<p style="text-align:center;"><em>The Future Leaders eXperience aims to enhance leadership skills and foster innovation in the grocery retail industry through a collaborative virtual environment and practical application of new skills.</em></p><p>By: Tina Pedrick, Manager, Education, FMI<br /></p><p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/future-leaders-collaboration.tmb-large-350-.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=2c5e6a09_1" style="float:right;margin:10px;" class="-align-right" alt="Four people collaborating on a lightbulb graphic" sf-size="103341" />The <a href="https://www.fmi.org/future-leaders?utm_term=&utm_campaign=E%2BSD+Performance+Max+Jun25&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=2746209564&hsa_cam=22714612006&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22704886032&gbraid=0AAAAApuwCIDITJq689IBw7qrRAoflb9cP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh42z97-8jwMVf3BHAR0rsSPjEAAYASAAEgLOKfD_BwE">2025 FMI Future Leaders eXperience</a> is at its halfway point, and we’re celebrating what this year’s leaders have learned so far.</p><p>The Future Leaders eXperience is more than just an online course; it’s a community of passionate individuals dedicated to pushing the grocery retail industry forward. By sharing their personal experiences and insights, leaders are not only enhancing their own skills but also contributing to the collective growth and success of the industry. The collaborative virtual environment fosters innovation and encourages participants to think creatively about the challenges of leading teams. From the very first session, participants have been putting their new skills into practice. Here’s what a few of this year’s future leaders are talking about:</p><p><em>Elaine Zeek-Quirk</em> (W Lee Flowers) is excited to foster an inclusive environment that helps drive growth and success for her organization. Elaine believes that by creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected, the company can achieve greater innovation and productivity. She has already started implementing strategies to promote inclusion, ensuring that all employees have equal opportunities to thrive.</p><p><em>Amanda Peralta</em> (Merchants Distributors, LLC) is excited to build strong relationships and effective teams. Amanda is passionate about creating a positive work environment where team members feel supported and motivated to achieve their best. She has begun applying her new skills in coaching, delegation and conflict resolution, making a noticeable impact on her team’s performance.</p><p><em>Hannah Johnson</em> (Meijer, Inc.) is eager to strengthen her leadership skills by developing a broader perspective while building strategies for her team. She aims to incorporate macro-level trends and themes into her strategic planning, which will help her create more comprehensive and effective strategies. Hannah has already started integrating these insights into her team’s projects, leading to more innovative and forward-thinking solutions.</p><p><em>Kenneth Falline</em> (The Kroger Co.) builds trust daily by spending focused time with his colleagues. Together, they identify opportunities and develop plans to overcome obstacles. By following up on their progress and seeing positive results, Kenneth has fostered a culture of trust and willingness to embrace new ideas. His approach has led to better outcomes and a more innovative team. Kenneth has been able to apply the trust-building techniques learned in the program to enhance collaboration and drive success within his team.</p><p>We can’t wait to see how these future leaders will continue to innovate and lead the way in food retail. Their dedication, creativity and vision are sure to make a lasting impact on the industry. Stay tuned for more updates and insights from this year’s Future Leaders eXperience!</p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/future-leaders" class="button">Learn More</a>
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