FMI Show Returning to Chicago in 2014
For its next biennial gathering of retailers, wholesalers and their trading partners for both education and networking opportunities across the retailing industry, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) will come back to the Windy City: FMI2014 is scheduled for Chicago’s McCormick Center on June 10-13.
“Chicago already supports an inherent food culture, and it’s home to 19 of our FMI retailers, such as Central Grocers Inc., Potash Markets and even Walgreen Co.,” noted Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based FMI. “I’m anxious to help bridge our return to Chicago, as FMI featured its convention in Chicago 24 times – from the early 1980s to 2007.”
At this year’s current One Big Event, now taking place in Dallas, more than 14,000 attendees registered, including more than 2,800 exhibitors and 90 participating countries. The Chicago food retail show in 2014 has the potential to be bigger yet, according to the trade organization.
More information about the 2014 convention will be available this summer. Dallas show attendees can visit the FMI Solutions Center at booth #5200 for news, information and statistics relevant to FMI’s food retailer event.
In other FMI news, the association revealed the 12th annual Store Manager Award grand-prize winners during an awards ceremony at FMI2012. The three winners came from a pool of nine category finalists chosen for their work in innovative store operations, leadership and community involvement.
“Each year, FMI receives inspirational stories submitted by supervisors celebrating their most successful store managers,” said Sarasin. “This award is a way to underscore the originality, creativity and personal impact our retailers have within their stores and among their communities.”
The three top winners among the three categories by store size were Category A: Mike Jacob, ShopRite of Hunterdon County, Flemington, N.J.; Category B: Lee Lucero, King Soopers, Denver; and Category C: Ted Boyd, Bi-Lo LLC, Greenwood, S.C.
All finalists received two free registrations to FMI2012, hotel accommodations in Dallas and a crystal award. The grand-prize recipients each got a $1,000 check presented by Sarasin and FMI chairman and president Fred Morganthall, who is also president and CEO of Matthews, N.C.-based Harris Teeter.