Progressive Grocer Presents 2016 Top Women In Grocery

A slate of 385 women hailing from some of the most admired retail and CPG companies around the nation have been chosen as 2016’s Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Top Women in Grocery recognizes and celebrates extraordinary women in three classes: Senior-Level Executives, Rising Stars and Store Managers.

Since its inception a decade ago, Top Women in Grocery – which has evolved to become the retail food industry’s premier women’s leadership awards platform as a result of vigorous support from some of North America’s most admired and respected retailers and suppliers – has been a pioneering force trumpeting a singular message of the advantageous role empowered women play in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

“We are proud to commemorate 10 brilliant years of recognizing star performers who are making their mark in the once-impassable male-dominated grocery industry,” said PG Chief Content Editor Meg Major. “We are equally proud to know that the flare we sent up in 2007 has splendidly ignited to illuminate the important strides women are making to help their businesses – and the entire retail food industry – excel in uncharted directions.”

Fittingly, on the occasion of the program’s 10th anniversary, “our judges carefully evaluated an unprecedented 630 qualified submissions to arrive at the final 385 outstanding honorees, each of whom went above and beyond their core responsibilities during the April 2015–March 1, 2016 measuring period to deliver exceptional results,” continued Major. “We are privileged to recognize and congratulate each and every one of our 2016 Top Women in Grocery, whose collective achievements emphasize the central mission we aspired to bring to light when we launched this awards program a decade ago: that gender diversity isn’t merely a nice thing to have, but instead a strategic advantage on all fronts.”

Of this year’s field of 385 Top Women in Grocery winners, there are 101 Senior-Level Executives representing 50 companies located all over the country. Senior-Level Executives comprise the smallest number of honorees in this year’s winners’ circle, and include such titles as VP, president, SVP, EVP, COO and CEO. The largest category is Rising Stars, whose 209 winners represent 41 companies from across the United States and whose titles range from director and manager to team leader and category specialist. Additionally, there are 75 Store Managers representing 18 retailers from around the nation. While the majority use the traditional store manager title, many retail organizations use the store director designation.

All winners will also be honored at a gala networking event and awards celebration that will take place Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, in Orlando, Fla. Highlights will include a daytime leadership development program, a gala evening event, an after-dinner dessert party, and a 5K Charity Fun Run/Walk benefiting the Network of Executive Women’s (NEW) Future Fund capital campaign, on Friday, Nov. 11, starting at 9:00 a.m.

This year’s Top Women in Grocery winners are prominently featured in PG’s June 2016 issue, whose cover story, “Stellar Performance,” can be found here.