The 2020 Top Women in Grocery: Rising Stars
READ ALL ABOUT THE 2020 HONOREES
Progressive Grocer recognizes 350 extraordinary women this year who join the ranks of the Top Women in Grocery. These women strengthen the retail food industry at many levels, within both the retailer and supplier communities.
Top Women in Grocery is a community that has continued to grow since 2007, with the best and brightest women in the industry.
Honorees are recognized in one of three categories: Executive-Level, Rising Stars and Store Managers. Below you find an incredible group of 202 Rising Stars.
Sebron Hurlburt
Senior Merchandise Planner, 99 Cents Only Stores LLC
- Hurlburt improved process efficiencies and implemented best practices for ad hoc reporting, data analysis, store and distribution center inventory management, open-to-buy, forecast/allocation/replenishment systems, and merchandise financial-planning tools.
- She was a key leader on the strategic business team that transformed how the company forecasts product demand and replenishment, creating a large cross-functioning platform to roll out a centralized inventory optimization strategy.
- Hurlburt also led assortment planning and provided pivotal analyses to company leaders.
Dawn Badia
Director, Acosta
- Badia led the internal sales team for the Barilla business at Kroger, an account with annual sales of more than $104 million.
- As part of the Acosta growth team, she helped coordinate new business and white-space initiatives, and also served as a liaison between third-party marketers and the Acosta business team; on a broader level, she built bridges between teams, sharing best practices.
- Badia also launched innovative product line extensions at Kroger, including Barilla’s Vero Gusto Sauce and Legume Pasta; these new items enabled Acosta to reach new and incremental households, bringing new sales into the category.
Kirsten Barnhorst
Senior Manager, Marketing Communication, Acosta
- Working with Acosta’s internal communications and executive leadership teams, Barnhorst maximized brand exposure, built brand equity, drove corporate marketing strategies and ensured message and brand consistency, while managing all external communications and handling public relations and social media.
- She boosted thought leadership media placements by 73%, led a team that introduced new organization-wide client newsletters, and restructured the company’s social media pages for greater engagement.
- In her two years at Acosta, Barnhorst has received two Chairman’s Awards.