North State Grocery Executive Elected Chair of CGA Board of Directors
SACRAMENTO, CA (Dec. 18, 2024) – Michel LeClerc, Chief Administrative Officer, North State Grocery, Inc., was elected the 2024-2025 California Grocers Association (CGA) Chair of the Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 6, 2024.
As Chair, LeClerc will lead the Board’s strategy regarding CGA’s numerous legislative, educational, and industry-related programs. CGA is comprised of more than 350 retail companies, operating more than 6,000 stores in the west. The chair serves for one year. LeClerc succeeds Lynn Melillo, Vice President of Asset Management, Bristol Farms.
“Michel has long been committed to the Association and will make a fantastic Board Chair,” CGA President and CEO Ron Fong. “His experience leading our Government Relations Committee over many years has made him intimately familiar with California’s political environment and the challenges and opportunities impacting the grocery industry and will be of great benefit to our members.”
In his current role, LeClerc oversees North State’s strategic planning, human resources, real estate, legal, compliance, government relations, and Employee Stock Ownership Plan. LeClerc joined North State in 2011 as General Counsel and later served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from University of Oregon School of Law. LeClerc has served on the CGA Board of Directors since 2011 and has been Chair of the Government Relations Committee since 2014.
In addition to LeClerc, the following individuals were elected to the 2024-2025 CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee: First Vice Chair, Richard Wardwell, Superior Grocers; Second Vice Chair, Jonson Chen, Tawa Supermarket Inc.; Treasurer, Pam Burke, Grocery Outlet; Secretary, Bertha Luna, State Bros. Markets; Immediate Past Chair, Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms.
Directors elected to their first full three-year team include: Steve Brancamp, UNFI; Dorothy Carlow, Mother’s Market & Kitchen; Justin Hyer, Molson Coors Beverage Company; Brady Matoian, OK Produce; Candance Minton, PepsiCo; Chris Richmond, Post Consumer Brands; Amber Hammond, KeHe Distributors.
Directors elected to their second full three-year term include: Joe Angulo, Chedauri USA, Inc.; Jon Gianinni, Nutricion Fundamental; Brandon Lombardi, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Andrew Nodes, Instacart; Bethany Pautsch, Tyson Foods, Inc.; Eric Pearlman, C&S Wholesale Grocers; Marc Swisher, Mondelez International, Inc.
Elliott Stone, Mollie Stone’s Markets was re-elected Executive Committee-IOC Chair. Former CGA Chair Dennis Darling, Foods Etc. IGA was elected an honorary board member.