Foundation Inducts Two Industry Icons

Posted on March 23, 2018March 4, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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Scroll down to view this year’s Hall of Achievement event in pictures.

Kevin Davis, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Farms, and Robert (Bob) Kelly, Executive Vice President, Hidden Villa Ranch, were inducted into the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement on March 21, 2018, during a gala event at the Hilton Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, Calif.

The Hall of Achievement honors grocery retailers and suppliers who have contributed substantially to the advancement of the grocery industry. Nearly 500 well-wishers from throughout the industry were on hand to honor the two inductees.

“Tonight we recognize two industry icons for their life-long commitment and dedication to this fantastic industry,” said Foundation President Ron Fong, who then outlined the criteria for induction. “I think you’ll agree that Kevin and Bob certainly meet the requirements.”

Foundation Chair Brad Askeland, North State Grocery, also praised Davis and Kelly for their contributions to California’s grocery industry.

“Bob and Kevin have proven throughout their careers that education can come in many forms and valued in many ways,” Askeland said. “Providing and creating similar opportunities to improve our industry through your support of the Foundation is why we are all here tonight.”

Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs. For the 2018-19 academic year, the Foundation will award over 300 scholarships totaling more than $500,000. The Foundation will disburse more than $200,000 in tuition reimbursement in 2018.

For 26 years the CGA Educational Foundation has provided financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA-member employees and their dependents and offers educational programs for the grocery industry. Since that time, more than $7 million in college scholarships and tuition reimbursement grants has been awarded to grocery employees and their families.

ABOUT OUR HONOREES

Kevin Davis
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bristol Farms

Kevin Davis is Chairman & CEO of Bristol Farms; Chairman of Lazy Acres, the preeminent specialty food and natural food stores in Southern California; and CEO of Good Food Holdings, their holding company.

Kevin started in the food industry in 1970 as a box boy. He joined Ralphs Grocery Company in 1974 and worked all store level jobs through promotion to Store Manager in 1980. In 1985, Kevin was promoted to Assistant District Manager and one year later to District Manager. That same year he was promoted to Director of Sales and Advertising. In 1988, he was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Advertising, and later to Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Kevin left Ralphs after 21 years to become Executive Vice President of Bristol Farms. He was promoted by the Board of Directors to President in July of 1996 and less than one year later was promoted to Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.

Kevin is a past Chair of the California Grocers Association, President Emeritus of the Western Association of Food Chains and Past Chair of Unified Western Grocers and currently serves as the Chair of Food Marketing Institute. He was also a Director and Past Chair of California Hospital Medical Center Foundation Board, and Past President for the Food Industry Circle at City of Hope.

Supported by full scholarships from the food industry’s Western Association of Food Chains, Kevin graduated from the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1978 and later graduated as Class President of the Executive Program in the Graduate School of Business at UCLA.

In 1986, Business Week name him one of the 50 “Fast Track Kids” in American business and, in 1998, was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of their 30 “Up and Comers” in Los Angeles business. Kevin was named Alumnus of the Year by the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1999 and Executive of the Year in 2011.

Married for 35 years, Kevin and his wife, Cindy, have seven children and three grandchildren.

Robert (Bob) J. Kelly
Executive Vice President
Hidden Villa Ranch

Robert “Bob” Kelly is Executive Vice President of Hidden Villa Ranch. He grew up in rural San Diego County on a small family poultry farm and graduated in 1975 from San Diego State University with a degree in Microbiology. After graduation Bob held several positions in different industries. Eventually, he became the Sales Manager with Embly Ranch in San Diego. In 1996, Hidden Villa Ranch bought Embly Ranch and the Pine Hill division was born. Bob is Executive Vice President for the Pine Hill division and is responsible for all operations, sales and marketing.

His professional organizations include board position with the Orange County Council Boy Scouts and an officer with the Illuminators, one of the largest industry trade organizations in the retail food business. Past association involvement has included board positions with Pacific Egg and Poultry Association, California Egg Commission, Embly Ranch, Sunshine Foods and Coast Packaging.

Bob also devotes a large amount of time to several charitable organizations including City of Hope, Boy Scouts of America, Easter Seals, Illuminators Educational Foundation, CGA Educational Foundation, and Olive Crest, where he has received the “Ambassador for The Children” award.

Bob and his wife, Linda, live in Upland, Calif., and have been married for over 26 years. They have one daughter. Bob has a son from a previous marriage and has two grandchildren.

CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement

The CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement provides the food industry with the opportunity to recognize the achievements of those individuals who, through their foresight and dedication, have enhanced California’s food distribution industry. Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.

“The Foundation appreciates the tremendous support it has received from the grocery industry over the last 26 years,” said Shiloh London, Executive Director, CGA Educational Foundation. “Their generous donations allow the Foundation to achieve its mission of providing financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offers educational programs for the grocery industry.”

The CGA Educational Foundation was created under the direction of the California Grocers Association Board of Directors in 1992. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offer educational programs to advance the grocery industry. For more information, visit www.CGAEF.org.

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CGA Quoted in Recycling Center Dilemma Article

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Lynn Melillo

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(reprinted from The San Diego Union-Tribune – 2/19/2018)

Neighborhood feud over recycling center in Point Loma part of statewide dilemma
by Joshua Emerson Smith

A recycling center in Point Loma has raised the ire of local residents who say it has attracted some drug-addled homeless people to the neighborhood who litter and sometimes defecate in public.

At the same time, supporters of the business, Prince Recycling, have countered that those causing problems are only a small portion of the people who use the conveniently located center in the parking lot of Stump’s Family Marketplace on Voltaire Street

While many residents would like to see the center moved to an industrial area, those defending the business have said the neighborhood should rather address longstanding issues associated with homelessness head on.

The challenges facing Prince Recycling aren’t unique. Private recycling centers located near grocery stores all over the state have faced public opposition. The city of Frenso last year passed an ordinance that significantly restricted where private recyclers can operate in response to public concerns.

At the same time, such businesses have financial challenges. As commodity prices for plastic have dropped, recycled materials have become less competitive.

In the last three years, more than 800 recycling centers around the state have closed down — and to make things even more complicated, that’s put some grocery stores and other retailers in a tough spot financially under state law.

“This is not just Point Loma,” said Assemblyman Todd Gloria, D-San Diego, at a town hall-style event Saturday morning. “Hundreds of these facilities across the state are closing because there’s something wrong with the overall system. There are other neighborhoods within my own district that have this concern.”

Scores of residents showed up to Gloria’s public event Saturday to express their frustration, such as Donna Schmidt, a Point Loma resident of 10 years.

“I have two kids that go to high school in Point Loma, and they used to walk,” she said. “They don’t walk anymore because we have people dragging bags of recyclables through our million-dollar home areas. There’s got to be a better place for Mr. Prince to serve all these communities.”

Laurene Kallstron, who lives across the street from Prince Recycling in the Sea Colony condo complex, voiced concerns echoed by many people at the meeting: “I have seen a man come from the recycling center with his zipper undone and his penis hanging out going to pee. I saw another man go in those bushes, pull his pants down and defecate. That’s what’s happening.

“Our property values have gone down,” she added. “I would never have bought that unit had there been a recycle center there.”

The business’s owner, Jamie Prince, defended his operation at the meeting, telling the crowd that the homeless have frequented the Point Loma and Ocean Beach area long before his business opened in 2014.

“It’s not our job to police what happens down the street,” he said. “I feel it’s very unfair to blame me for what homeless might do. There are plenty of people that recycle that come in that are families. And they just want their money back.”

Thirty-year Ocean Beach resident Gregg Robinson said that he wanted the recycling center to stay in its current location.

“This recycling service is serving a need and it can be difficult,” he said. “If the homeless are defecating (in public), then let’s take care of that. That’s illegal. But why punish somebody who’s doing a service or even the homeless themselves, who are the most vulnerable among us?”

If the recycler moves, it would mean that grocery stores and some markets in the area would have to pay a fee, under state rules intended to incentivize the convenient locating of such businesses.

“We don’t want to go 10 miles to get our $5 worth of cans redeemed,” Mark Oldfield, spokesman for the state Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, known as CalRecycle. “We ought to be able to take it to a place that’s near where we paid the CRV (California Redemption Value) to begin with. That’s the notion behind the convenience zones — convenience.”

Under the Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act that was passed in 1987, bottling companies, such as Coca-Cola or Anheuser-Busch, must pay into a recycling fund upfront.

Those costs get passed onto the retailer and eventually the consumer, who can redeem the fee through recycling. That incentive is now 5 cents for containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for bigger containers.

That money helps subsidize recycling operations to make them competitive in the marketplace and encourage the reuse of raw materials.

At the same time, grocery stores with gross annual sales of $2 million or more must have a recycling center within a half-mile of their location or pay a fee of $100 a day.

Given the current situation, the California Grocers Association has been trying to get the legislature to loosen those rules.

“Most grocers survive on a 1 to 2 percent profit margin, so $36,500 a year is likely an employee,” said Aaron Moreno, senior director of government relations for the California Grocers Association. “Or they can take back all the garbage in store, which creates safety and health issues. It’s an untenable position and the law is inflexible right now.”

Even with the penalty, many grocers have opted to pay the fee, including Dirk Stump, owner of Stump’s Family Marketplace in Point Loma.

Stump brought in Prince Recycling roughly four years ago to avoid paying the daily $100 fee after a number of other recycler centers within a half-mile of his business closed down.

Today, he’d like to see Price relocate.

“He is not the guy using drugs and leaving needles and crapping in people’s yards, but his business is causing that to happen. He’s not hearing what the neighborhood is saying,” he said.

“The type of individuals that frequent that place, they scare the customers,” he said. “They scare the old ladies. They hassle the school kids. They sleep in the neighbors’ doorways and bushes. They steal product from the store.”

It’s still unclear what’s going to happen at the location. Stump and the owner of the lot are trying to evict the recycling center. At times, Prince has signaled that he would consider leaving, but at the recent town hall on Saturday, he seemed ready to fight the eviction.

What is clear is that a lot of people use these types of recycling facilities — and not just homeless.

About 88 percent of materials are recycled statewide by citizens through buy-back recycling locations, according to the most recent data from CalRecycle. The remaining amount is serviced by curbside haulers and a handful of other smaller programs.

On Thursday morning, Bob Smart had driven about 10 minutes from his home in Point Loma to turn in some cans and bottles at Prince Recycling. He said he makes a modest $10 a month, but he likes to do it when he goes shopping at Stump’s.
“I like it. It’s convenient,” said the 52-year-old, who has lived in the area for the past two decades. “It’s just better than going downtown to try to recycle your stuff.”

The business was busy that morning, including a seemingly endless stream of homeless individuals. Many people, who were living in their vehicles, brought in large hauls of cans and bottles.

Most said that of those recycling there was a small number who could cause a lot of trouble from time to time, but the overall mood was calm and orderly that morning.

Tom Butters, who’s been homeless on and off in Ocean Beach for years, said that he brings in about $50 a week from recycling.

“I’ve never seen a fight here,” said the 62-year-old. “I’ve never seen anybody argue about who’s cutting in line. Everybody’s cool. I don’t understand what’s going on.”

But a 45-year-old who would only identify himself as Miles offered a more nuanced take.

“I know it brings a lot of things that people don’t want to see, but they’re working,” he said, adding: “It can bring a lot of riffraff. I can see their side, too, you know.”

Foundation to Honor Industry Execs

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Lynn Melillo

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SACRAMENTO, CA – Kevin Davis, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Farms, and Robert (Bob) Kelly, Executive Vice President, Hidden Villa Ranch, will be inducted into the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement on March 21, 2018, at the Hilton Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, Calif.

The Hall of Achievement was created in 1992, to recognize grocery retailers and suppliers who have contributed substantially to the advancement of the grocery industry. Well-wishers from throughout the industry will be on hand to honor these individuals for their contributions to the California food industry.

“Both Kevin and Bob definitely meet the criteria for this very prestigious honor,” said Ronald Fong, President of the CGA Educational Foundation. “Their lifelong commitment to the grocery industry and the communities they serve is unquestionable. They have also been tremendous supporters of the Foundation. We are honored to have them join the such an elite group of grocery professionals.”

ABOUT OUR HONOREES

Kevin Davis
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bristol Farms

Kevin Davis is Chairman & CEO of Bristol Farms; Chairman of Lazy Acres, the preeminent specialty food and natural food stores in Southern California; and CEO of Good Food Holdings, their holding company.

Kevin started in the food industry in 1970 as a box boy. He joined Ralphs Grocery Company in 1974 and worked all store level jobs through promotion to Store Manager in 1980. In 1985, Kevin was promoted to Assistant District Manager and one year later to District Manager. That same year he was promoted to Director of Sales and Advertising. In 1988, he was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Advertising, and later to Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Kevin left Ralphs after 21 years to become Executive Vice President of Bristol Farms. He was promoted by the Board of Directors to President in July of 1996 and less than one year later was promoted to Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.

Kevin is a past Chair of the California Grocers Association, President Emeritus of the Western Association of Food Chains and Past Chair of Unified Western Grocers and currently serves as the Chair of Food Marketing Institute. He was also a Director and Past Chair of California Hospital Medical Center Foundation Board, and Past President for the Food Industry Circle at City of Hope.

Supported by full scholarships from the food industry’s Western Association of Food Chains, Kevin graduated from the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1978 and later graduated as Class President of the Executive Program in the Graduate School of Business at UCLA.

In 1986, Business Week name him one of the 50 “Fast Track Kids” in American business and, in 1998, was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of their 30 “Up and Comers” in Los Angeles business. Kevin was named Alumnus of the Year by the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1999 and Executive of the Year in 2011.

Married for 35 years, Kevin and his wife, Cindy, have seven children and three grandchildren.

Robert (Bob) J. Kelly
Executive Vice President
Hidden Villa Ranch

Robert “Bob” Kelly is Executive Vice President of Hidden Villa Ranch. He grew up in rural San Diego County on a small family poultry farm and graduated in 1975 from San Diego State University with a degree in Microbiology. After graduation Bob held several positions in different industries. Eventually, he became the Sales Manager with Embly Ranch in San Diego. In 1996, Hidden Villa Ranch bought Embly Ranch and the Pine Hill division was born. Bob is Executive Vice President for the Pine Hill division and is responsible for all operations, sales and marketing.

His professional organizations include board position with the Orange County Council Boy Scouts and an officer with the Illuminators, one of the largest industry trade organizations in the retail food business. Past association involvement has included board positions with Pacific Egg and Poultry Association, California Egg Commission, Embly Ranch, Sunshine Foods and Coast Packaging.

Bob also devotes a large amount of time to several charitable organizations including City of Hope, Boy Scouts of America, Easter Seals, Illuminators Educational Foundation, CGA Educational Foundation, and Olive Crest, where he has received the “Ambassador for The Children” award.

Bob and his wife, Linda, live in Upland, Calif., and have been married for over 26 years. They have one daughter. Bob has a son from a previous marriage and has two grandchildren.

CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement

For more information on the Hall of Achievement, visit www.cgaef.org, or call 916.448.3545.

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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.

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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.

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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