ARLINGTON, VA — November 29, 2007 — The Food Marketing Institute today announced a call for entries in the 2008 FMI Store Manager Awards, an annual program recognizing store managers for their extraordinary achievements in customer and community service. The awards program will take place at The FMI Show plus MARKETECHNICS^® in Las Vegas, NV, on May 5, 2008.




Supervisors of store managers are invited to send in stories that demonstrate how a manager created positive growth and customer satisfaction over the past 12-18 months. Entries will be judged on originality, creativity, impact on store growth, customer satisfaction and community relations.




"The supermarket store manager is critical to integrating the store into the surrounding community and achieving business success," said FMI senior vice president Brian Tully. "FMI recognizes store managers who excel in customer and community service with the FMI Store Manager Awards."




Three grand prize winners will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize at The FMI Show plus MARKETECHNICS^®. Nine finalists, including the three grand prize winners, will receive two tickets to The FMI Show plus MARKETECHNICS^® and three nights of hotel accommodations in Las Vegas.




Only store managers from an FMI member company who have been at the same place of business for at least one year are eligible.




Entries will be divided into three categories based on company size. Category A includes small retailers with 1-49 stores, Category B includes medium retailers with 50-199 stores and Category C includes large retailers with 200 or more stores. Judges will select three finalists and one grand prize winner from each category.




     Last year’s winners include:

• Lewis F. "Bud" Kennedy, manager of the Green Hills Farms, Inc., supermarket in Syracuse, NY — Category A, companies with 1-49 stores.
  
• Kenneth Hall, Jr., manager of the Schnuck Markets, Inc., store in East St. Louis, IL — Category B, companies with 50-199 stores.
  
• Don Blair, manager of a BI-LO, LLC, supermarket in Rock Hill, SC — Category C, companies with 200 or more stores.
  

Contact Bonnie Cobbs at 202.220.0802 or bcobbs@fmi.org for more information.




Contact:

Stephanie Strauss

202.220.0657

sstrauss@fmi.org