Renee Amen, Controller, Super A Foods, was elected the 2021-2022 California Grocers Association (CGA) Chair of the Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 8, 2021.
As Chair, Amen will oversee CGA’s many legislative, educational, and industry-related programs. CGA is comprised of more than 350 retail companies, operating more than 6,000 stores in California and Nevada. The chair serves for one year. Amen succeeds Hee-Sook Nelson, Gelson’s Markets.
“It’s wonderful to see Renee continue her family legacy as a steward of California’s grocery community,” said CGA President and CEO Ron Fong. “She is deeply committed to this industry and it’s advocacy efforts, and I know Renee will serve as a strong voice for our independent grocery community especially.”
She is the third member of the Amen family to lead the Association’s Board of Directors. Her father, Lou Amen, served as Board Chair in 1986 while her brother, Jim Amen, was CGA Board Chair in 2010.
In addition to Amen, the following individuals were elected to the 2021-2022 CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee: First Vice Chair, Dennis Darling, Foods Etc.; Second Vice Chair, Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms; Treasurer, Hal Levitt, The Save Mart Companies; Secretary, Steve Dietz, UNFI; and Immediate Past Chair, Hee-Sook Nelson, Gelson’s Markets.
Directors elected to their first full three-year team include: Joe Angulo, Bodega Latina Inc.; Jonson Chen, 99 Ranch; Jon Giannini, Nutricion Fundamental; Brandon Lombardi, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Andrew Nodes, Instacart; Bethany Pautsch, Tyson Foods, Inc.; Eric Pearlman, C&S Wholesale Grocers; and Donna Simpson, Certified Federal Credit Union.
Directors elected to their second three-year term include: Pamela Burke, Grocery Outlet; Saj Kahn, Nugget Markets; Scott Silverman, KeHE Distributors LLC; Jeanne-ette Boshoff-Ryan, Molson Coors, Nancy Krystal, Jelly Belly Candy Co.; and Jeff Severns, PepsiCo.
Chair appointments to the Executive Committee include: Denny Belcastro, Kimberly-Clark Corp.; Hillen Lee, Procter & Gamble; and Michel LeClerc, North State Grocery Company. Former CGA Chair Phil Miller, Core-Mark International, Inc., was elected an honorary board member.