Symposium Features Top Presenters

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Lynn Melillo

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Independent grocery operators, wholesalers and supplier partners from throughout California recently gathered in Hawaii to relax, recharge and listen to informative international speakers provide new perspectives on building their businesses.

The presentations were part of the 2018 CGA Independent Operators Symposium, CGA’s annual gathering designed specifically for independent grocers, held this year at the spectacular St. Regis Princeville Resort on the garden island of Kauai.

Headlining this year’s Symposium were three inspiring presenters that explored how to create a positive team culture, understand the entrepreneurial process used by start-ups and define, develop and celebrate leadership everyday.

“This was another profoundly impactful Symposium,” said Ron Fong, CGA President & CEO. “That was evidenced by the tremendous involvement and enthusiasm of attendees in each presentation. Each speaker was incredibly inspiring. Everyone definitely left with new ideas and approaches they can implement immediately with their teams.”

Inspirational Speakers

The Symposium’s educational program kicked off on Tuesday with a lively, engaging and entertaining workshop featuring Galen Emanuele, president of Shift Yes, and trained improviser who has toured with the likes of improve legend Ryan Stiles of “Whose Line Is It Anyways.”

Applying the techniques of improvisation, Emanuele enlisted attendees in a series of enthusiastic communication building exercises that revealed the skills to listen, be present and positive and embrace change and failure to drive team culture to higher levels of performance and involvement.

“Galen was fantastic in drawing everyone into engaging in his communication-building exercises,” Fong said. “It was obvious everyone was having a great time while learning new ideas. Several attendees came up to me afterwards and said they want him to speak to their companies.”

On Wednesday, Aaron Montgomery, co-founder & COO of CarLotz, a car consignment company on the East Coast, challenged attendees to tap into their start-up spirit and apply a systematic approach to testing, analyzing and refining new concepts. In sharing his journey as an entrepreneur, Montgomery was able to share the tools and techniques he used to build a successful business.

“Aaron really challenged our folks to examine their operations and to tap into their entrepreneurial spirt that is the cornerstone of independent grocers,” Fong said.

The educational program culminated on Day 3 with an emotionally inspired presentation by Drew Dudley that centered on defining your value as a leader and communicating and acknowledging those values with your team. Recognized as one of the most dynamic keynote speakers in the world, Dudley captivated attendees with his stories and messages of “everyday leadership.”

“Drew perfecting united all three presentations into one cohesive message,” Fong said. “His thought-provoking remarks were straight from the heart and I believe inspired everyone to focus on what leadership really looks like which “has nothing to do with position, wealth, or prestigue” where we as leaders can have a powerful impact in encouraging our employees to reach new heights, both professionally and personally.”

Great Networking and Social Events

Along with the educational program, CGA’s annual symposium also allowed for plenty of opportunity for attendees to network and socialize.

“Independents are unique because they are so willing to share information with each other,” Fong said. “It’s a camaraderie that is really unique to independent grocers and a huge part of this event.”

The Symposium schedule also allowed for plenty of time for rest and relaxation in what many consider the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands.

“We promote this event as the perfect opportunity for independents to step away from their day-to-day operations in an effort to gain a new perspective on leading their businesses,” Fong said. “I think we successfully accomplished that.”

Fong added that the Symposium could not have succeeded without the generous support of its sponsoring companies – Bimbo Bakeries USA, C&S Wholesale Grocers, CGA Educational Foundation, Kimberly-Clark, Post Consumer Brands, Retail Marketing Services and SuperValu.

Independent grocers and industry suppliers are encouraged to mark their calendars and plan to attend the next CGA Independent Symposium on January 6-13, 2019. The location is yet to be determined.

[FAG id=5507]

CGA Issues Statement Regarding AB 875

Posted on January 9, 2018January 23, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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Response to AB 875 Failing to Pass Out of Assembly Public Safety Committee

(January 9, 2018) “We are disappointed the Assembly Public Safety Committee did not pass AB 875 today. The measure would have provided much needed relief from the increasing losses that grocers and retailers across California are experiencing as a result of laws that enable criminals to steal with no threat of a felony. Without a fix, grocers and other retailers will suffer higher losses, employees will be put in harm’s way from increasingly violent thieves, and shoppers will ultimately pay the consequences at the register.”

CGA Seeks Office Receptionist

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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The California Grocers Association is a statewide trade association representing the retail food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 300 retail members operating over 6,000 food stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 150 supplier companies. Retail membership includes chain and independent supermarkets, convenience stores and mass merchandisers.

SUMMARY

This position is created to perform general office administration functions, serve as an assistant to the President & CEO and association Senior Vice Presidents, provide general administrative support to all departments within the California Grocers Association, including the Government Relations Department. The position reports to the Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Public Policy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. General organization and maintenance of office environment including front office, storage spaces (on site and off) conference room(s), kitchen, copy/production room;

2. Answer and manage multi-line phone system;

3. Greet association members, visitors, and guests to the office;

4. Prepare outgoing mail and packages and sort/distribute incoming mail;

5. Prepare and distribute various CGA publications (hard copy and/or electronic);

6. Assist in preparation of meeting folders for CEO & SVPs;

7. Assist in filing and records upkeep (non-confidential) for CEO & SVPs;

8. Prepare and distribute Retail Marketing Service (RMS) Board Meeting minutes;

9. Assist with posting information to CGA Facebook page and web site;

10. Serve as back-up for property manager activities at 1005 12th St. property;

11. Manage registration and assist in materials preparation for CGA/CGAEF seminars and meetings;

12. Assist with assembly and mailing of membership renewals;

13. Provide clerical support for CGAEF Scholarship/Career Development-Tuition Reimbursement programs and CGAEF events;

14. Create and distribute daily legislation tracking reports (incl posting to CGA web site);

15. Create and maintain legislative bill and/or local ordinance files;

16. Schedule legislative meetings on State and Local level;

17. Basic research regarding State and Local legislation;

18. Assist in managing grassroots calls to action and State and Local grassroots events

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. At least two years of employment in a retail or office setting with a focus on customer service activities.

2. Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.

SUPERVISES

This position does not supervise other personnel.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Employee may experience the following physical demands for extended time periods:

View computer monitors
Sitting
Standing at CGA/CGAEF functions and events
Travel to other locations to participate in CGA/CGAEF meetings and events (maximum 20%)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work generally performed in a corporate office environment in downtown Sacramento. Some CGA/CGAEF events and meetings conducted at locations around California, generally in hotel settings or golf courses outdoors. Some travel required, occasional overnight travel.

The California Grocers Association provides medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and eligible dependents, and life insurance and long-term disability for the employee. The Association also provides a generous 401(k) and profit sharing program. Parking in downtown Sacramento provided. Generous sick, vacation and holiday schedule.

The salary for this position is $16 per hour, or commensurate with experience and credentials. This is a non-exempt, hourly position with an average of 40 hours of work per week.

The above information in this description is designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees in this job.

Interested candidates should submit resume and cover letter to Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Public Policy Keri Askew Bailey. No calls please.

California Democrats temporarily lose Assembly supermajority

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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by The Associated Press (12/12/2017)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Democrats will be without a supermajority in the Assembly for months and risk losing the two-thirds edge needed to pass tax and fee increases in the Senate.

When lawmakers return in January, they will have two vacant Assembly seats that won’t be filled until at least April after Los Angeles members resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. In the Senate, a member in a competitive district is facing a recall over his support for a gas tax increase and another could face pressure to resign depending on the results of a misconduct allegation.

“It will certainly affect votes,” said Democratic Assemblyman Ken Cooley, chairman of the rules committee.

Supermajorities were needed this year to pass the gas tax increase and reauthorize the cap-and-trade program. Passing a budget only requires a simple majority.

Although the changes cut into the Democrats’ legislative power, tax and fee increases are less likely to come up for votes in election years because they can be unpopular with voters.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday set an April 3 primary date for a special election to replace former Assemblyman Raul Bocangera, who resigned last month amid sexual misconduct allegations. If no candidate gets at least 50 percent of the vote, a general election will take place June 5, the same day as the statewide primary.

A date hasn’t been set to replace Assemblyman Matt Dababneh, another San Fernando Valley Democrat, who plans to resign Jan. 1. He denies a lobbyist’s allegation that he assaulted her in a bar bathroom last year.

Sen. Tony Mendoza also could face pressure to resign depending on the results of an investigation into sexual misconduct claims. He denies improper behavior.

A date hasn’t been set for a recall election against Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton. Newman’s district spans parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties and is highly competitive.

Democrats jammed a new set of recall rules through the Legislature this year — including one that requires the state to estimate how much a recall will cost.

The state Department of Finance said Monday that it would be cheaper for the state to hold the Newman recall on the same day as the statewide primary. That would cost the three counties an estimated $931,000. If the recall is held on a different day, it could cost more than $2.6 million, the department estimated.

Newman may have a better chance of survival the higher the voter turnout.

Barring no other resignations, Democrats have a strong chance of winning both Assembly seats back.

17 ways California sued the Trump administration in 2017

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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By Angela Hart

Reprinted from Sacramento Bee (12/11/2017)

California has filed a double-digit number of lawsuits against the Trump administration since January.

The latest came last week, when state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and longtime congressman from Los Angeles, led a coalition of attorneys general from red and blue states in suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over what they called its “failure” to enforce the Clean Air Act.

In some cases, California is leading the legal battle, taking on the Trump administration on immigration, health care and the environment. In others, it has joined other states such as Washington – the first to sue the Trump administration when President Donald Trump penned his first major executive order banning travel to the United States from Muslim-majority countries.

The lawsuits – 22 of them in 17 different subject areas – are a window into California’s legal strategy in taking on Trump. Becerra argues in many of them that California will suffer disproportionate harm as a result of federal moves to crack down on undocumented immigrants, undo Obamacare and roll back environmental regulations. The state is home to more than 10 million immigrants, it is seen as the most successful in implementing the Affordable Care Act, and Brown has sought to make the state’s climate change policies a model for the nation.

Here’s a rundown:

Travel ban
The suit: California in March joined the state of Washington in suing President Donald Trump and his administration over his executive order barring entry to the United States by refugees from Muslim-majority countries. The state argues the executive decision represents an unconstitutional attack that discriminates against citizens based on their religion. It says the travel ban violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, designed to prohibit any government action that unduly favors one religion over another, and would undermine the state’s interest in “remaining a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees.” California has already suffered harm as a result of the executive orders, the suit says, and will continue to suffer harm in the form of tax revenue losses and inability to recruit talent for universities, hospitals, technology jobs and other industries.

What California says: “California has an interest, as evidenced by its constitution and state law, in prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion or national origin.”

The latest: Trump’s actions now bar entry to the U.S. from eight countries: Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and Venezuela, though prohibitions on travel vary by country. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week permitted the travel ban – the third version of Trump’s first executive order – to remain in effect as legal challenges continue, including California’s. The ruling lets the government deny citizens of the countries included in the ban permanent or temporary stay in the U.S. An estimated 150 million people are affected – the majority of whom are Muslim, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Trump has argued that the ban is meant to “detect would-be terrorists from receiving visas.”

DACA
The suit: California on Sept. 11 led Maine, Maryland and Minnesota in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. The state argues that eliminating DACA violates the Fifth Amendment by “substantially altering” the Department of Homeland Security’s “prior assurances” that under the Obama administration granted 800,000 undocumented immigrants temporary permission to remain in the U.S. The lawsuit also alleges the administration’s action violates due process protections of DACA applicants, and the manner in which Trump ended the program violates federal law.

What California says: “This program has allowed nearly 800,000 young people (including over 220,000 Californians) who have come of age in the United States – many of whom have known no other home – to come out of the shadows and study and work here without fear of deportation.”

The latest: Trump has called on Congress to come up with a legislative fix for DACA, set to expire in March 2018. Congressional Democrats have pushed for passage of the Dream Act, which would create a path to citizenship for recipients, known as “dreamers.” The debate is part of negotiations over spending to keep the government open, as Republicans and Democrats try to reach a deal by year’s end.

Border wall
The suit: Becerra, joined by the California Coastal Commission, filed suit Sept. 20 against the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and border Protection to prevent construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall in San Diego and Imperial counties. In the lawsuit, California argues the Trump administration violated the U.S. Constitution and did not comply with federal and state environmental laws, and that Trump acted outside his authority in pursuing his signature immigration-enforcement proposal, relying on a federal statute that does not authorize the wall.

What California says: “The people have a concrete…interest in protecting the state of California’s territory and its proprietary interests from both direct harm and from spill-over effects resulting from action on federal land.”

The latest: Trump and officials in his administration have called for expedited construction of Southern California border wall prototypes. Some prototypes are already being tested. A hearing is set for Feb. 9 in federal court for the Southern District of California.

Sanctuary cities
The suit: California filed suit on Aug. 14 to prevent the federal government from withholding public safety grants from cities and counties that do not expend public resources on immigration enforcement. It argues it is an “unconstitutional attempt” to force state law enforcement agencies to “engage in federal immigration enforcement.” The move was prompted by a U.S. Justice Department directive issued by Attorney General Jeff Sessions calling on law enforcement agencies to cooperate with the federal government as it sought to enforce immigration law. The state receives $28 million per year in public safety grants for crime prevention, drug treatment, mental health care and more.

What California says: “This is pure intimidation intended to force our law enforcement into changing the policies and practices that they have determined promote public safety,” Becerra said in a statement.

Immigration enforcement
The suit: California in October joined a coalition of states led by Massachusetts in a lawsuit seeking access documents detailing the Trump administration’s federal immigration practices. In the complaint, naming the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Becerra and the other attorneys general seek records on federal immigration enforcement activities since Trump took office, including the DACA program, immigration holds and arrests and detentions at specific locations.

What California says: “As chief law enforcement officers of their respective states, responsible for protecting the safety, welfare and civil rights of their residents, the attorneys general…have a compelling and immediate need for the information requested.”

The latest: The lawsuit is pending in federal court in Massachusetts.

Transgender military ban
The suit: California on Nov. 8 filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit, brought by Equality California, challenging Trump’s Aug. 25 directive that seeks to ban transgender people from joining the military. The president said the action, a reversal from Obama administration policy, was an effort to minimize “tremendous medical costs and disruption.” California was given permission Nov. 16 to join as a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, brought by transgender service members and transgender people seeking to enlist. Becerra called Trump’s move, announced in a tweet, a “patently discriminatory federal policy.”

What California says: “If left unchallenged, the transgender military ban would impede the California National Guard’s ability to recruit and retain members to protect the state’s natural resources in times of need, force California to violate its anti-discrimination laws and discriminate against its own residents…”

The latest: Federal judges have halted the proposed ban.

Birth control
The suit: California is challenging the legality of a Trump administration rule that allows employers to deny women insurance coverage for birth control based on religious or moral objections. Becerra argues that birth control is a “federally entitled benefit” under the Affordable Care Act. He called it an unconstitutional attack on the First Amendment because it lets employers use religious beliefs as a right to discriminate, and a violation of the Fifth Amendment by specifically targeting women and denying them their rights to equal protection under the law.

What California says: “Under this new regime…millions of women in California may be left without access to contraceptives and counseling and the state will be shouldering that additional fiscal and administrative burden as women seek access for this coverage through state-funded programs.”

The latest: The rule took effect immediately. California is seeking to overturn it. A hearing is set for Dec. 12 in federal court in the Northern District of California.

Obamacare
The suits: California moved on May 18 to intervene in a federal lawsuit that it says could “explode” the Affordable Care Act. The lawsuit, filed by House Republicans under the Obama administration, is an attempt to end cost-sharing subsidies that help offset health care premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. Trump has signaled that his administration will not defend the federal subsidy payments under Obamacare, so California and New York filed motions to step in and take on the federal fight. In October, Becerra went further, leading a coalition of other attorneys general in a lawsuit to block the president’s plan to end federal subsidy payments.

What California says: “Cost-sharing subsidies make insurance more affordable for low- and middle-income Americans by reducing out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles, co-pays and similar expenses.”

The latest: The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to rewrite regulations ending cost-sharing subsidy payments as Republicans continue their efforts to repeal Obamacare.

Student loan protections
The suits: California joined 17 other states and the District of Columbia in suing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in July for rescinding Obama-era protections that would have allowed students at for-profit colleges to petition for loan forgiveness if the college “misled them or engaged in other misconduct in violation” of other laws, according to the Department of Education. DeVos argued that the policy offered student loan borrowers “free money.” The lawsuit comes more than a year after former California Attorney General Kamala Harris, now in the U.S. Senate, sued Corinthian Colleges claiming it defrauded students, winning a $1.1 billion judgment from Corinthian Colleges. In a separate case, California was also one of 18 Democratic states to file suit against DeVos and the Department of Education to protect an Obama-era education rule that required for-profit colleges to prepare students for “gainful employment in a recognized occupation.”

What California says: “The rule was designed to ensure that students are lied to and mistreated by their school get the relief they are owed, and that schools that harm students are held responsible for their behavior.”

The latest: The Obama administration regulations were set to take effect July 1. Lawsuits are pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

EPA’s Scott Pruitt and ethical concerns
The suit: After sending a federal Freedom of Information Act request in April to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requesting documents on the agency’s administrator, Scott Pruitt, Becerra sued. He’d requested information that could detail possible conflicts of interest and ethical violations, but the agency did not respond within the legally required 20 days. In his previous post as Oklahoma’s attorney general, Pruitt had filed more than a dozen legal actions against the agency he is overseeing. He’d sought to halt Obama-era environmental regulations.

What California says: “While serving as Oklahoma attorney general, Mr. Pruitt filed numerous lawsuits against EPA…actions asking courts to strike down EPA’s rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from existing fossil fuel power plants…limiting methane and volatile organic compound pollution from new, modified and reconstructed sources in the oil and gas sector…and limiting hazardous air pollutants emitted from coal- and oil-fired power plants.”

The latest: Pruitt is still in charge of the EPA. The agency has not responded to California’s public records request. California’s lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Natural gas rules
The suit: The Trump administration moved quickly to roll back Obama-era environmental regulations as too onerous for business, prompting an onslaught of legal reactions. Becerra in July filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for delaying implementation of a rule regulating the practice of methane “flaring,” or the burning of natural gas that isn’t processed or sold. The so-called “waste prevention rule,” finalized by the Bureau of Land Management last November and put into place in January of this year, was aimed at preventing oil and natural gas producers from releasing the methane on federal and tribal lands.

What California says: “The Waste Prevention Rule provides a much-needed update of 38-year-old regulations governing the release of natural gas from new and existing oil and gas operations on federal and Indian lands, and clarifies when gas lost through venting, flaring or leaks is subject to royalties.”

The latest: The Trump administration issued a notice indicating it would permanently postpone the rule, but the decision was struck down in October after California filed suit. Federal agencies have appealed as the Trump administration seeks to finalize a rule to delay compliance deadlines. California will argue in defense of the rule, according to Becerra’s office.

Coal leasing on public land
The suit: Becerra is fighting to reinstate the moratorium on coal leasing on public lands. Joined by attorneys general from New Mexico, New York and Washington, he filed a lawsuit in early May challenging a March decision by the Trump administration to restart federal coal leasing on public land without completing an environmental review of the program. The leasing program was previously blocked by Obama, pending environmental review. Becerra cited climate change risks and environmental hazards in the lawsuit.

What California says: “Millions of tons of coal have been transported through California in open rail cars to ports in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Stockton and Richmond, areas that are surrounded by low-income and minority communities that are already disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution.”

The latest: The suit is pending in federal court in Montana.

Clean Air Act
The suits: California joined New York and other states in August to file a lawsuit against Trump’s EPA for not designating air quality standards across the nation, as required under the Clean Air Act. The standards were created to inform the public about the level of pollutants in the atmosphere and are considered an important measure in assessing public health problems and air quality. A second lawsuit, led by California and joined by 14 other attorneys general, was filed Thursday. California, joined by deep-blue states like New York and Republican-led states like Iowa, filed suit against the EPA for what it called a “failure” to designate parts of the country as unhealthy due to high levels of smog. The Clean Air Act mandates the disclosure, and requires areas to take steps to improve air quality.

What California says: “EPA has failed to issue a designation for the San Francisco Bay Area. …The lack of a…designation for the Bay Area undermines the ability of state and local air regulators to improve the region’s air quality, by depriving them of crucial regulatory tools that are not readily available otherwise.”

The latest: The Trump administration has not yet designated air quality measures by region. The lawsuits are pending.

Oil and gas royalties
The suit: A lawsuit filed in late April by California and New Mexico is aimed at making the Department of the Interior enforce rules requiring companies to pay royalties on oil, gas and coal extracted from taxpayer-owned public lands. The lawsuit alleges that the rule, which went into effect on Jan. 1, was driven in part by U.S. coal industry practices of artificially depressing coal prices then selling to their own subsidiaries, requiring lower royalty payments. Becerra alleges that it was postponed after it had already gone into effect.

What California says: “The rule responded to dramatic changes that have taken place in domestic energy markets… An agency cannot postpone the effective date of a rule when that effective date has already come and gone.”

The latest: The Department of the Interior has repealed the rule, while the lawsuits from California and New Mexico are pending.

Energy use in appliances

Energy use in appliances
The suit: California, joined by 10 other states including New York and Massachusetts, filed a lawsuit in June against the Department of Energy under Trump for failing to publish new energy efficiency standards for home industrial-scale appliances including portable air conditioners, air compressors, walk-in coolers and freezers and more. The lawsuit alleges new standards will save energy and reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere – to the equivalent of taking more than 5 million cars off the road each year. California has the strongest greenhouse gas reduction targets in the country.

What California says: “In addition to the state’s climate-related laws that prioritize energy efficiency for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency is a key component to helping California manage an aging energy infrastructure and meeting the state’s growing electricity needs.”

The latest: The Department of the Energy is fighting some of the new regulations in court and has let others go into effect.

Fuel-efficiency standards
The suits: Becerra, with four other attorneys general, filed suit in September over the Trump administration’s decision to delay a federal fuel efficiency rule meant to steer automakers into making more fuel-efficient vehicles. Separately, Becerra and the state Air Resources Board in March moved to intervene in a lawsuit brought by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers against the EPA. The lawsuit from the alliance, an industry lobbying organization representing 12 of the largest car manufacturers including Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Subaru of America, Inc., is an attempt at weakening vehicle emissions standards. In a letter to EPA’s Pruitt, Gov. Jerry Brown blasted the lawsuit, prompted by the Trump administration, which has sought to roll back greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks. In the letter, Brown called the action a “unconscionable gift to polluters. Once again, you’ve put the interests of Big Oil ahead of clean air and politics ahead of science.”

What California says: “California seeks to intervene because the greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved through the light-duty vehicle standards are an important part of broader efforts to reduce these harmful, climate-altering emissions.”

The latest: The suits are pending.

Measuring greenhouse gases
The suits: The Trump administration in September reversed a decision to delay the implementation of a federal rule requiring the tracking and measuring of greenhouse gas emissions on roadways. Becerra had filed a lawsuit to force the federal government to implement the rule.

Another lawsuit brought by California was also settled after the Trump administration implemented environmental rules aimed at making ceiling fans more efficient.Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article188901094.html#storylink=cpy

CGA Elects 2018 Board Chair

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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Independent Operator to Serve One Year Term as Chair

SACRAMENTO, CA (Dec. 4, 2017) – Bob Parriott, President and Chief Executive Officer of Twain Harte Market in Twain Harte, Calif., was elected the 2017-2018 California Grocers Association Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 1, 2017.

Jim Wallace (right) passes the chairman’s gavel to Bob Parriott.

As Chair, Parriott will lead the Board’s strategy regarding CGA’s numerous legislative, educational, communications and industry-related programs. The Association is comprised of more than 300 retail companies operating more than 6,000 stores in California and Nevada. The chair serves for one year. He succeeds Immediate Past Chair Jim Wallace, Albertsons Companies.

“Bob continues CGA’s long history of both large and small grocery operators serving as board chair,” says CGA President Ron Fong. “As an independent grocery operator, Bob will be a very strong voice for this extremely important member segment of CGA. We look forward to Bob’s leadership in the coming year.”

Parriott was instrumental in the California Grocers Association’s merger with the California Independent Grocers Association in 2014 and was appointed to the CGA Executive Board that same year.

In addition to Parriott, the following individuals were elected to the 2017-2018 CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee: First Vice Chair, Kendra Doyel, Ralphs Grocery Company; Second Vice Chair, Phil Miller, C&S Wholesale; Treasurer, Hee-Sook Nelson, Gelson’s Markets; Secretary, Renee Amen, Super A Foods; and Immediate Past Chair, Jim Wallace, Albertsons Companies.

Chairman’s appointments to the Executive Committee include: Dave Jones, Kellogg Company; Kevin Arceneaux, Mondelez International Inc.; and Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms. Independent Operator Committee Chair Dennis Darling, Foods Etc., will continue as a non-voting Executive Committee member,

Directors elected to their first full three-year term include: Mark Arrington, Post Consumer Brands; Jake Fermanian, Super King Markets; Mark Foley, Raley’s; David Higginbotham, Stater Bros. Markets; John Mastropaolo, Chobani; Tim Murphy, Costco Wholesale; Jeff Sigmen, Reyes Coca-Cola; Lee Smith, Smart & Final Stores; Rick Stewart, Susanville Supermarket IGA; Rob Twyman, Whole Foods Market; and Karl Wissmann, C & K Market.

Directors elected to their second three-year term include: Brent Cotten, The Hershey Company; Dennis Darling, Foods Etc.; Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms; Casey McQuaid, E & J Gallo Winery; Nicole Pesco, The Save Mart Companies; Casey Rodacker, Mar-Val Food Stores; and Kevin Young, Young’s Payless Market IGA.

Former CGA Chair Kevin Konkel, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, was elected an honorary board member.

RMS Executive Announces Retirement

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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Retail marketing services executive david reid To Retire

Matthew Dodson Named Interim President and CEO.

SACRAMENTO, CA – (November 7, 2017) – Retail Marketing Services, Inc. (RMS) has announced that David Reid, President and Chief Executive Officer, will retire effective November 17, 2017. Matthew Dodson, Executive Vice President for RMS, has been named the company’s Interim President and CEO.

Reid was appointed President and CEO of RMS – the holding company for the California Grocers Association for-profit businesses – after its acquisition by CGA following a merger with the California Independent Grocers Association. The company operates the California Shopping Cart Retrieval Company (CSCRC) and the California Coupon Redemption Center (CCRC). It also operates a shopping cart repair and maintenance business line. RMS is headquartered in Burbank, Calif.

Prior to the acquisition, Reid was President and CEO of CSCRC. He was hired in 2001 as Executive Vice President, and in 2009, he was named President and CEO.

“We appreciate Dave’s many years of dedicated service to both CSCRC and RMS,” said Ron Fong, CGA President and CEO. “We wish him the best.”

Dodson joined CSCRC in 2012 as Executive Vice President and was responsible for managing all business lines, implementing strategic growth plans, budgeting and supervising department directors. He also oversaw the restructuring of the business line for coupon processing.

Prior to CSCRC, Dodson served as Director, Local Government Relations, for the California Grocers Association. His responsibilities included representing the grocery industry before city and county governments throughout Southern California.

“Matthew has been associated with the grocery industry through his work with RMS, CSCRC and CGA for almost a decade and has considerable knowledge as it relates to the companies that RMS operates,” Fong said.

“We thank Dave for all of his hard work in completing the RMS merger,” said Kathleen Smith, Chair of RMS. “We look forward to Matthew’s vision of growing RMS to benefit the grocery and other retail industries.”

Proposed initiative would end early release for some crimes, allow more DNA collection

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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Reprinted from The Los Angeles Times (10/30/2017)

A coalition including police officers and prosecutors on Monday proposed a California state initiative that would end early release of rapists and child traffickers and expand the number of crimes for which authorities could collect DNA samples from those convicted.

The ballot measure is sponsored by the California Public Safety Partnership, and would reverse some elements of Proposition 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and reduced some crimes deemed nonviolent from a felony to a misdemeanor.

The proposed initiative would add 15 crimes to the list of violent crimes for which early release is not an option, including child abuse, rape of an unconscious person, trafficking a child for sex, domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon.

“These reforms make sure that truly violent criminals stay in jail and don’t get out early,” said Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert, a leader of the coalition.

The initiative would also allow DNA collection for certain crimes, including drug offenses, that were reduced to misdemeanors under Proposition 47.

Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) said there have been 2,000 fewer hits matching DNA to cold cases annually in recent years.

He cited one case from 1989 involving the murder of two young girls in Sacramento that was solved last year by DNA taken from a man in a drug case before those were excluded from DNA collection.

“If that case happens today, right now, it does not get solved,” said Cooper, a former sheriff’s captain.

Proposition 47 also made theft of goods valued at less than $950 a misdemeanor, so some criminals are committing serial thefts and keeping each one to $949 or less, Cooper said. The initiative would make serial theft a felony.

The measure also mandates a parole revocation hearing for anyone who violates the terms of their parole three times.

“A Whittier police officer was recently murdered by a parolee who had violated parole five times,” said Los Angeles Police Protective League President Craig Lally, who supports the initiative.

A representative of the group behind Proposition 47 said it was not reasonable to blame the ballot measure for an uptick in some crimes in some parts of the state.

“Fluctuations in crime have much more to do with economic and social policies and practices,” said Tom Hoffman, a spokesman for the group Californians for Safety and Justice. “It’s so much more complicated than one piece of legislation as an issue.”

The proponents of the initiative need to collect signatures from 365,880 voters by the end of April to qualify the initiative for the November 2018 election.

2017 CGA Strategic Conference Highlights

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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The 2017 CGA Strategic Conference struck just the right chord this year for the more than 700 grocery retailers, suppliers, wholesalers and brokers attending this annual event on Sept. 24-26, in Palm Springs, Calif.

This year’s theme – Working in Concert – featured a symphony of educational programming, networking events and social gatherings designed to reinforce the conference’s collaboration message.

“Our goal was to have our attendees focus their peer-to-peer discussions around the need for greater collaboration,” said CGA President/CEO Ron Fong. “I think we accomplished that goal.”

CGA has conducted its annual gathering of California’s grocery industry since 1898. Attendees heard from industry experts and several “non-traditional” voices, participating in CGA’s signature face-to-face business meetings and enjoyed relaxing after hours networking events.

New this year was the addition of the Loss Prevention Executive Summit, featuring six hours of loss prevention, safety and risk management educational programming. The conference also created a “Morning Jam Session,” featuring three unique voices patterned after the popular Ted-style presentations.

“Both these additions were tremendous hits,” said Fong. “We hope to expand the loss prevention program next year and draw an even greater number of LP professionals and vendors. The Morning Jam Session was also a huge success and the format will probably return next year.”

Along with the educational programming, CGA also served up strong networking and social events, thanks in large part to its supplier partners, The Illuminators.

“The Illuminators continue to provide great meal functions and social events in support of the conference,” Fong said. “This dedicated group of industry suppliers are an intricate part of our success. Thank you once again for your tremendous support.”

Also new this year was a special Pre-Conference Succession Planning Seminar featuring noted expert Dr. Tom Deans and Sid Tobiason, Moss Adams, that discussed steps to create a viable succession plan for businesses.

The seminar and Illuminators Golf Tournament kicked off the conference on Sunday and was followed by “The Opening Experience” featuring Sekou Andrews, the world’s leading “Poetic Voice.” His powerful message blended poetry with the stories of our grocery industry while capturing the conference theme message of collaboration, connecting and working in concert.

Monday’s programming started early with CGA’s Whiteboard Sessions, roundtable discussion groups focused on some of today’s most pressing industry issues. This was followed by the General Session keynote speaker Josh Linkner and opened with an industry panel discussing ways the entire supply chain can collaborate more closely.

Monday’s offerings also included the highly popular Independent Grocers Forum that featured a Founder and the Chief Operating Office of My Cloud Grocer, Dan Dashevsky, who provided five easy steps for independent grocers to achieve E-commerce success. Forum attendees also heard customized presentations from major manufacturers.

Highlighting Tuesday’s program was the Morning Jam Session and the Keynote Luncheon presentation. The Jam Session featured three 15 minute presentations by Payman Nejati, Handpick; John Foraker, former president of Annie’s Inc. and Tracie Maffei, Google. Inc. The Luncheon Keynote Address closed the conference’s educational program and featured two Nielsen executives discussing the impact of health & wellness, transparency and personalization on California consumers.

In addition to the conference’s strong educational programming, attendees also participated in the conference’s signature face-to-face pre-scheduled business meetings.

“Our team scheduled more than 1,100 meetings over the course of just two days,” Fong said. “We typically call it speed dating for grocery and that’s a pretty accurate description.

Fong wished to thank the many sponsored that made this year’s conference a tremendous success. The sponsors are listed on the CGA Strategic Conference website.

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CGAEF Northern California Golf Classic Highlights

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Lynn Melillo

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The CGA Educational Foundation hosted the second of two Golf Classics on July 18 at the beautiful and challenging Blackhawk Country Club in Danville, Calif. A near full field of 138 grocery retailers, suppliers and wholesalers teed it up for this annual Northern California event. Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs. The Foundation wishes to thank the many sponsors for their generous donations.

The Winners

1st Place

Daniel Reid
Brian Hudgins
Fred Thumhart
Ryan Durkin

2nd Place

Brent Hughes
Jake Jain
Jordan Wettstein
Chang So

3rd Place

Brand Clark
Scott Powell
Bill Cote
Saul Mejia

Closest to the Pin

Men – Mark Olejnik (7’7″)
Women – Cavi Drake (23’1″)

Longest Drive

Men – Jake Jain
Women – Mary Keller

Thank You Sponsors!

Breakfast

The Illuminators

Lunch

Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Farmer John Foods

Masters Sponsors

Anheuser-Busch
InBev
Bimbo Bakeries USA
Chobani, Inc.
Coca-Cola Refreshments
Jelly Belly Candy Company
Kellogg Company
Kraft Heinz Company
Mondelez International
Moss Adams
Post Consumer Brands
SUPERVALU West Region

Package Sponsors

C&H Sugar Co./ASR Group
C&S Wholesale Grocers
Classic Wines of California
CROSSMARK
Farmer John Foods
Food 4 Less/Rancho San Miguel
The Hershey Company
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
MillerCoorsNuCal Foods
PepsiCo North American Nutrition
Popcornopolis
Procter & Gamble
Raley’s
Royal Wine Co/KeyCo
Sugar Bowl Bakery
UNFI/Tony’s Fine Foods

Hole Sponsors

John Hooker’s Gourmet Salad
Key Mechanical
Retail Marketing Services
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Spiked Seltzer

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