Retail Produce Manager Awards Program

The IFPA Retail Produce Manager Awards Program honors retail produce managers who represent the produce industry to the consumer and work every day to increase sales and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fresh produce, innovative merchandising, community service, and customer satisfaction.

2022 Retail Produce Manager Award Winners

Sponsored by:

Tamra Barnes – Harps Food Store, Dexter, Missouri
Joshua “Josh” Combs – Food City, Galax, Virginia
Javier Contreras – Sendik’s Food Market, Franklin, Wisconsin
Carmen Dipiazza Jr. – Price Chopper, Guilderland, New York
Morgan Dodge – Pilgrim’s Market, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Tyler Doggett – Corner Market, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Micah Fabrizio – Albertsons Safeway, Denver, Colorado
Clint Fraze – New Seasons Market, Happy Valley, Oregon
Lisa Graner – Coborn’s Inc., Bismarck, North Dakota
Mitchell “Mitch” John Hamelin – Longo Brothers Fruit Markets, Ajax, Ontario, Canada
David Heetderks – SpartanNash’s Forest Hills Foods, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chris Jorgensen – Food Lion, LLC, Gloucester, Virginia
Troy Kopriva – Hy-Vee, Inc., Grimes, Iowa
Grant Naylor – Macey’s, Providence, Utah
Mohamad “Mo” Qadir – Harris-Teeter Super Markets, Purcellville, Virginia
Bridget Robin – Super One Foods, Opelousas, Louisiana
Alex Samario – Gelson’s Markets, Sante Fe Springs, California
Bob Smith – Mariano’s, Oak Lawn, Illinois
Rich Spader – Big Y Foods, Inc. – Derby, Connecticut
Douglas Storey – Tops Friendly Markets, North Tonawanda, New York
Michelle Tarwater – Fred Meyer Stores, Inc., Issaquah, Washington
Donald “Don” Eugene Uttley – Mount Royal Market, Duluth, Minnesota
Dan Villone – Brookshire Grocery Company, Kilgore, Texas
Calvin “The Goat” Yednak – JEWEL-OSCO, Munster, Indiana
William “Will” Yontz – The Giant Company, Martinsburg, West Virginia

Why Nominate?

This program honors produce managers who set the standard of excellence in their store’s produce department. By nominating a produce manager, you’re offering them an opportunity to further their industry knowledge, engage with industry leaders, meet with produce companies and learn about the newest products at The Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando.

Each of the 25 winning Produce Managers and their Corporate Produce Executive will receive:

Roundtrip airfare, hotel and registration to the 2022 Global Produce & Floral Show, Oct. 27-29 in Orlando, FL
Three nights of hotel accommodations
Commemorative plaque
Recognition on stage at the Global Produce & Floral Show
Five Grand Prize Winners also receive $1,000 each!

Raise the bar within your company and be recognized as an industry leader. Anyone can nominate a manager – and self-nominations are accepted as well.

Leadership

Retail Produce Manager Award winners are the ‘best of the best’ in their profession. At the 2022 Global Produce & Floral Show, they will be VIPs meeting with the produce industry’s top executives. Every manager will return with an expanded knowledge of their role in the success of the industry.

Celebration of Excellence

Retail Produce Manager Award winners receive industry-wide recognition in trade publications, within their company, and on stage in Orlando before their colleagues and customers.

Education

Retail Produce Manager Award winners have the opportunity to attend education programs and gain valuable knowledge and insights to share with customers when they return to their stores.

Networking

Retail Produce Manager Award winners enjoy numerous opportunities to interact with Global Produce & Floral Show attendees and exhibitors. The exposition, meetings, receptions and events will allow winners to get to know the people who bring their produce to market.

2021 Retail Produce Manager Award Winners

Fadi Abou-Ali Metro, Inc.	Toni Adams Harps Food Stores Inc.	Lee Anderson Hy-Vee, Inc. Omaha, NE
Bobby Andrake Haggen Northwest Fresh Olympia, WA	Chad Bays Food City Prestonsburg, KY	Billy Blalock The Kroger Company
Maria Broda West Point Commissary West Point, NY	Jacqulyn Brodell Meijer Greenfield, WI	Stephany Buonomano Bobs Windham IGA Willimantic, CT
Tyler Christy Harris Teeter Supermarkets Charlotte, NC	Mikaela Claude Sprouts Farmers Market	Chris Contakos Price Chopper/ Market 32 Supermarkets Schenectady, NY
Shawn Fast Coborn's Inc. Sauk Rapids, MN	Jessica Granier Rouses Supermarkets	Jesse Jordan Fred Meyer Bellingham, WA
James Keller Hornbacher's Foods	Peter Kenney Big Y Foods, Inc. Ludlow, MA	AK Khalid MARTIN's, a brand of The GIANT Company Front Royal, VA
Adam Klazura Jewel-Osco Naperville, IL	Karen O’Dell Martin's Super Market	Joseph Ortiz Brookshire Grocery Company
Apolinar Parra Gelson's Markets	Dusty Taylor Tops Markets Depew, NY	John Truncale Brattleboro Food Co-Op Brattleboro, VT
Jeff Wilmes Roth's Fresh Market