PFMA Merges With Pa. Distributors Association

The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) and the Pennsylvania Distributors Association (PDA) merged to form a unified association at the latter's annual meeting earlier this month in Hershey, Pa.

The combined association, which advocates the views of convenience stores, independent grocery stores, supermarkets, wholesaler/distributors and affiliated companies, will operate as the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association.

To ensure equitable representation, many PDA board members now hold seats on the Camp Hill, Pa.-based association's board of directors, which expanded from 37 to 43 members. In addition, PFMA will form a distributor council to tackle wholesaler/distributor issues.

David L. McCorkle, PFMA president and CEO, continues to lead the association, while PDA President Gerald “Jerry” Kupris provides his expertise as counsel to the PFMA board of directors.

“PFMA and PDA members have worked together on many issues through the years,” McCorkle said. “We are pleased to have PDA join us to make Pennsylvania’s food industry voice stronger.”

The new organization, added Kupris, "will maintain and expand upon our reach and effectiveness, augment our ability to be a resource of industry knowledge, and allow us to act as an industry advocate on our positions before the public, lawmakers and our customers.

PFMA’s more than 800 corporate members operate 3,200 retail food stores and employ more than 150,000 Pennsylvanians.