Margo Downs, Ben Nemtin, and Cam Marston will share characteristics essential for shaping your post-pandemic life

After more than a year living through the Covid-19 pandemic, the Association and its independent grocery community are excited to be returning to the Big Island this June.

If you’re like us, the state’s reopening date, plus the expanded access to Covid-19 vaccines, is cause for considering what we can expect from the near future. Is a new “Roaring 20s” just around the corner? Do we face a more protracted struggle against coronavirus? What is the “new normal” anyways?

Independent Operators Symposium featured speakers Margo Downs, Ben Nemtin, and Cam Marston offer a jumping-off point.

Resiliency and optimism are two inter-related characteristics that can guide us into 2021 and beyond. Having shaped innovative people strategies at Stitch Fix, Starbucks, and Lululemon, Downs knows a thing or two about why optimism is the secret to culture. And optimism isn’t only about a sunny outlook. Symposium participants will hear about Nemtin’s unique journey that saw him star in MTV’s “The Buried Life” where he and his best friends relied upon resiliency to surmount seemingly impossible social and personal obstacles.

New! CGA has added a third speaker to our 2021 IOS lineup. Cam Marston is the leading expert on the impact of generational change and its impact on the workplace and marketplace. As an author, columnist, blogger, and lecturer, he imparts a clear understanding of how generational demographics are changing the landscape of business. In his segment Marston will explain the dynamics of having five generations in the workforce simultaneously.

Read more about this year’s featured speakers. And if you haven’t yet booked your Symposium stay, more information can be found on the 2021 IOS event page.

SACRAMENTO, CA (April 2, 2021) – The California Grocers Association (CGA) and Fresh Produce & Floral Council (FPFC) have agreed to form a new partnership, further linking the state’s grocery retail community and California produce and floral suppliers.

Through this joint effort the organizations will collaborate to grow membership, promote industry events, and share advertising and marketing opportunities.

“Produce plays a vital role in the way consumers eat and how the grocery industry serves its customers,” said Doug Scholz, Sr. Vice President, Business Development and Marketing. “This relationship offers our grocery community the chance to build a greater connection to these important grocery partners.

The first-ever agreement between the two organizations, the partnership also includes reciprocal information sharing and elevated marketing opportunities.

“We’re thrilled to be solidifying the on-ramp between produce and floral companies and the grocery retail industry,” said Don Gann, FPFC Executive Director. “California’s produce and floral providers are essential to the state’s food marketplace, and through this partnership, I’m confident we’ll foster a thriving link between FPFC and CGA.” 

FPFC 20201 Chairman Sean McClure of Professional Produce stated his excitement “We are looking forward to offering this newly formed partnership of both Association members to expand relations, develop educational content, and connect with additional retail executives, purchasing teams, and companies in the Fresh Produce and Floral industry.” 

While CGA’s primary focus is on government relations, FPFC is known for its events and networking opportunities. Leaders in both organizations believe these attributes are complimentary as they work to grow their associations in tandem.

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The California Grocers Association is a non-profit, statewide trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA membership includes approximately 300 retail companies operating more than 6,000 stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 200 grocery supplier companies.

The mission of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council is to connect members to the information, education and professional network they need to increase knowledge, grow their businesses and collectively advance the industry. Our members include growers, shippers, wholesalers, brokers, distributors and retailers of produce and/or floral items.