<div><p paraid="569144430" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{45}">By: Cynthia Brazzel, Sr. Director, Member Relations & Advocacy (Western Region), FMI</p></div><div><p paraid="844991697" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{63}"><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/sma-winners.tmb-large-350-.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=a7552859_1" style="float:right;margin:10px;" class="-align-right" alt="SMA Winners" sf-size="632120" />Looking back 20 years ago makes me pause and consider just how far we’ve come . . . in 2005 the iPod Shuffle was introduced, the New England Patriots won their third Super Bowl, YouTube emerged on the nascent social media scene, and . . . FMI’s <a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards">Store Manager Awards</a> program was launched to recognize the hardworking folks who lead our grocery stores. </p></div><div><p paraid="38041537" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{101}">Well, the iPod Shuffle is in the bottom of a drawer somewhere, the Patriots are back to the starting board developing a new quarterback, remarkably YouTube has emerged as the biggest social and information platform yet and the FMI Store Manager Awards program has celebrated hundreds of store managers who have been nominated and recognized during this time for their significant leadership contributions to our industry. And, the excitement of the People’s Pick award has generated tens of thousands of votes. </p></div><div><p paraid="758661892" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{153}">It’s no secret that the events of the last few years have only increased our appreciation for and dependence on this front-line team of leaders: the grocery store managers. Not only do the store managers ensure quality, fresh and safe product selection for shoppers, but equally important is how they lead and inspire their team of associates and show up in their communities. </p></div><div><p paraid="1037021339" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{191}">We pay tribute to this year’s honorees and in particular the outstanding winners who represent various categories of the grocery industry: </p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" 335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}"="" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1700739663" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{203}">Category A: <a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards/manager/russell-blais" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Blais</a>, Roche Bros. Marketplace </p></li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" 335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}"="" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1700739663" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{203}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Category B: </span><a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards/manager/jason-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;white-space:inherit;">Jason Johnson</a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., Food City </span></p></li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" 335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}"="" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1700739663" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{203}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Category C: </span><a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards/manager/ramatoulaye-diallo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;white-space:inherit;">Ramatoulaye Diallo</a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">, Jewel-Osco </span></p></li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" 335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}"="" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1700739663" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{203}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Category D: </span><a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards/manager/tahjae-welch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;white-space:inherit;">Tahjae Welch</a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">, The MarketPlace Limited </span></p></li></ul><p paraid="1700739663" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{203}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Plus, we are excited to announce </span><a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards/manager/heath-redman" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;white-space:inherit;">Heath Redman</a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> of Harris Teeter LLC, is the People’s Pick online voting contest winner of 2025, garnering more than 1,300 social media votes. </span></p><p paraid="1700739663" paraeid="{459a41f4-46d0-4eb4-bbd1-5c08ba6e16a9}{203}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">In celebrating these exceptional store managers, we celebrate the heart and soul of the food retail industry. Their commitment, leadership and unwavering dedication are the foundation to the success of our community supermarkets. </span></p></div><div><p paraid="297617148" paraeid="{0149d11d-ee48-4ea6-8659-f57504aa8e4e}{49}"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvbVR6V9Sgc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;" class="button">WATCH THE CEREMONY</a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span> <a href="https://www.fmi.org/store-manager-awards/winners" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="button-secondary" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;white-space:inherit;" target="_blank">MEET THE WINNERS</a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span></p></div>
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