ARLINGTON, VA –January 14, 2008 – Barry Scher, vice president of public affairs at Giant Food Inc. and Ahold USA, received the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) 2008 Glen P. Woodard, Jr., Public Affairs Award today, recognizing his leadership in helping the retail food industry address important government issues. FMI President and CEO Tim Hammonds presented the award at the association’s 2008 Midwinter Executive Conference in Scottsdale, AZ.

     During a career spanning more than 41 years, “Scher pioneered public affairs in the retail and wholesale food industry in the broadest sense,” Hammonds said, “serving as the voice of his company and the industry before the news media, state assemblies and Congress.”

     Scher successfully led a three-year campaign to repeal blue laws in Maryland which prohibited shopping on Sundays. Soon thereafter, Virginia and the District of Columbia did the same. As a former Board member and Board chair of the Treatment and Learning Centers for Disabled Children and Adults, Scher helped the food retail industry shape the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.

He is a founding Board member of the Capital Area Food Bank where he has served as the vice chair and chair. Scher has helped raise millions of dollars for the food bank to provide the hungry enough food for 16 million meals each year.   

     Scher is the 13th recipient of the Woodard Award. Glen Woodard led public affairs advocacy in the supermarket industry during the second half of the 20th century, representing Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., and FMI.