NGA Honors Chris Coborn, Roger Lowe

Roger Lowe, Sr., president/chairman of Littlefield, Texas-based Lowe’s Markets and Chris Coborn, president and CEO of St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborn’s Inc., were presented with two of the National Grocers Association's most prestigious annual awards at the trade group's ongoing annual convention in Las Vegas.

Lowe, who began his career in the grocery industry in 1964 with the purchase of his family’s first store in Olton, Texas, received the Thomas K. Zaucha Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. Lowe has since expanded his family-owned business into one of the fastest growing grocery chains in the Southwest with 152 stores in five states.

As one of the most prestigious honors awarded to independent grocers, Peter J. Larkin, president and CEO of NGA, said: “It is with great pleasure [to present] this distinguished award to Roger Lowe, Sr., a man who is deeply admired among the independent supermarket industry, his colleagues, and within his community."

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Since 2009, the Thomas K. Zaucha Award, presented by Mondelēz International and named after NGA's first president and CEO, has been given annually to recognize an independent grocer that exemplifies persistence, vision, and creative entrepreneurship.

Fourth generation supermarket operator Chris Coborn was saluted with the Thomas F. Wenning Pinnacle PAC Award, in honor of his demonstrated advocacy for NGA government relations initiatives.

“Chris has been an active supporter of NGA’s Grocers Political Action Committee (PAC) and understands the importance of fostering relationships with candidates for Congress who will be supportive of the independent supermarket industry," said Greg Ferrara, SVP of government relations and public affairs, NGA.

The Thomas F. Wenning Pinnacle PAC Award was established in 2014 to honor Tom Wenning for his 40 years of service to NGA and the independent supermarket industry, and is presented to an NGA member who helps advance the role and presence of the independent grocer and NGA in government and political affairs.

Stay tuned to PG for continuing coverage of the NGA Show in Las Vegas and follow us in real-time on Twitter at @PGrocer, #NGAShow16.