José Magaña, store manager of the Food Lion located at 4709 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, NC, was named Food Lion’s 2022 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager of the Year. Magaña was selected from a group of more than 1,100 store managers serving their neighbors across Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.
Named after one of Food Lion’s founders, the Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Awards recognize and honor exceptional store managers who enrich the lives of Food Lion’s customers, associates, and the communities they serve, the company said in a press release.
Honorees are also celebrated for successfully leading the business, supporting their teams, and inspiring others. In recognition of Magaña receiving this honor, the grocer will donate 20,000 meals in his name to RePurpose in Greensboro, NC, through the retailer’s hunger-relief initiative, Food Lion Feeds.
“When I joined Food Lion, I was fortunate to have leaders who saw something in me that I didn’t. They pushed me, coached me, trained me, and gave me all the resources I needed to become successful,” said Magaña. “At Food Lion, I feel empowered, welcomed, and appreciated. Our neighbors count on us to be there when they need us the most, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
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The award, presented annually, celebrates and recognizes outstanding Food Lion store managers who make an impact on those around them.
“José is a great leader who embodies our store managers’ role in caring for their associates and the towns and cities they serve,” said Meg Ham, President of Food Lion. “Every day, our store managers serve their neighbors with dedication, compassion, and an understanding of how their associates and communities count on them. I am proud to recognize these five leaders and share my appreciation for everything they do to bring our brand, strategy, and culture to life in their stores and in their communities.”
Magaña immigrated to the United States when he was one year old and joined Food Lion 13 years ago as a bagger while in high school. He then worked in roles of increasing responsibility throughout the store, ultimately being named a store manager in 2021. He leads a dedicated team of nearly 90 associates that help customers shop for everything they need to affordably nourish their families.
Magaña is also passionate about making a difference in the community, and he and other associates at the store routinely volunteer and support their neighbors, said the company. They have partnered with various community organizations on various causes, including regularly supporting the Healthy Parenting Program in Greensboro and the Greensboro Fire Department.
In addition to Magaña being selected as Food Lion’s Store Manager of the Year, four other store managers were recognized for exceptional leadership and honored as 2022 Divisional Store Manager Excellence Award recipients.
- Mid-Atlantic Division: Shane Barnes, 3926 Western Blvd., Raleigh, NC.
- Northern Division: Jared Mitchell, 125 S. Main St., Hillsville, VA.
- Richmond/Norfolk Division: Christian Dendy, 1313 N. Road St., Elizabeth City, NC.
- Southern Division: Mike Strange, 330 Lebby St., Pelzer, SC.