Film Honors Food Lion Co-founder Ralph W. Ketner

Food Lion and Catawba College have debuted "Lessons in Leadership," a documentary film detailing the life and business acumen of Ralph W. Ketner, co-founder of the Salisbury, N.C.-based grocery chain. To mark Ketner's 95th birthday this month, Catawba College is distributing the film to North Carolina high schools.

Catawba worked with Rowan-Salisbury Schools educators on five lesson plans that allow students to take and apply in a classroom setting the concepts showcased in the film, which offers stories and advice from those whom Ketner influenced throughout his career, including community leaders, family members and colleagues.

"For more than 50 years, Food Lion has been an important part of the city of Salisbury's history, and all of this was made possible by our company's founders, including Mr. Ketner," said Meg Ham, the banner's president. "When approached by Catawba College about this opportunity to preserve the rich heritage of Mr. Ketner's impact on this community, from the founding of Food Lion to his pro bono work with Catawba, we couldn't think of a better way to honor our founder and all he has given to us. We were honored to underwrite this video to preserve the history and lessons Mr. Ketner has taught all of us as part of his vision to build a company with the focus on always taking care of the customer, having the lowest prices in North Carolina and being a good corporate citizen, which are all strong pillars of our business today."

"Catawba's role will be to continue sharing this video resource, and the five lesson plans created to accompany it, with educators across the state for use in their classrooms,” added Brien Lewis, president of the Catawba. “By helping bring Mr. Ketner's lessons into today's classrooms, we hope to inspire a future generation of entrepreneurs who will dream a big idea and work diligently to make that idea a reality."

“Lessons in Leadership” can also be viewed online.

A company of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group, Food Lion has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates.

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