Arlington, VA – The National Grocers Association (NGA) today presented Stephanie Becker – chief legal officer at Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) – with the prestigious Spirit of America Award, recognizing her commitment to the independent supermarket industry.
“Stephanie has been with AWG for 15 years, assisting independent retailers in securing store locations, financing expansions and expanding businesses,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “Stephanie has walked the halls of Congress during Day in Washington, the supermarket industry’s fly-in, to advocate for policies benefiting independent retailers and wholesalers. In addition to her vital work for independents, Stephanie finds time to volunteer, participating in multiple mission trips to Nicaragua and India and mentoring students from local high schools near AWG.”
The NGA Spirit of America Award was established in 1982 and honors key industry and community leaders in the areas of community service and government relations on behalf of the independent supermarket industry. NGA has proudly presented this award to distinguished individuals who serve the grocery industry and the public interest, including Presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford.
Kansas City, Kan.-based AWG is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving more than 1,100 member companies and 3,000 locations throughout 28 states from eight full-line wholesale divisions, with consolidated sales of about $9.7 billion.
About NGA
NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale 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 close to one percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating $131 billion in sales, 944,000 jobs, $30 billion in wages and $27 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers, state grocers associations, as well as manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
