Las Vegas, NV - The National Grocers Association (NGA), by recommendation of its nominating committee and a subsequent vote by its membership, recently elected 13 and reelected six members to its Board of Directors. 

Retailer members elected to the board include:  

• RF Buche, President, GF Buche Company
• Eric Geyer, President/CEO, Geyer's Markets, Inc.
• Nolan Lockwood, President and COO, Walla Walla's Harvest Foods
• Alan Nidiffer, Executive Vice President, C&K Market, Inc.
• Eric Stille, President, Nugget Market, Inc.
• Bill White, Owner, Belle Foods, LLC

New Wholesalers elected to the board include: 

• Ted Adornato, Executive Vice President, Wholesale Operations, Spartan Stores
• Martin Arter, President/CEO, Affiliated Foods Midwest
• Michael Bozzuto, Chairman, President, & CEO, Bozzuto's, Inc.
• David Mitchell, President, Mitchell Grocery Corporation

Newly Appointed Wholesalers include: 

• Kevin Elliott, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Nash Finch Company

New State Association Executive elected to the board is: 

• Dan Shaul, State Director, Missouri Grocers Association

New Manufacturer/Service Supplier elected to the board is: 

• Brian Lernihan, Vice President of Industry and Customer Development, Unilever

Retailers re-elected to the Board of Directors include: 

• Brad Brookshire, CEO, Brookshire Grocery Company
• Barry Queen, CEO, Queen Enterprises, LLC

Wholesalers re-elected to the Board of Directors include: 

• Jim Denges, President & CEO, Central Grocers, Inc.
• Bob Ling, President, Unified Grocers, Inc.
• Cal Miller, CEO, Associated Grocers of Florida

Manufacturers/Service Supplier re-elected to the Board of Directors include: 

• Lisa Walsh, VP, Customer Management, PepsiCo, Inc.

Today, at the 2013 NGA Show at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the Board confirmed that the following officers were elected by ballot:

• Chairman: Joe Sheridan, Presidsent and COO, Wakefern Food Corporation
• Immediate Past Chairman: Chris Coborn, President/CEO, Coborn's, Inc.
• Vice Chairman: Rich Niemann, Jr., CEO/President, Niemann Foods, Inc.
• Treasurer: Kevin Doris, President & CEO, Gerland Corporation
• Secretary: Neal Berube, President & CEO, Associated Food Stores, Inc.

Additionally, the officers appointed the 2013 Executive Committee members: 

• Roger Collins, Chairman & CEO, Harp's Food Stores, Inc.
• Jerry Garland, President & CEO, Associated Wholesale Grocers
• Rich McMenamin, President, McMenamin Family ShopRite
• Jim Ried, President & CEO, Olean Wholesale Grocery Corp.
• Cheryl Sommer, President, Kaune's Neighborhood Market

Under the bylaws Peter Larkin, NGA's President and CEO, also serves as a member of the executive committee.

The National Grocer Association also thanks the following outgoing board members for their service and leadership. 

• Michael Bourgoine, President & CEO, Associated Grocers of New England
• Christopher Brown, Nash Finch (Retired)
• Nicholas D'Agostino III, President & CEO, D'Agostino Supermarkets, Inc.
• Eric Hench, Chairman, Chief Supermarket, Inc.
• Dean Janeway, CEO, Key Food Stores Cooperative
• Derek Jones, Executive VP, Wholesale Operations, Spartan Stores, Inc.
• Steve Latham, Senior Vice President, First Data
• Roger Lowe, Jr., CEO and Vice President, Lowe's Supermarkets
• Michael Provenzano, President & CEO, Pro Ranch Markets
• Edward Roche, COO, Roche Bros. Supermarkets
• Brandon Scholz, President and CEO, Wisconsin Grocers Association
• Donald Weiss, President & CEO, WiseWay SuperCenters  
  
  

At Saturday's NGA Board of Directors Dinner, Mike Needler, Sr., CEO of Fresh Encounter, was awarded the 2012 Thomas K. Zaucha Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. 

Needler, a successful entrepreneur whose business was founded in 1964 and hassuccessfully grown to 29 stores in Ohio and Indiana, is recognized as an outstanding leader in both the industry and his community. A past Chairman of NGA and former director of the Ohio Grocers Association, his dedication to the industry also extends to his own employees through recognition awards and scholarships through the Needler Scholarship Foundation. He is also a community leader, supporting hunger relief organizations through personal and in-store initiatives including donating goods and creating the long-running Fresh Encounter Charity Golf Classic. 

"Mike is a true example of what it means to be a leader", said Peter J. Larkin, President & CEO, National Grocers Association. "His tireless contributions to our industry and service to his community exemplify what this award stands for."

The award, presented by Mondelez International, has been given each year since 2009 to recognize an independent grocer that exemplifies persistence, vision, and creative entrepreneurship. The award is one of the most prestigious honors awarded to independent grocers.

"We are proud to present this award to Mike Needler," said Don Quigley, President of US Sales, Mondelez International. "He is an invaluable asset to the industry, and his innovations and leadership will be remembered for years to come." 

For photos of today's events, visit photographer Mike Gatty's flickr page athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/76352348@N04/collections/72157632604546660/ 

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