company-wide Community Connections program, under which stores and facilities hold team-building volunteering events.

Shanti Walls

Store Team Leader, West Tampa Whole Foods Market, Tampa, Fla.

• Under Walls’ expert direction, the West Tampa location exceeded its sales forecast and operating income in 2024 and attained top-tier status within Whole Foods Market.
• As well as maintaining a strong team member culture at her own store, she was the cultural ambassador point of contact for the entire Southeast Operational Area, actively serving in this capacity for other Whole Foods Market locations.
• Walls mentored several team members through Whole Foods Market’s Cultivate program and was a highly engaged, supportive partner for various new store team leaders; she and her team also activated multiple community connection events.