CGA President Inducted Into Hall of Fame

California Grocers Association President & Chief Executive Officer Ron Fong was one of five grocery executives to be inducted into the Food Industry Sales Association (FISA) Hall of Fame on April 12, 2018, during a gala dinner in Danville, Calif.

Also inducted were Joe Falvey, SuperValu/Market Centre; Kevin Konkel, Raley’s; Steve Junqueiro, Save Mart Companies (retired) and Bob Wilson (posthumously), Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream.

Nearly 300 family, friends and associates attended the event at the prestigious Blackhawk Museum. A family member or work associate introduced each inductee. Introducing CGA President Ron Fong was his son Jaden, a senior at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, Calif.

In accepting the award, Fong recognized the tremendous contributions all four inductees have made to California’s grocery industry and their involvement with CGA. Both Konkel and Falvey served as chair of the CGA Board of Directors. Junqueiro and Wilson, who passed away in 2016, were also previously inducted into the CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement.

Fong is the first non-retailer to be inducted into the FISA Hall of Fame, since its first inductee, Tom Raley, Raley’s, received the award in 1979. Members of the CGA, CGA Educational Foundation and Retail Marketing Service boards were in attendance. “I can’t thank our board members enough for coming out to support this worthy association and the inductees for tonight’s Hall of Fame,” said Fong. “They all made the night special.”

“This is a very prestigious honor, and I’m very humbled to be selected along with Bob Wilson as the first non-retailers to enter this elite group of grocery icons,” said Fong. “I congratulate my fellow inductees. They are all very deserving of this award.”

Proceeds from the dinner fund the FISA’s Scholarship Program, which annually provides scholarships to deserving students from retailer and FISA member families who exhibit leadership in school and community activities and demonstrate superior scholastic achievement.

FISA is a not-for-profit organization of Northern California retail food industry sales managers and brokers. Its mission is to encourage positive working relationships in the grocery community while providing annual scholarships.

Click here for event photos.