GMDC Honors Kroger Retiree Cox

The Global Market Development Center has chosen Terry Cox, who retired as group VP of drug/GM merchandising and procurement at the Kroger Co. in 2001, as the recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award this year.

GMDC annually bestows this award upon a person who has contributed significantly to the general merchandise or health/beauty/wellness industries, as well as to GMDC through his or her leadership.

Cox, who considered his participation to be an integral part of his retail career, was an active GMDC board member and is still promoting GMDC in his retirement years.

“Terry brought terrific leadership to both GMDC and our industry throughout his years of involvement with the association,” said GMDC CEO and President Dave McConnell. “His thought leadership was extremely valuable and, as a GMDC board member, he had a great talent for listening to the concerns of everyone and doing what was best for the industry at large.”

Cox joined Kroger in 1962 as a part-time clerk in Columbus, Ohio. He held a variety of merchandising positions in several Kroger retail divisions before becoming director of marketing in the company’s grocery merchandising department in 1987. In 1989, Cox was named president of Peyton’s Inc., Kroger’s drug and general merchandise procurement and
distribution subsidiary. Later that year, he was promoted to VP of drug/GM merchandising; was promoted to group VP in 1999.

“I can’t think of a better organization than GMDC to receive an award like this from,” Cox said. “I learned more about the industry and how my company was perceived than I ever could as a result of joining GMDC.”

The Global Market Development Center is the premier global trade association dedicated to serving general merchandise and health/beauty/wellness retailers, wholesalers and suppliers.