The National Grocers Association (NGA) announced its newly elected board of directors. Eight individuals, by recommendation of the NGA Board nominating committee and subsequent vote by the membership, and one appointed individual will join these re-elected board members to serve on the 2021 NGA Board of Directors.
Among retailers, the new board members are Melissa Buonadonna-Hernandez, president, Buonadonna ShopRite; Carlos Castro, president, Todos Supermarket; and Jimmy Nichols, chief operations officer, Houchens Industries.
The two newly elected wholesalers are Manard Lagasse, president/CEO, Associated Grocers Inc., and Michele Azar, president, Merchant Distributors Inc.
Other newly elected board members include Robert Graybill, president, and CEO, FMS Solutions; Rick Brindle, vice president, industry development, Mondelez International; Mike Ridenour, head of industry relations and sales operations, The Kraft Heinz Co.; and Kathy Kuzava, president, Georgia Food Industry Association. Scott Widtfelt, EVP commercial, natural, and independents KeHE Distributors was appointed to fill a vacancy.
The New Members of the Board of Directors
Re-elected board members include Jennifer Bosma, Harvest Market; Neil Greenstein, Brookdale ShopRite; David Bullard, Piggly Wiggly AL Dist. Co.; Winston Griffin, Laurel Grocery Co.; Lori Raya, SpartanNash; and Joe Wolf, Alliance Retail.
“I’m pleased to welcome our newly elected members to the Board of Directors and thank them for their willingness to serve our organization. Being a representative for the membership of NGA is a great responsibility, and I know each of these members will provide valuable contributions and perspective that will help guide NGA as we approach our 40th anniversary,” said Mike Stigers, NGA Chairman of the Board and CEO of Cub Foods.” “I also want to extend my deep appreciation for our outgoing board members who have provided invaluable service to the membership, especially over the past year as our industry navigated the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Their contributions and leadership have ensured NGA is an effective advocate for its membership.”
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The NGA, the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, also expressed its gratitude to the outgoing board members for their service and leadership: Neal Berube, Associate Food Stores; Michelle Hurd, Iowa Grocery Industry Association; Roger Lowe Jr., Lowe’s Market; Bob McTeir, Merchant Distributors Inc.; Richard Morgan, North State Grocery Inc.; Brian Moyer, Freshop; and Eligio Pena, Compare Foods.
“I’m grateful to our outgoing Board of Directors members who have volunteered countless hours away from their businesses to serve our association, particularly over the past year,” said Greg Ferrara, president and CEO of NGA. “Their guidance and support have kept NGA on a strong path of growth and effective advocacy for independent grocers. I’m also looking forward to working with our newly elected board members, representing a diverse cross-section of the independent supermarket community. I know their unique perspective and leadership will be essential as we guide NGA into its 40th year of being the voice of the independent supermarket industry.”
Also elected were officers and members of the NGA Foundation Board of Regents for 2021-22:
- Chairman: Kirk Clark, director of merchandising, Mitchell Grocery Corp.
- Vice-Chairman: Dante Franceschelli, director of corporate development, C&S Wholesale Grocers.
- Secretary: Kelli Schaefer-McSpiritt, director of advertising, Wakefern Food Corp.
- Treasurer: Robert Graybill, president and CEO, FMS Solutions Holdings.
- Members: Heidi Huff, vice president – business partnerships, IGA Inc.; and Thomas Gioielli, head of industry relations – customer development, Unilever.
2021 NGA Executive Committee Officers
| Chair of the Board | Immediate Past Chairman | Vice Chairman | Treasurer | Secretary | President and CEO |
| Mike Stigers UNFI Eden Prairie, MN | Cheryl Sommer Kaune’s Neighborhood Market Santa Fe, NM | Ted Balistreri Sendik’s Food Markets Milwaukee, WI | David E. Smith Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. Kansas City, KS | Jeff Reagan Wakefern Food Corp. Edison, NJ | Greg Ferrara National Grocers Association Washington D.C. |
2021 Executive Committee Members
| John T. Derderian Allegiance Retail Services, LLC Iselin, NJ | Kim B. Eskew Harps Food Stores, Inc. Springdale, AR | Neil Greenstein Brookdale ShopRite Newark, NJ | Gary Redner Redner’s Markets Reading, PA | Zulema Wiscovitch Associated Supermarket Group Port Washington, NY |
2021 NGA Board Members
| John Abbene BRdata Melville, NY | John Akins Akins Market Quincy, WA | Randy Arceneaux Affiliated Foods, Inc. Amarillo, TX | Michele Azar Merchant Distributors, Inc. Hickory, NC | John Bole Yoke’s Fresh Markets Spokane, WA | Jennifer Bosma Harvest Market Fort Bragg, CA |
| Kimberly M. Brackett Brackett’s Market IGA Bath, ME | Rick Brindle Mondelez International East Hanover, NJ | Trent Brookshire Brookshire Grocery Company Tyler, TX | David Bullard Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co. Bessemer, AL | Melissa Buonadonna-Hernandez Buonadonna ShopRite Bayshore, NY | Eric Winn C&S Wholesaler Keene, NH |
| Carlos Castro Todos Supermarket Woodbridge, VA | Emily Coborn Coborn’s, Inc. St. Cloud, MN | Dave Conroy Fiserv Jersey City, NJ | Dave Davis Utah Food Industry Association Salt Lake City, UT | Ron Graff Jr. Columbiana Foods Inc. Youngstown, OH | Robert Graybill FMS Solutions Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| Neil Greenstein Brookdale/Newark ShopRite Newark, NJ | Winston Griffin Laurel Grocery Co. London, KY | Steve Heggelke Bozzuto’s Inc. Cheshire, CT | Paula Janssen Janssens Fine Foods Greenville, DE | Bob Jaskolski T.A. Solberg Co. Minocqua, WI | Lauren Johnson Newport Avenue Market Bend, OR |
| Reed Kessler Kessler’s Inc. Aberdeen, SD | Kathy Kuzava Georgia Food Industry Association Gmyma, GA | Manard Lagasse Associated Grocers, Inc. Baton Rouge, LA | Kristi Magnuson Nelson Hugo’s Family Marketplace South Grands Forks, ND | Pete Najjar Cardiff Seaside Market Cardiff, CA | Michael Needler Jr., Fresh Encounter, Inc. Findlay, OH |
| Jimmy Nichols Houchens Industries Bowling Green, KY | Amy Niemetscheck Certco, Inc. Madison, WI | Kevin Proctor Save-A-Lot Earth City, MO | Lori Raya SpartanNash Company Grand Rapids, MI | Gary Redner Redner’s Markets Reading, PA | Mike Ridenour The Kraft Heinz Company Chicago, IL |
| Stratton Sigler Unilever Englewood Cliffs, NJ | Jeff Strack Strack & Van Til Highland, IN | Michael J. Violette Associated Grocers of New England, Inc. Pembroke, NH | Scott Widtfelt KeHE Naperville, IL | Joe Wolf Alliance Retail Group Nashville, TN |