Allegiance, Wakefern, QuickChek Execs Receive Industry Achievement Awards
Daniel Dinkowitz, senior director of omnichannel sales at Iselin, N.J.-based Allegiance Retail Services LLC/Foodtown; Paul Patten, group VP of Wakefern Food Corp.; and Suzanne DelVecchio, corporate counsel of convenience store chain QuickChek, received Industry Achievement Awards at the New Jersey Food Council’s (NJFC) Night of Distinction, which took place virtually last month.
At the annual Night of Distinction, which pays tribute to food industry executives who promote the council’s mission, have found success in the food business and are civically engaged, Dinkowitz, Patten and DelVecchio were recognized for their work in the industry and beyond.
“We are so pleased and proud that we finally could produce a high-quality virtual event to celebrate three industry leaders who have made such a meaningful contribution to advance the mission of the Food Council, have achieved significant grocery industry success, and have a history of civic service within the New Jersey food community,” said NJFC President and CEO Linda Doherty. “These individuals are truly an all-star lineup of industry leaders in New Jersey.”
Doherty added that the honorees “work diligently to support our efforts and our association’s mission, even during the challenges of this pandemic. They’ve all demonstrated tremendous abilities to adapt to changing market and supply chain forces. It is particularly relevant to be able to honor them this year through a virtual platform streamed across the region.”
At Pathmark, Dinkowitz was part of the team that installed the first IBM scanners in retail supermarkets, eliminating the need for price tags; he also worked for Zallie ShopRites and A&P, and operated his own supermarket, Seasons Harvest.
“It’s an honor to have such a dedicated and experienced individual on the Allegiance Retail Services team, and I am glad he has been recognized for all he does,” noted John T. Derderian, Allegiance’s president and COO.
Patten is widely regarded for his special, intuitive knowledge of the supermarket business.
“During the pandemic, Paul was a leader, a relentless, tremendous hard worker,” observed Richard Saker, president and CEO of Holmdel, N.J.-based Saker ShopRites. “He understood the importance of essential workers and how critical the food industry is to customers. Paul was a stand-up guy through the crisis, with character and integrity. He is a giant.”
DelVecchio has been legal counsel at QuickChek for 20 years, heading up government affairs and addressing the food industry’s public policy issues in the state capital.
“Suzanne is a colleague, a confidant and a friend,” said Don Leech, VP of marketing and development at Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based QuickChek. “She has dedicated her entire career to QuickChek. Her role is not just counsel; she plays a much bigger role wherever needed. She’s always there to collaborate and is a real positive force for the entire food industry.”
Trenton-based NJFC represents almost 400 companies, including 1,200 retail food stores, wholesalers, manufacturing and service companies that collectively employ more than 250,000 associates in the Garden State.
Allegiance is a retailer-owned co-op that provides independent supermarkets such as Foodtown, Freshtown, D’Agostino, Gristedes, Pathmark, LaBella Marketplace and Brooklyn Harvest with customized retail services. Allegiance offers merchandising and IT support, advertising and marketing services, and support services for retail operations, as well as providing clients with private label products.
The largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative in the United States. Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern Food Corp. comprises nearly 50 members that independently own and operate 363 supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The company is No. 23 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 listing of North America’s top food and consumables retailers in North America.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Murphy USA, QuickChek operates 160 stores, including 94 locations with fuel throughout New Jersey and New York’s Hudson Valley and Long Island.
