Senior-Level Executives

6/21/2014

KARMELITA MIDDLEMISS

VP Business Insights, Central Region, Acosta Sales & Marketing

➤ Middlemiss oversees an 85-member team at 20 retailers, among them Kroger, Meijer, Jewel-Osco and Associated Wholesale Grocers.
➤ She developed a strategic insights partnership with a top U.S. retailer, serving as its exclusive sales and marketing agency representative on several internal task forces, one of which led to 11 percent sales growth versus the marketplace.
➤ As well as being Internet committee lead for the Network of Executive Women’s west Michigan chapter, Middlemiss raises funds for Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy and the Sydney Potjer Never, Ever, Ever Give Up Fund.

KATHY CALDWELL

EVP, Walmart Team Leader, Acosta Sales & Marketing

➤ Caldwell provides sales and marketing services for more than 50 consumer packaged goods companies to Walmart.
➤ She developed a strategic plan focusing on collaboration, process implementation, talent management, training and development, and insights-driven actionable analytics. Her team installed and merchandised coolers of healthier single-serve options at Walmart checkouts, resulting in increased item performance of more than 100 percent.
➤ Caldwell is Acosta’s corporate national ambassador for the Network of Executive Women and a member of the American Heart Association Go Red for Women board.

REBECCA E. STEELE

Chief HR Officer, Acosta Sales & Marketing

➤ Steele oversees all human resources services and initiatives for more than 37,000 associates in 110-plus locations the United States and Canada.
➤ She improved Acosta’s wellness program by introducing healthy-lifestyle initiatives accompanied by associate incentives, and she directed the enhancement and expansion of the company’s online learning platform, Acosta University, to provide client- and retailer-specific training and certification for associates.
➤ Steele was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to serve on the Florida Commission on Human Relations for a two-year term.

TERI D. AMTHOR

VP Sales, Bi-Lo Holdings Team, Acosta Sales & J Marketing

➤ Amthor leads the Acosta frozen and dairy team representing more than 50 CPG manufacturers to Bi-Lo Holdings.
➤ She was instrumental in producing programs leveraging multiple brands to provide meal solutions. Overall, the team increased Acosta’s portfolio of frozen and dairy consumer brands by 15 percent.
➤ She volunteers for Wolfson Children’s Hospital, a local homeless shelter and Meals on Wheels, among other worthy causes, and is VP of the North Florida Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association.

VILM CONSAEGRA

SVP Corporate Communications, Acosta Sales & Marketing

➤ Consuegra leads Acosta’s marketing and communication strategy across all company services and retail channels.
➤ She spearheaded the communication integration and branding efforts for more than 20 strategic agency acquisitions, as well as the rebranding of Impact Sales Solutions, a new Acosta division providing retail-on-demand services to CPG companies and retailers.
➤ A board member of Angel-wood, which helps people with developmental disabilities, Consuegra maintains active memberships in the Network of Executive Women and the Jacksonville (Fla.) Women’s Leadership Forum.

KTIE BIANCHI

Chief HR Officer, Advantage Sales & Marketing

➤ Bianchi is in charge of all human resources functions for Advantage’s 36,000-plus associates.
➤ As well as restructuring the HR department to attract, retain and engage the best talent, Bianchi launched the inaugural “Biggest Loser” Corporate Challenge wellness program, which drove health education and personal accountability, with the aim of lower company health care costs.
➤ Bianchi sits on the dean’s advisory board for the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, and is a guest lecturer there and at other universities. She also belongs to the Network of Executive Women and actively mentors young women across all industries.

JILL GRIFFIN

President, in Marketing Services, Advantage Sales & Marketing

➤ Griffin not only oversees all business sales and operations pertaining to Advantage’s marketing side, but also leads all mergers and acquisitions (M&A) for IN Marketing Services.
➤ She oversaw the official launch of the “Kroger Discoveries” initiative and has successfully led the charge on M&A for marketing, with the result that IN Marketing has expanded its portfolio to include the Hispanic market, and has integrated four IN Marketing divisions into a single holistic agency.
➤ She is a member of the Network of Executive Women.

KIM HSIEH

VP Strategy & Integration, IN Marketing Services, advantage Sales & Marketing

➤ Together with a broad range of business leaders, Hsieh identifies and develops shopper and business-building insights for some of the largest U.S. retailers and brands.
➤ She established a planning and insights group within the experiential division of IN Marketing Services, which, employing in-depth research and identifying the right shopper emotive cues customized by retailer, helped transform in-store engagement by strengthening the emotional bond between shopper and store trip.
➤ As well as belonging to several professional organizations, Hsieh teaches glass flameworking.

MARGARET“MEG” PRESTON LEVENE

SVP Northeast, Advantage Sales & Marketing

➤ Levene restructured four Northeast offices to drive significant cost efficiencies while increasing associate headcount, training and related core skills.
➤ She created an Ahold Center of Excellence for Advantage clients to maximize the use and application of Ahold’s shopper card loyalty data.
➤ An active member of GMDC’s ELC committee (as well as its fundraising chairwoman), The Consumer Goods Forum (TCGF), the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and Girl Scouts of America, Levene has made such significant contributions to Advantage as growing her division’s top-line revenue by 3 percent and EBITDA by 4 percent.

VALERIE BENSTEIN

SVP Business Development, IN Marketing Services, Advantage Sales & Marketing

➤ Bernstein leads a team responsible for meeting the consumer and shopper division’s sales goals, diversification into new client categories, and on-boarding of all new business.
➤ Chosen to establish the new business team for the above division, she has spearheaded more than $11 million in new revenue and diversified the client portfolio to include Hillshire Brands, Energizer Personal Care, Abbott Nutrition and Wishbone.
➤ A new member of the Network of Executive Women, Bernstein is a faculty member of the Path to Purchase Institute and participates in online marketing forums.

KRISTINA ROTA

VP Accounting & Control, Ahold USA

➤ Rota ensures the timeliness and accuracy of Ahold USA’s closing process, as well as that financial reporting and accounting transactions accord with international standards and company guidelines.
➤ She volunteered for the 2013 FMI finance conference planning committee, which developed the agenda, engaged speakers and set the sessions’ overall tone. For 2014, she was asked to chair the committee.
➤ A strong supporter of the Network of Executive Women, Rota has also participated in Ahold USA’s internal mentoring program.

TARA FALLON

VP Associate Engagement & Development, Ahold USA

➤ Fallon drives associate engagement and development among all associates within Ahold USA and its divisions.
➤ Her team created and implemented a strategy that significantly raised the score on the company’s annual associate engagement survey, and completed major organizational design changes.
➤ In addition to participation in such industry groups as Society for Human Resource Management, Fallon devotes time to family and friends, frequently arranging creative food-based activities like a friendly “Iron Chef-style competition or backyard barbecue.

KATHY BRADY

VP Merchandising, Bakery & Service Deli, Albertsons

➤ Within the total company, 17 combined service deli and bakery sales managers seek Brady’s guidance and counsel.
➤ Under her leadership, Albertson’s newly acquired 900-plus service delis and bakeries rapidly deployed best practices from all company banners, among them the introduction of more fresh baked goods, the execution of 10/$10 promotions, rollouts of a roasted carving section and hot wing bars, and expanded sandwich varieties and displays.
➤ When not hard at work, Brady coordinates community food drives and helps out at a women’s and children’s shelter.

TAMMY BAILEY

President, Bailey’s Family investments/Bailey’s IGA

➤ Bailey is the leader, manager and final decision-maker in the single-store organization, in collaboration with her husband and co-owner, Bryan Bailey.
➤ Bailey’s IGA has redefined the term “event marketing,” thanks to a unique five-associate advertising and promotional team that meets monthly to plan, review and revise upcoming promotional events.
➤ One of only a handful of women to receive the IGA Retailer of the Year Award, Bailey also directs such community endeavors as an annual blood drive and a Kid’s Club Youth Reading Awards program.

CHERYL FOREHAND

VP Bakery, Bi-Lo holdings LLC

➤ Forehand manages all of Bi-Lo Holdings’ 831 fresh bakeries across eight Southeastern states.
➤ With no prior merchandising experience, Forehand delivered double-digit growth in the department, developing a best-in-class process with Dawn Foods to create and market high-quality items.
➤ She was also lead for the total fresh team (encompassing bakery, deli, meat, seafood, produce and floral) regarding the integration of 150 new stores, sharing her organizational skills and business knowledge to accomplish this goal, and providing leadership to the entire organization on integration best practices.

LYNN BOSTON

VP HR & Talent Management, Bi-Lo Holdings LLC

➤ Boston counsels executive leadership on issues relating to performance management, benefits, administration, operations management, policies and risk assessment.
➤ During Bi-Lo’s recent merger activity, Boston successfully coordinated multiple organizational restructures across various support center departments, integrated teams from three acquired companies, and managed the realignment of human resources, talent, benefits and risk management.
➤ She was also acting human resources leader for the entire company, greatly improving service levels at the HR call center and receiving a promotion to her current role.

MARY KELLMANSON

SVP Marketing, Bi-Lo Holdings LLC

➤ Kellmanson handles marketing and advertising, including loyalty card, online/digital, and internal and external communications.
➤ She led the integration of the Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie marketing/advertising organizations, still managing to exceed key sales and marketing performance metrics, among them the reversal of a negative trend in customer count.
➤ Kellmanson also reintroduced Winn-Dixie’s iconic “Beef People” campaign, refreshed Bi-Lo’s “Gold Star” beef program, launched Winn-Dixie eCoupons and pharmacy $4/$10 generics at Bi-Lo, and promoted locally grown and organic produce.

NANCY CHAGARES

SVP Fresh Foods, Bi-Lo Holdings LLC

➤ Chagares leads the fresh merchandising teams supporting 686 Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo stores, as well as any acquisitions.
➤ She oversaw the integration of 207 Bi-Lo banner stores, established a new fresh quality specifications guideline that has driven profitable sales growth, and guided the conversion of six warehouses supporting the company’s Winn-Dixie banner stores (a changeover from internal distribution centers to C&S Wholesale Grocers took place midyear).
➤ Chagares is currently a board member of the National American Heart Association’s nutrition committee.

AMIE PETERSEN

Group VP Operations, Blackhawk Network

➤ Petersen reports to Blackhawk’s CFO and has oversight of four key areas — planning, building, distribution and support — overseeing 116 employees.
➤ She led an initiative to get 320 million cards into the warehouse while bringing customer service in-house, and also helped support some of the company’s major deals in 2013–14, including an agreement to power Mobile Money by T-Mobile and a partnership with Coinstar.
➤ She was awarded two patents during the review period, one that provides merchants with additional protection from fraud, and the other allowing merchants to add something to the card that will entice customers.

CHRISSY ONDERACH

CIO, Blackhawk Network

➤ One of the top executives at Blackhawk, Vonderach leads one of its largest and more diverse teams, and the largest single-department budget.
➤ She was directly responsible for several important projects, among them creating new processes for data management, adding cloud data centers that reduced capital spend and depreciation, and spearheading the introduction of “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD), a program that enables employees to use their personal mobile devices for everyday job duties.
➤ Vonderach has enhanced Blackhawk’s ability to rapidly onboard new customers, reducing the time required by approximately 25 percent.

TALBOTT ROCHE

President, Blackhawk Network

➤ Roche is the most senior female executive at Blackhawk and one of the most influential executives in the global prepaid industry.
➤ She oversaw the company’s successful IPO in April 2013, which was the summation of a long-term strategy to grow distribution through grocery and other channels and drive opportunities for growth. New distribution partners, like Stages Stores and RaceTrac, as well as global brands, have been added.
➤ In addition, she spearheaded product development and distribution, including new destination displays, support of e-gifts on retailers’ online channels, and capabilities for mobile loyalty programs.

GINGER McCULLOUGH

VP Training & Change Management, Brookshire Grocery Co.

➤ Managing an annual operating budget of $6 million, McCullough works closely with Brookshire’s executive leadership in developing new training initiatives.
➤ Her team launched a learning management system that has “revolutionized” the company, as Brookshire puts it.
➤ She serves on the oversight committee for Brookshire’s Women’s Leadership Forum and is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management, the American Society for Training and Development, and the Network of Executive Women.

RAE CHAMPAGNE

VP Education & Communications, Brookshire Grocery Co.

➤ Responsible for $3 million of Brookshire’s operating budget, Champagne reports directly to the EVP, human resources and works closely with the president/CEO.
➤ She was recognized by the National Council for Workforce Education for implementing a 30-hour, university-based retail management certificate program for employees, and also revamped Brookshire’s scholarship program.
➤ Champagne has continued to develop Brookshire’s new Women’s Leadership Forum; she also serves on a regional board of the Network of Executive Women.

SHEILA G. MAINS

Founder & CEO, Brownie Brittle

➤ Mains is the company founder and oversees the budget, sales, PR, product development and packaging for Brownie Brittle.
➤ The company sold 6 million bags in 2013 compared with 2 million in 2012; meanwhile, gross revenue was up 368 percent. Brownie Brittle was named the second fastest-growing company in Florida in 2013 (over a three-year period).
➤ Mains’ company has been recognized with numerous honors, and she’s involved in many charitable groups, including Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, the Cleveland Clinic, Aids (Lifecycle) and Miami Children’s Hospital.

CHRISTINE CURTIS

SVP Sales & Account Management, C&S Wholesale Grocers

➤ Curtis is responsible for operational, strategic and P&L oversight of sales and account management company-wide.
➤ Since being promoted to her role in August 2013, she has helped create new processes and tools that have increased the company’s efficiency, as well as customer satisfaction, including a customer scorecard that will be used to monitor overall customer service and provide insight for potential improvements.
➤ Curtis spearheaded a highly successful internal networking/development group at C&S, as well as being a member and former co-chair of the Network of Executive Women’s New England chapter.

TRACY MOORE

SVP Merchandising, Marketing, Supply Chain/Trade Relations, C&S Wholesale Grocers

➤ Moore has direct oversight for C&S’s independent retailer merchandising initiatives and trade relations with vendor partners, and is also responsible for national operational and P&L management for nonperishables merchandising.
➤ She had temporary responsibility for leading the not-for-resale department, during which she led a complete restructuring, and also completed the development and implementation of C&S’s Strategic Partnership Program.
➤ Thanks to Moore’s focused planning and innovation, she was able to exceed 2013 P&L budgets, even in a deflationary year.

STACY PUGH

Chief Customer Care Officer, Coca-Cola Refreshments

➤ Pugh is responsible for the procurement, installation, maintenance and repair of equipment that serves Coca-Cola products, overseeing more than 5,900 employees in the U.S. and Canada.
➤ Her team increased the number of repairs that were “fixed right the first time” by 3 percent, with an additional lift of 1.5 percent during the first quarter, a success rate of nearly 93 percent. She also led the rollout of a product-ordering algorithm that reduces out-of-stocks and lost sales.
➤ Pugh is a member of the Network of Executive Women and a frequent speaker at conferences.

JULIE BECK

GM, PromoWorks, Crossmark

➤ Beck is accountable for the budget at PromoWorks, a division of Crossmark. She provides leadership to teams throughout the United States.
➤ She led the launch of PromoWorks’ first digital initiative, “Insights,” which measures customer feedback at the point of engagement (as they’re sampling products), and also led the relaunch and repositioning of the company’s adult beverage division.
➤ Beck serves on the steering committee for the Chicago chapter of the Network of Executive Women. She also shares her time and talents with her local school and community groups.

MICHELLE SUTTER

VP Retail Operations, Crossmark

➤ Sutter is responsible for Crossmark’s retail activity in the United States and Canada, leading a combined team of 5,800.
➤ Thanks to her leadership and strong results, Crossmark gained additional work that was previously executed by a competitor, and she was promoted to her present position.
➤ The recipient of several Circle of Excellence awards at Crossmark, Sutter leads the Crossmark Now group (an internal mentoring group) and oversees company’s relationship with the Network of Executive Women (NEW), both nationally and locally in Dallas, as well as serving on a committee for the north central Texas chapter of NEW.

SHERENE JAGLA

VP Managing Director, Crossmark

➤ Jagla leads a team of 100-plus sales professionals responsible for $21 billion in retail sales, and is responsible for developing client growth strategies, sales plans and P&L management, as well as executing merchandising, trade promotions and retail strategies.
➤ Under Jagla’s leadership, client revenue grew 163 percent in 2013 versus the prior year, which was 25 percent above the company’s expectations.
➤ She’s involved in the Network of Executive Women, Crossmark Network of Women’s leadership committee, the Cincinnati Food Bank and Detroit Battered Women’s Shelter, among other organizations.

CARLA COOPER

President & CEO, Daymon Worldwide

➤ Cooper has been instrumental in guiding Daymon Worldwide’s growth from a private brand pioneer to a global leader in brand building, experiential consumer marketing and innovative retail services.
➤ She engineered Daymon’s acquisition of Warehouse Demo Services (WDS), and then secured a collaborative relationship with SpartanNash to create and merchandise a variety of private-brand products sold in SpartanNash’s stores and more than 1,900 independent retailers.
➤ A Women’s Foodservice Forum’s Trailblazer award recipient, Cooper is an active board member of Ruth’s Hospitality Group Inc., the Food Marketing Institute and the Culinary Institute of America.

CAROL REINDEL

VP Global Marketing & Strategy, Daymon Worldwide

➤ Reindel is responsible for overall brand marketing and new business growth initiatives for Daymon’s Galileo Global Branding Group.
➤ She launched the Galileo Global Branding Group as a service company of Daymon Worldwide, bringing in significant new business that has driven revenue and profitability for the company; in turn, Galileo created and launched an advertising campaign to reposition Daymon Worldwide as the global leader in consumables retailing.
➤ Reindel played a leadership role in a Dress for Success fundraiser, donating professional clothing and accessories for women to wear to job interviews, among other charitable and professional activities.

RHONDA LEVENE

CFO, Daymon Worldwide/Chief Customer Officer, North America Private Brand

➤ Levene has been instrumental in supporting Daymon Worldwide’s growth in North America private brands.
➤ She oversaw the acquisition of Liss Global Inc., helping Daymon add a key new area of expertise to support its retailer and supplier partners, aided CEO Carla Cooper in effecting the acquisition of Warehouse Demo Services (WDS), and implemented a formal strategic planning process for all Daymon Worldwide divisions.
➤ The executive sponsor of the Daymon Women’s Network, Levene serves on the advisory board of Alley’s House, a nonprofit supporting young women’s education.

TAMI POLMANTEER

Chief HR Officer, Daymon Worldwide

➤ Polmanteer leads Daymon’s human resources strategy and operations, and also serves on the company’s executive leadership team.
➤ She launched a new talent review process, as well as a new brand identity and multi-school concept for Daymon University; developed a new executive-level course for Daymon’s top leaders; worked on a new enterprise-wide HRIS system promoting increased consistency and efficiencies; and launched a long-term recruiting strategy, among other initiatives.
➤ Polmanteer created a long-term diversity and inclusion strategy, launching a global “Rewards & Recognition” program, and conducting the company’s annual engagement survey and action-planning efforts.

VIRGINIA MORRIS

VP Strategy & Insights, Daymon Worldwide

➤ Morris leads strategic initiatives to help retailer and supplier partners recognize new opportunities, and provides global insights to all of Daymon’s associate teams around the world, as well as major U.S. media outlets.
➤ She was instrumental in leading research and development for the Daymon/Hartman Group study “Reframing Retail Through the Lens of Changing Food Culture.”
➤ She developed “Daymon’s Global Retail Trends Predictions for 2014 and Beyond” to help retailers address industry challenges, and came up with Daymon’s Global Trendwheel a proprietary tool that tracks consumer microtrends.

CAMBRIA JACOBS

VP Marketing & Customer Service, Door to Door Organics

➤ Jacobs and her team have ownership and accountability for national customer acquisition target, regional customer engagement, and brand and PR awareness efforts.
➤ During a strong period of growth for Door to Door Organics, she focused on building a strong team, establishing baseline marketing and customer satisfaction metrics, and launching a targeted media outreach, among other initiatives.
➤ She’s an active member of such groups as Food for Thought, Slow Food Boulder and Denver, Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) Naturally Boulder and Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

MARIA MACHITA

VP Consumer Sales & Marketing, Domino Foods

➤ Machita has complete responsibility for Domino’s consumer channel, including profit and loss, and administrative budget, and also manages the supplier’s relationship with its national broker, Acosta.
➤ Under her leadership, the consumer division exceeded all its internal benchmarks for the fiscal year ended September 2013; additionally, she helped launch a number of new products, including Domino and C&H 12-ounce quick-dissolve superfine sugar and 10-ounce pourable brown sugar.
➤ Machita serves on the board of governors for St. Joseph’s University Academy of Food Marketing, and the board of directors for the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

ANGIE WESTERMEYER

Team Leader-Category Analytics, Empire Marketing Strategies

➤ Serving on the company’s senior leadership team, Westermeyer has accountability for all aspects of Empire’s analytic and insights services.
➤ She introduced an analytic reporting package that segments, analyzes and plans the natural set within the processed meat case; implemented “speed-to-shelf” reporting; prepared analysis and distribution recommendations for two national perishable clients; and led the development of a new client revenue and relationship management system.
➤ The 2014 chair for Empire’s Wellness and Community Involvement program Westermeyer is active with the Network of Executive Women’s Cincinnati chapter.

JACQUELINE VARGAS DONOVAN

VP Marketing & e-Commerce, Fairway Market

➤ Donovan is responsible for Fairway’s strategic vision and business plan development/execution, using all elements of marketing.
➤ Among other accomplishments, she implemented customer research for Fairway’s stores, coming up with key findings that have changed the way the brand is marketed to its high-value core customers; new initiatives include a Fairway mobile app; a user experience website that’s engaged more than 300,000 people, and streamlined in-store signage.
➤ Donovan was honored by El Diario, a publication reaching New York-area Latinos, at its annual Mujeres Destacadas Awards Luncheon.

DAGMAR T. FARR

SVP Member Services, Food Marketing Institute

➤ Farr is responsible for all recruitment, retention and member relations at FMI. She led the FMI board task force to revamp the annual show, rebranded as FMI Connect: The Global Retail Experience.
➤ She expanded breadth of FMI membership to other food retail channels, including drug and online, and dedicated herself to finding new ways of addressing member needs, including development of share group programs and relevant tools.
➤ Farr sits on the board of the Food Research and Action Center.

KAREN STOUT

VP Merchandising-Nonperishables & Private Label, The Fresh Market

➤ Overseeing a team of nearly two dozen merchandising directors and category managers, Stout was integral in implementing an aggressive category review to ensure a first-to-market company strategy.
➤ She expanded the company’s offerings in dairy, grocery, and HBC, and collaborated with vendors to expand local product offering, including a dog treat made by special-needs adults and now available at The Fresh Market’s North Carolina stores.
➤ Stout sits on the ABC board of Guilford County and the Reading Connection Greensboro board of directors.

KYMM BARTLETT POLLACK

VP Marketing Snacks Division, Sweet/Savory, General Mills

➤ Pollack has full P&L leadership for the sweet and salty snacks business, with a combined RNS of more than $650 million, and profit of more than $180 million. She is credited with turning around the company’s fruit snack business.
➤ She leads a team of 10 marketers and led the salty snacks business to deliver a 4 percent top-line gain and an 11 percent bottom-line gain, and launched the Green Giant salty snack line.
➤ Her community affiliations include Junior Achievement, Community Capital Alliance future citizen leadership, and being a current board member of the Arts Midwest Committee.

LIZ NORDLIE

VP Marketing, Business Unit Director, Pillsbury, General Mills

➤ Nordlie is responsible for sales and profit of the $1 billion business that includes Pillsbury refrigerated dough. She has been called a “pioneer” in marketing effectiveness, thanks to a multichannel marketing plan that includes TV, social, digital and dedicated websites.
➤ She delivered successful product innovations, including gluten-free dough products, as well as consumer innovation with a modernized Bake-Off contest that allowed for online voting.
➤ Nordlie is credited with driving legacy brand growth in a digital world.

LISA HENRIKSEN

SVP Marketing & Own Brands, Giant Eagle

➤ Defining the marketing strategy and vision for Giant Eagle’s diversified family of store banners, Henriksen managed the implementation of two major price reduction campaigns, lowering thousands of everyday prices collectively by more than $100 million annually.
➤ She drove significant change in Giant Eagle’s loyalty program offering, generating meaningful savings for the company.
➤ Henriksen leads the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts, which include the promotion of campaigns with regional food banks and other partners.

ELISE CORTINA FENNIG

VP Industry Affairs & Collaboration, Grocery Manufacturers Association

➤ An emerging presence within GMA, the capable and talented Fennig spearheaded CPG manufacturer adoption of the Rapid Recall Exchange tool to ensure effective and efficient product recall practices.
➤ In collaboration with her team and FMI, she developed tools and best practices to secure the supply chain and prevent the infiltration of counterfeit goods.
➤ Fennig led GMA’s efforts in a multiphase approach to digital commerce, providing ongoing member guidance.

AMANDA JONES

Sr. Director of Strategic Food Customers, The Hershey Co.

➤ Jones drives strategic account development in North America with direct accountability for sales, profit and share performance for Ahold, Meijer, Safeway, C&S and H-E-B. She collaborates with customers and her teams to exceed sales growth, share and bottom-line expectations.
➤ She maintains excellent relationships with customers at all levels, which allows her to infuse a transformational approach to driving their confection business beyond Hershey, and is driven to improve overall category results in diverse sections of the retail floor.
➤ Jones is active in the community as a school volunteer and children’s soccer coach.

KATE GRUNINGER JOHNSON

Sr. Director of U.S. Consumer Products, H.J. Heinz Co.

➤ Transitioning in early 2013 from group VP sales, U.S. consumer products to her current role following the Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital’s acquisition of Heinz, Johnson helped to lead the transition.
➤ She implemented new processes and management, initiated zero-based budgeting, and empowered customer teams to handle their own P&L statements.
➤ Johnson is Heritage Club VP and sits on its board of trustees, supports the New Hope Counseling Center, and is active in church and academic organizations.

JENNIFER MAULDIN

EVP & Chief Client Officer, Inmar

➤ Described as a “quintessential leader [who has] gained the respect of her teams and inspires them to achieve and grow,” Mauldin launched Empowering Inmar Women, a forum for members to better understand how gender diversity creates a competitive edge; its programs allow the group to learn from the experiences of others, share their own experiences, and provide an opportunity for women to network.
➤ The forum’s initiatives also include webinars, guest speakers, book clubs and social events.
➤ Mauldin is also a member of Inmar’s Women’s Leadership Circle for United Way.

KIM REED

SVP, The Kellogg Co.

➤ Reed is responsible for the sales organization (1,500 employees) in the center of the country. She is part of the sales leadership team for the company.
➤ Reed led multiple industry strategies to drive change in a competitive environment, establishing strong partnerships with retailers and leading collaborative customer partnerships.
➤ She was awarded by Diversity Journal for her contributions to diversity, and is recognized as a role model and formal mentor to leaders within the organization and the community.
➤ Reed is a Network of Executive Women committee member, and a participant in ELC and the Chicago chapter of Sales Network.

ANNETTE FRANKE

VP Customer Solutions & Services, The Kroger Co.

➤ Franke is responsible for customer relationship management, business analysis, portfolio and program management, organization change management and the technology support center.
➤ She led the technology team’s strategic planning process to align both short- and long-term objectives with the overall company strategy, was instrumental in creating the collaboration model and common portfolio review process with Dunnhumby, and was a key partner in executing Kroger’s talent management strategy.
➤ Franke is co-executive sponsor for Kroger’s Women’s EDGE associate resource group and a co-chair of Kroger’s 2014 United Way campaign.

KATHY BOOK

DIRECTOR OF Fresh & ready Meals-Deli/Bakery, The Kroger Co.

➤ Book provides leadership, vision and direction for products, case design, space allocation, packaging, logistics, manufacturing and marketing of deli/bakery products.
➤ She enhanced the presence of fresh “Ready Meals,” resulting in a 47 percent increase in sales for Kroger’s fresh kitchen, and has spearheaded such initiatives as the Fresh Kitchens Mission, which shifts production to a controlled environment in a central location, allowing associates to focus on engaging customers.
➤ Book was integral to the growth of Kroger’s Starbucks relationship, which has grown to 80 stores and produces double-digit sales growth.

LAURA SHEA

Director of Adult Beverages, The Kroger Co.

➤ Shea is responsible for the procurement, promotion, shelf placement and merchandising for beer, wine and spirits.
➤ This year, she was promoted from division sales plan manager for Dillons, Fry’s, King Soopers and Smith’s, in which capacity she developed and mentored many division sales planners, to grocery director of grocery category management, and then to her current role.
➤ Shea has served on several corporate committees focused on sales-planning processes.

SUZANNE LINDSAY-WALKER

Director of Sustainability, The Kroger Co.

➤ Lindsay-Walker leads the company’s sustainability strategy, working with a cross-functional team of executives on areas such as zero waste, responsible sourcing and carbon footprint reduction.
➤ She developed the company’s new sustainable palm oil strategy and is leading teams working to transform waste into energy, as well as conducting a company-wide sustainability roundtable comprising key leaders.
➤ Under Lindsay-Walker’s leadership, Kroger was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the first time.

STEPHANIE SAMMONS

Director of GM, The Kroger Co./Fred Meyer

➤ Sammons guides her groups’ overall direction and activities, working with merchandisers to coordinate strategies, and also works with district/store teams to execute store sales plans and provide upward feedback.
➤ As a steering committee member of the Kroger General Merchandise transition team, she designed the new 350-associate GM team, including training classes, new processes, and recruiting of people to fill new roles.
➤ Sammons spent seven months on a special project with the Boston Consulting Group to coordinate the consolidation of the GM businesses in Portland, Ore.

MONICA GARNES

VP Merchandising, The Kroger Co./Fry’s

➤ Games oversees the merchandising plans, strategy and execution at 119 Fry’s stores, with a priority on sales, and works with the division’s VP of operations to help drive the “Customer 1^st” strategy.
➤ She led a huge focus on mentoring to associates at all levels, and was also integral to the division’s merchandising refresh launch; further, when the Fry’s division president unexpectedly died, Garnes stepped in without missing a beat.
➤ She’s a member of the Kroger Values Committee and Value Work Group, the Kroger Strategy Refresh Working Team, and the United Way Key Club.

HEATHER ANFANG

VP, Retail Sales-Dairy Foods, Land O’Lakes Inc.

➤ Anfang owns Land O’Lakes’ overall brand and product positioning, new product and product improvement strategy, consumer advertising, channel development strategy, and pricing.
➤ She drove record-breaking dollar and pound volume performance in the consumer butter business, and aggressively expanded a traffic-building partnership to support brand management goals and build category and brand affinity among younger consumers.
➤ Anfang deftly managed commodity market challenges to ensure strong consumer merchandising support, and ensured product supply in key promotional seasons.

MADELELINE D’AMATO

Founder/Chief Love Officer, Love Grown Foods

➤ D’Amato helped propel Love Grown Foods to break into one of the most competitive and saturated categories in the grocery store: cereal.
➤ She led the launch of Hot Oats instant oatmeal cups; Super Oats, a hot cereal blend; and Power O’s, a cereal made from navy beans, lentils, garbanzo beans and brown rice, opening new distribution channels with major retailers.
➤ Under D’Amato’s leadership, Love Grown Foods has doubled revenue year over year through expanded retail distribution and the new products lines.

LAUREN G.R. JOHNSON

“Leader of the Pack”/Coo, Newport Avenue Market

➤ Johnson ensures the promotion and recognition of her Bend, Ore.-based grocery store and its employees, is responsible for the overall look and feel of the market, and shares P&L responsibilities with the general manager.
➤ Under her leadership, which brought a “new and different energy” to the company, Newport Avenue market achieved consecutive double-digit sales increases.
➤ Johnson is one of the two chief petitioners to privatize the sales of hard alcohol in Oregon supermarkets, where only beer and wine currently are allowed.

KATHY C. SGRO

Chairwoman & EVP, Pay-Less Supermarkets

➤ Sgro manages Pay-Less’ overall functions, from finances to company goals, including growth and new stores.
➤ She invested more than $3 million in store renovations and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment for the grocer’s eight locations, and Pay-Less became the first organization to take part in a roadway program on the island of Guam.
➤ Sgro offers healthy food options to combat diabetes and heart disease on the island, aggressively promoting such programs as a fitness fair, and spearheaded the Pay-Less Markets Community Foundation.

BONNIE JOHNSON

Sr. Principal Scientist, Pepsico

➤ Johnson leads a team of nutritionists tasked with communicating and driving the nutrition science behind the U.S. Quaker business.
➤ She played a significant role in the strategy behind, and the launch of the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence, a nonprofit organization that aims to foster research on the nutritional benefits of including whole grain oats in the diet.
➤ For effectively aligning PepsiCo’s portfolio with the needs of school foodservice programs across the nation, Johnson received the Excellence in Global Nutrition award.

KATE GARNER

VP Shopper Marketing, Pepsico

➤ Garner handles all aspects of shopper marketing for Walmart, including in-store, traditional media (TV), multicultural, digital and e-commerce.
➤ Garner initiated a growth-focused innovation planning process that resulted in 12 meaningful innovation ideas that will deliver scale and significant growth from innovation, and developed and executed an integrated activation leveraging Walmart’s “Gametime” event and the Super Bowl, which resulted in substantial business growth and millions in retail sales despite a difficult retail environment.
➤ Garner serves on the American Heart Association Walk board in Arkansas.

TERI VALENTINE

CEO, The Perfect Bite

➤ Valentine is the creative leader of this on-trend company that designs frozen appetizers, side dishes, main meals and desserts, as well as salads, cheeses and dips. She keeps an eagle eye on the category’s on-trend flavors and items, as well as driving sales and marketing.
➤ She has landed and grown business with the likes of Target, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, The Fresh Market and Walgreens, all the while serving as a mentor to a number of employees.
➤ Valentine is active within her religious organization and supports various charitable events.

JANE NOVAK-COOK

VP Customer Business Development, Food Channel, North America, Procter & Gamble

➤ Novak-Cook is responsible for the oversight and delivery of the North America food channel business, including the strategy, development and execution of sell-in for P&G’s flagship brands, as well as new initiatives.
➤ She and her team won a second consecutive Top Team award, bestowed only on those teams that exceed in their business results and in building and growing the organization.
➤ Her commitment to training is cited by P&G as the main reason for the growth and development of its new-hire talent.

BARBARA WALKER

SVP Consumer Marketing, Safeway Inc.

➤ Walker developed an integrated media marketing campaign to leverage key items and brand messaging, resulting in substantial item lift and category growth.
➤ Having pioneered a “singular brand vision” to contemporize graphic messaging for more consistent and memorable messaging across all media vehicles, Walker repositioned Safeway’s home delivery business to focus on value-driven growth rather than price incentives.
➤ She guided Safeway’s social and digital marketing strategies, highlights of which included generating 1 million Facebook likes and rebranding the grocer’s mobile apps.

CARRIE RASMUSSEN

VP IT Customer Service and Support, Safeway Inc.

➤ Rasmussen provides technology support and services to 135,000 employees backstage and in retail stores, ensuring that they have what they need to serve customers.
➤ Among other accomplishments, she transformed the IT customer service and support organization, reducing overall mean time to resolve issues and increasing customer satisfaction; established an IT service management office; and lowered operating costs and simplified store deployments through standard configuration.
➤ Besides belonging to the Network of Executive Women and other professional associations, Rasmussen coaches Little League and soccer.

DEBORAH KARBO

VP Development, Safeway Inc/Property Development Centers

➤ Karbo builds Safeway-anchored retail centers, dealing effectively with zoning and building issues as well as any neighborhood opposition.
➤ She managed an array of intricate development projects, including one in the San Francisco Bay area that entailed complicated entitlements to rezone 25 acres of land to mixed use for 17 acres of retail shopping center, 4 acres of senior housing and 4 acres of private park.
➤ Karbo has mentored colleagues to help them hone their skills and rise to higher positions within Safeway.

DIAN EMERSON

VP Human Resources, Business Services & Diversity, Safeway Inc.

➤ Emerson’s teams provide human resources services for the company’s entire workforce.
➤ Under her leadership, Safeway became the only national grocery retailer to achieve a 100 percent rating in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for overall programs and policies supporting LGBT employees; introduced cost-saving best practices in managing unemployment claims; and expanded its elder care support group, among other achievements.
➤ She worked with retail HR teams to ensure the successful implementation of an award-winning program to hire and train former military officers for retail management positions.

DIANE DIETZ

EVP/Chief Marketing Officer, Safeway Inc.

➤ Dietz is responsible for all functions related to advertising, marketing, product development, product manufacturing, merchandising and supply operations.
➤ Under her leadership, Safeway’s private label market share grew faster in 2013 than the market share of national brands; exclusive product launches included the Marcela Valladolid Mexican food brand.
➤ She oversaw the introduction of Safeway’s center store redesign, which, as it rolls out throughout the company, is making stores more shopper-focused, including special merchandising for areas with a strong Hispanic influence.

ELIZABETH SHOEMAKER

VP Integrated Marketing, Safeway Inc.

➤ Shoemaker’s role encompasses strategic leadership, management oversight for integrated cross-functional channel planning, and consumer communication activation.
➤ She was instrumental in creating a brand-building, integrated marketing communication platform for Safeway’s exclusive Marcela Valladolid Mexican food brand; led in the infrastructure platform development and deployment of a cloud-based marketing resource management tool; and guided the evolution and deployment of new brand standards to ensure consistent brand expression.
➤ Shoemaker is a prominent leader in the Northern California chapter of the Network of Executive Women.

ELSIE WOLFE

VP Meals & Ingredients, Safeway Inc.

➤ Wolfe’s business unit covers the key center store categories of baked goods, condiments, canned goods, soup, pasta and meal starters.
➤ She fine-tuned a new display program incorporating meal solutions and recipes by leveraging internal and external shopper marketing, as well as consumer insights, to create dedicated point-of-sale materials while focusing on seasonally relevant meal ideas for shoppers.
➤ Wolfe currently sits on the Safeway Hispanic Leadership Network Professional Development Committee and recently accepted a position in the Safeway Women’s Network Group.

KATHERINE COLER

VP Federal Government Relations, Safeway Inc.

➤ Coler is Safeway’s primary representative on federal legislative and regulatory matters.
➤ She successfully worked to preserve incentive-based wellness programs throughout the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and advocated Safeway’s position on numerous provisions included in the federal farm bill, among other pressing issues.
➤ Coler orchestrated President Obama’s visit to a Safeway distribution center for the unveiling of new federal fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks, during which the President hailed the grocer as an industry leader in improving fuel efficiency.

KATHLEEN SMITH

VP Loss Prevention, Safeway Inc.

➤ A recognized expert on organized retail crime (ORC), Smith oversees loss prevention initiatives for Safeway at retail and in its manufacturing, distribution and supply divisions.
➤ She and her team assisted law enforcement in the closure of more than 60 fencing locations and the recovery of billions of dollars in product belonging to retailers across the country.
➤ Additionally, her team developed a data-driven monitoring program that helped identify 600-plus ORC cases and recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in product for retailers.

LRREE RENDA

VP, Safeway Inc.; Chairwoman of The Safeway Foundation

➤ Renda’s many responsibilities include retail strategy, IT, labor relations, real estate, public affairs, communications, government relations, health initiatives, human resources, social responsibility and sustainability, and industrial engineering.
➤ Under her leadership, the “Just for U” digital platform’s registered users increased to nearly 6 million; the company settled several key contracts including innovative, cost-saving health care provisions; and Safeway ranked among the top 10 retailers in the EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program.
➤ Renda received the 2013 Progressive Grocer Trailblazer Award.

LINDA NORDGREN

VP/GM Home Care & General Merchandise, Safeway Inc.

➤ Nordgren is financially responsible for sales in Safeway’s home care and general merchandise areas, which includes product assortment, pricing, features and displays.
➤ She made significant category strategy changes that drove financial success, such as renegotiating long-term contracts and assessing seasonal trends and innovations in Europe and Asia.
➤ Nordgren delivered a keynote address at the National Confectioners Association annual meeting and has been honored by Stanford University for advancing the supply chain.

LORI RAYA

President, Safeway Inc./Vons

➤ The first woman president of Safeway’s Vons division, Raya oversees a multibillion-dollar budget at 273 Vons and Pavilions stores in Southern California and Southern Nevada.
➤ Under her leadership, Vons became the first Safeway division to develop and implement a successful Asian merchandising program, and she led Vons employees to contribute more than 425,000 volunteer hours through its corporate social responsibility program.
➤ Raya was named a 2013 “Women in the Food Industry” honoree by the Food Industries Sales Managers’ Club of Los Angeles and the 2014 Executive in Residence for the USC Food Industry Management Program.

MELISSA PLAISANCE

SVP Finance & Investor Relations, Safeway Inc.

➤ An executive officer, Plaisance is responsible for Safeway’s treasury and investor relations departments and is involved in strategic development activities.
➤ She was a key member of Safeway’s team that sold the organization’s Canadian operations, supervised a Blackhawk IPO process that raised $155 million and played an active role on Safeway’s deal team in the pending merger agreement with Albertsons LLC/Cerberus.
➤ Plaisance is on the list of Most Influential Women in the Bay Area and has served as co-chair of the National Investor Relations Institute National Conference.

MICHELE SILVA

VP Human Resources, Safeway Inc.

➤ Silva oversees talent acquisition, payroll, the employee call center and the human resources technology portfolio, through which she collaborates with IT project management.
➤ Her team expanded the program that develops military veterans for management positions at Safeway stores and helped Safeway win the Freedom Award in 2013 from the U.S Department of Defense and the 2014 Military Officers Association of American Distinguished Service Award; she also executed continuous process improvement in 2013, designing new monitoring metrics and reports.
➤ She is a mentor for young women and, as a cancer survivor, to employees who have been diagnosed with the disease.

MONICA MCCOMBS

Group VP Supply Chain Planning & Procurement, Safeway Inc.

➤ McCombs is responsible for purchasing, planning, and sourcing all products that go through Safeway’s 13 distribution centers and 20 manufacturing plants.
➤ She restructured the supply chain organization, created and implemented a key marketing campaign called Safeway’s 10% Back to Schools Program and served on the steering committee to bring two organizations together under one supply chain umbrella.
➤ Promoted to her current role in February 2014, McCombs is a winner of the Safeway President’s Award, among other honors.

NANCY COTA

VP Consumer Brands, Category Development, Safeway Inc.

➤ Cota and her team oversee Safeway’s category management of one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry: private label.
➤ She added to her role as VP Innovation, Consumer Brands with an equally challenging leadership role as VP Category Development, Consumer Brands, in which capacity she helped launch the Marcela Valladolid brand and helped transform the Eating Right health-and-wellness brand.
➤ A breast cancer survivor herself, she was honored by a breast cancer fundraising organization.

SHAWN LOVERING

VP Sales, Safeway Inc./Safeway Health

➤ Lovering’s responsibilities include collaborating with potential organizations to drive client engagement to Safeway’s health benefit solutions, and developing programs and client solutions that leverage Safeway’s core pharmacy capabilities.
➤ She increased new recurring revenue for Safeway Health substantially, executed contracts that added thousands of new participants under Safeway Health’s Market Priced Drug Program, and also launched a retail biometrics program.
➤ Lovering is an active community volunteer and a former board member of the Northern California Employee Benefits Council.

TONYA HERRING

VP Category Development Consumer Brands, Safeway Inc.

➤ Overseeing Safeway’s private label program, Herring is responsible for identifying consumer needs, helping develop and launch private label products, and gauging new product performance, and her role has been expanded to include the retail execution arm of the consumer brands team.
➤ Herring’s team launched more than 330 new products, many in the fast-growing health-and-wellness segment, and also relaunched the Primo Taglio deli meat brand.
➤ She has received Safeway’s All Star Marketing Award, the company’s Outstanding Marketing Leadership Award and the Starbucks Service Award.

TRACI ADAMS

VP Floral, Safeway Inc.

➤ Adams is responsible for the sales and profit growth of Safeway’s floral departments across 1,335 U.S. stores. She oversees a large team and manages a multimillion-dollar budget.
➤ Her team expanded floral categories beyond traditional bouquets, plants and cut flowers, developing exclusive home décor and seasonal product lines, and initiated Safeway’s first “Meet the Farmer” locally grown events, which have proved popular. Her efforts to differentiate include branding floral through the Debi Lilly product offerings.
➤ She has been named Floral Marketer of the Year by the Produce Marketing Association and is co-chair of Safeway’s Team Planet arm.

VALERIE WILSON

VP Marketing Operations, Safeway Inc.

➤ Wilson and her team ensure the operational efficiency and “shop-ability” of each store by designing the ideal overall assortment and space management strategy.
➤ She played a key leadership role in the success of Safeway’s center store reinvention strategy, led a restructuring of the company’s new-item placement program, and teamed with manufacturers to identify ways to reduce the liability of new-item discontinuation for both the retailer and manufacturer.
➤ A past recipient of Safeway’s Outstanding Marketing Award, Wilson was recently selected to be a member of the Safeway Foundation Giving Committee.

MARY MOORKAMP

Secretary & General Counsel, Schnuck Markets Inc.

➤ A member of the Schnucks Strategy Group, Moorkamp oversees experts in law, real estate, facilities, insurance, asset protection, claims and food safety.
➤ Also responsible for the company’s crisis management, she led Schnucks’ response to a cyber attack, ensuring the threat was quickly eliminated and afterward developing an educational tool for retailers to understand the anatomy of such an incursion.
➤ Moorkamp is active in her community and a member of several business and service organizations, including the United Way Women’s Leadership Circle and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

LEEANN DIAS

Director of Marketing, Shaw’s

➤ A 33-year company veteran, Dias is responsible for strategic marketing/advertising and planning, including the social and digital components, for all 155 Shaw’s and Star Markets.
➤ She was a driving force in the creation of a new circular and in-store signage program format, introduced at the Morrissey Boulevard Star Market and being rolled out to more stores over the course of the year.
➤ A background in both merchandising and operations has allowed Dias to bring a unique perspective to her current role in marketing.

MARY DALIMONTE

SVP Merchandising & Commercial Programs, Sobeys Inc.

➤ Dalimonte leads a team helping to move Sobeys into the next stage of its “centrally led, locally executed” strategy by focusing on key points of differentiation through commercial programs and innovations.
➤ She was involved with the initial negotiations in Jamie Oliver’s “Better for All” campaign with Sobeys, helped open four new concept stores, and spoke at York University’s “Inspire 2013” conference, encouraging young women in the grocery industry.
➤ Dalimonte was selected as a member of the Women in Food Industry Management Academy, a roundtable event addressing current industry issues.

LAUREN RENE HUNTER

VP Finance, Spartannash/MDV

➤ Hunter oversees all financial and accounting functions, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting, internal control, and tax information for MDV, a worldwide grocery distributor.
➤ She led the company’s successful efforts to obtain a contract from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deliver food and food-related products to Native American reservations, and headed an initiative to reduce the amount of back-haul vendor repays, leading to a reduction in expenses by 58 percent from the prior year.
➤ Hunter is a leader in the company’s diversity initiatives and development of women leaders in the industry.

LINH PETERS

VP Marketing, Spartannash

➤ Peters has full responsibility for all marketing at SpartanNash, overseeing consumer and product insights, analytics, research brand strategy and positioning, developing and executing label brands, leading promotional planning and consumer marketing strategy, and developing marketing channels.
➤ She played an important role in the merger of Spartan Stores and Nash Finch by assessing the marketing operations for both organizations, defining merger synergies, and developing a new corporate identity, mission, vision and values.
➤ Peters is a board member of the western Michigan chapter of the Network of Executive Women.

CINDY CHIKAHISA

Sr. Director of Operational Support, Sprouts Farmers Market

➤ Chikahisa oversees inventory reporting and management for Sprouts and serves as the liaison between the support office and 170 stores, with her day-to-day responsibilities including contract negotiation and management for store supplies, uniforms and cleaning.
➤ She rolled out Sprouts’ first-ever “Educate & Enrich” training manual and made internal communication throughout the organization more efficient and effective.
➤ Chikahisa helped Sprouts win a Tech Innovation Award for Enterprise/Business Intelligence from PG Tech.

DIANA LUCAS

VP Vitamins & HBA, Sprouts Farmers Market

➤ Lucas leads and manages the vitamin and HBA team to achieve budget and sales targets.
➤ She improved awareness of Sprouts’ signature “Essential Four” program that helps customers bridge the nutritional gap, and played a pivotal role in fundraising for autism awareness and Vitamin Angels through the company’s vendor partners, and oversaw Sprouts’ education event, the Annual SproutsFest.
➤ Her performance as the director of vitamins, supplements and HBA earned her a recent promotion to VP.

KIM COFFIN

VP Grocery, Sprouts Farmers Market

➤ Coffin develops strategies to build Sprouts as a preferred shopping destination, provides leadership to the buying staff and drives merchandising strategy.
➤ She led her department to exceed sales and budgeted gross profit goals and merged the merchandising philosophies from Henry’s, Sunflower and Sprouts to create best-in-class product assortment and promotional programs.
➤ Coffin launched an innovative vendor incentive program that focused on profit sharing for reaching aggressive sales targets with partners, growing sales year over year by an average of more than 30 percent.

ELEN DIXON

SVP Worldwide Marketing, Symphony EYC

➤ Dixon created and developed a marketing and brand strategy for Symphony EYC, along with a global messaging platform addressing the company’s ability to help grocers engage customers.
➤ In addition to completely overhauling and rebranding the company’s website and launching its social marketing strategy and platform, Dixon mapped out a robust product roadmap based on extensive interpretation and analysis of top retail trends to enhance client needs.
➤ Under Dixon’s leadership, Symphony EYC has devised a go-to-market plan that has delivered comparable revenue gains in excess of 15 percent.

DEBRA MUSIC

VP Sales & Marketing, Theo Chocolate

➤ Music ensures Theo remains true to its roots by promoting organic Fair Trade chocolate while creating a model for sustainable business.
➤ Instrumental in Theo’s expansion to all 50 states and four Canadian provinces, Music has helped the company’s sales rise 40 percent annually for the past two years.
➤ Her creativity in social responsibility blazed a new trail for Theo to celebrate National S’mores Day with “Th’more Days,” which donates $1 per sale to hunger relief nonprofit Food Lifeline.

ROBIN VOGEL

SVP Store Procurement, Member Services & Demand Planning & Replenishment, Topco Associates LLC

➤ Vogel, the sole woman on Topco’s senior team, presided over 70 category reviews that yielded $63 million in savings across center store departments for the company’s varied retail member-owners, exceeding the original target by $7 million, or 12.5 percent.
➤ Her demand-planning and replenishment skills increased service levels by 20 basis points and reduced expired product by 21 percent.
➤ She was selected for Sara Lee’s Executive Development Program and led her center store teams to launch 700 items to retailers’ shelves on behalf of Topco’s membership.

SIGNE FRANZEN

Division Controller, Unified Grocers Inc.

➤ Franzen’s responsibilities touch on nearly every aspect of the entire organization, including her role as a significant contributor to the integration of Unified and Associated Grocers-Seattle’s systems and processes.
➤ She assumed responsibility for several additional significant operational accounting functions, the exceptional performance of which have helped the company’s leadership teams and managers develop and monitor goals and metrics.
➤ Franzen’s leadership has aided Unifed’s evolving overall performance, which is trending positively after several challenging quarters.

ANNA MANCINI

VP Merchandising, Valu Merchandisers Co.

➤ A key member of wholesaler Valu Merchandisers Co.’s (VMC) senior leadership team, Mancini contributed to a same-store sales increase of more than 600 basis points, while total sales have grown each year, thanks largely to her merchandising prowess.
➤ She upped promotional funding for VMC customers through innovative consumer-focused merchandising programs, while her focus on new retail initiatives drove HBC and GM retail sales increases, in turn boosting VMC’s total sales and elevating retailer customers’ market share.
➤ Mancini’s enhancement of a variety and merchandising programs with organic, natural and related lifestyle products yielded sharp gains and positioned retail partners for further success.

KAREN MELETA

VP Consumer/Corporate Communications, Wakefern Food Corp.

➤ Meleta guided the organization to establish a unified objective for all ShopRite stores to implement a better in-store customer experience.
➤ She dramatically enhanced Wakefern’s social media presence to include new and emerging forms of communication to engage customers wherever they may be.
➤ Meleta developed a retail-facing intranet linking 50,000 retail associates to corporate, providing an interactive feedback mechanism to facilitate a mutually beneficial information flow.

LORELEI MOTTESE

Director of Government Relations, Wakefern Food Corp.

➤ Mottese handles government affairs initiatives for Wakefern in eight states and Washington, D.C.
➤sAs chairwoman of the National Grocers Association’s government affairs committee, she has improved its processes and strategic initiatives through such methods as her grass-roots work with Northeast legislators on the impact of the Affordable Care Act.
➤ Mottese enjoys an industrywide reputation for spearheading campaigns on difficult issues and consistently advancing Wakefern to the forefront without diminishing her colleagues or the cooperative’s competitors.

SHIRL STROEING

VP/CIO, Weis Markets

➤ Stroeing plays a major role in creating Weis’ technology vision while helping to drive business goals through innovative solutions like the creation of an enterprise data warehouse and a business intelligence tool set.
➤ Under her leadership, Weis adopted a modernized, secure network for better interaction with customers and business partners, with an infrastructure providing such capabilities as mobile checkout, self-service and real-time interaction through customers’ mobile devices for things like coupons and product information.
➤ Stroeing worked with key stakeholders throughout the company to implement programs and projects predicated on best practices, priorities and direction, with high-return results.