We are taught from a very young age that the more you put into something, the more you will get out of it.
That has never been more exemplified for me than during this last year as I had the opportunity to serve our great Association as Chair of the Board of Directors.
It has been an incredible year full of so many accomplishments and opportunities for our industry, and it has been one of my professional life’s biggest honors to serve in this capacity. While extra time was needed in my calendar, I got out of it ten-fold what I gave.
We operate in a state where strong associations are critical, and CGA really hit the mark this year.
From successfully securing temporary relief for grocers in the recycling arena to privacy concerns, labor laws and sugar-sweetened beverage bills, just to name a few, CGA fought against anti-business bills with success.
Whether it is through tremendous coordinated efforts like Grocers Day at the Capitol or countless city halls every week across the state, our Association is a vigilant voice for our companies and our associates. This work will never slow, and our CGA staff is second to none in its influence and approach. I am truly grateful for their constant drive to ensure our voice is heard and even sought after.
This year, CGA opened our new building which is a spot in Sacramento for our industry to call home. An incredible committee led us through construction and all that comes with it. We are complete and fully-leased with our other office spaces and it makes our mark on the growing downtown Sacramento.
We owe great thanks to everyone who worked to make this a reality over the years, as I know it’s something you’re as proud of as I am.
The CGA Strategic Conference was one of our most successful ever. Attendees found great value and a solid ROI with their attendance while our speakers and education platforms were thought-provoking and compelling. I am hopeful that many of the takeaways we all had during this time together have driven positive results for you and your companies.
There are so many accomplishments that 2019 had in store for CGA. Our Educational Foundation had another year of changing lives and supporting dreams. We all learned a great deal at the Independent Operators Symposium early in the year and drove meaningful results while squeezing in a little fun.
I learned a great deal from the students at both the University of Southern California and Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo that Ron and I had the pleasure of lecturing where we saw the next generation of leaders for our industry. And the list could go on for an incredible year at CGA!
All that said, I gained so much from my time as Chair. you all taught me so much, shared incredible insights from your stores and offices, and inspired me on a daily basis. I can’t thank the Association enough for this opportunity to serve — know that I am humbled and truly grateful. I will be taking way more with me as I pass the gavel on to an incredible leader and team than I came to this table with in the beginning. Thank you.