Award Presented During NGA’s Executive Conference & Public Policy Summit
Washington, D.C. — The National Grocers Association (NGA), the nation’s leading association representing independent community grocers and wholesale distributors, recognized Bill Kies today with NGA’s Industry Service Award at the Executive Conference & Public Policy Summit.
The NGA Industry Service Award is awarded to an individual or company whose years of service in the food industry have contributed to better working relations and understanding between retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers.
Kies, a 48-year veteran of the food retail sector, began his career in public service with the Federal Bureau of Investigation followed by appointments in The White House and time in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Bill’s contributions to the supermarket industry are unmatched,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president & CEO. “His leadership, insight, and generosity have strengthened every corner of our industry. This award celebrates his lifelong commitment to service and excellence.”
Kies entered the supermarket industry in 1976, joining the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), where he rose to senior vice president overseeing membership, marketing, media relations, and publications. Bill’s leadership helped double FMI’s membership and established key initiatives such as retailer share groups, the National State Association Council, and six new regional offices.
In 1991, Bill became President and COO of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA), representing more than 4,000 independent supermarkets across twenty countries. At IGA he led groundbreaking efforts including a national branding campaign on CNN, the formation of a private label broker council, and a major organizational realignment.
Since founding his own consulting practice in 1994, Bill has advised more than 250 clients, including Fortune 100 companies and leading trade associations. Kies is known throughout the industry as a trusted advisor and strategic leader with initiatives including the Friends of the Industry Dinner, which has raised over $1.2 million for charitable causes, and Retail Operations & Insights (ROI), a supplier–retailer summit series promoting collaboration and shared growth.
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About NGA
NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
