SpartanNash Honors Outstanding Team Members at Summit
With its 147 corporate-owned grocery stores – a network that keeps growing, thanks to recent purchases of Markham Enterprises, Fresh Encounter Inc. and Metcalfe’s Market banners – SpartanNash has a lot of inspiring stories that stem from its locations and team members. The food solutions company shared some of those stories and honored many of its people during its annual leadership summit and Circle of Excellence celebration in Orlando, Fla.
The three-day event was started by CEO Tony Sarsam, not long after he came onboard at SpartanNash and focused heavily on a People First culture. Sarsam has previously noted that "People First" is a reference point for setting priorities and making decisions across the business.
He reiterated that commitment at the recent event. In a LinkedIn post recapping the summit, its theme of alignment and the Circle of Excellence awards, he wrote, “My favorite day of the year is watching our front-line Associates walk the green carpet to be recognized for their outstanding work that earned them a spot in our Circle of Excellence! Hearing from these heroes, the people who are truly delivering the ingredients for a better life through their hands and hearts, always leaves me feeling grateful and inspired.”
According to SpartanNash, 43 Circle of Excellence winners walked that green carpet and were honored for their performance over the past year. In an email shared with Progressive Grocer, the company spotlighted a few of those associates:
- Marvin Moore: “Since beginning his career at the Metcalfe’s Hilldale, Wisc., location at age 16, Moore has been delighting store guests with his “thousand-watt smile” and excellent customer service. As a Lead Guest Care Associate, Marvin inspires shoppers and Associates alike with his work ethic and attitude, which have been an incredible gift to the store for more than 35 years.”
- Esther Mcalpin: “At SpartanNash a new term was coined: “Sell like Esther.” Mcalpin is a D&W cashier who has set the bar for performance – selling 764 units of One More Item products and raising $1,368 for nonprofits in 2023 alone. Shoppers at the Knapp’s Corner D&W seek out Esther when they are ready to check out, even if she has the longest line, because of her friendly nature, sense of humor and team spirit.”
- Virginia Hardman. “Last year, the Lytx video safety monitoring system was integrated as part of SpartanNash’s On-Board Safety Technology. The results of this monitoring revealed that Virginia completed the year 2023 with one of the safest driving scores in the south! Virginia works as a truck driver for the company’s Columbus Distribution Center, and is appreciated not only for her exemplary work performance but also for her vivacious personality.”
Also at the Orlando event, the company bestowed awards on the top 10 performing retail stores within its portfolio. Those stores included the following banners and locations:
- Martin’s Super Markets, South Bend, Ind./near the University of Notre Dame
- Family Fare, Oscoda, Mich.
- Martin’s Super Markets, Granger, Ind./Heritage Square
- Forest Hills Foods, Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Martin’s Super Markets, Nappanee, Ind.
- Family Fare, Hudsonville, Mich./Georgetown
- Family Fare, Boyne City, Mich.
- Family Fare, Marshall, Mich.
- Martin’s Super Markets, Mishawaka, Ind./Bittersweet
- Martin’s Super Markets, Granger, Ind./State Road 23
Finally, SpartanNash celebrated two team members with Difference Maker awards at the summit and awards ceremony. This year’s winners were James Gohsman, VP of sales for the Great Lakes region, and John Paul, VP of sales, who were recognized for their decades of excellence in sales and impact on the grocery industry.
With 17,500 associates, SpartanNash operates two complementary business segments: food wholesale and grocery retail. Its global supply chain network serves wholesale customers that include independent and chain grocers, national retail brands, e-commerce platforms, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges. On the retail side, SpartanNash operates 147 brick-and-mortar grocery stores, primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, and D&W Fresh Market, in addition to dozens of pharmacies and fuel centers. The company is No. 45 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. SpartanNash is also among PG’s 2024 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
