Industry Leaders Converge at Grocery Impact Event

Industry leaders will gather this week in Orlando from Nov. 7-9 to share knowledge, connect for future progress and celebrate achievements at Progressive Grocer’s Grocery Impact event in Orlando, Fla. With a theme of “The Power of People,” this reimagined meeting of grocery industry minds (formerly Grocery Industry Week) includes the annual Top Women in Grocery and GenNext awards programs as well as three days of insightful sessions led by thought leaders and executives across the retail, CPG and solution provider sectors. 

Highlights include:

• “Cultivating a Thriving Company Culture: Unleashing the Power of People,” with Tammy DeBoer, president of Harris Teeter. In her session, DeBoer explores the significance of company culture and its profound impact on organizational success. 
• “Building a Workforce for the Future,” with Kroger’s Chief People Officer Tim Massa. He will recap how the company creates “people champions” and how to create a framework for both associate and customer experiences. 
• “Purpose- and People-Driven,” with Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel. With moderator Garry Church of Inmar Intelligence, Buechel will share the grocer’s 10-year vision, "Growing with Purpose,” and how it will enhance the store experience, propel team member growth and help the company serve its customers in new and exciting ways. 
• “Waste is Only Waste If You Waste It’,” with Suzanne Long, chief sustainability and transformation officer at Albertsons Cos. She and Nicholas Bertram, president and CEO of Flashfood, will discuss how grocers are reaching their waste reduction goals and will underscore the power of synergy between driving sustainability and improving business performance.
• “A New ESG Roadmap for Grocers” with Upshop CEO Shamus Hines, Hy-Vee’s SVP, Government Relations & Corporate Compliance Stacey Johnson, and Save A Lot’s Chief Digital and Information Officer Jennifer Hopper. The trio will detail the hottest ESG trends in grocery now and the most innovative ways to meet those goals in a way that helps ensure long-term business viability.
•  “The Future of Grocery” with Lowes Foods President Tim Lowe. He will provide a glimpse into the store experience of tomorrow and how it will be different for shoppers and employees alike. 

Also on tap to share their industry passion and insights during the three-day event: 

• Claire Wyatt, VP Business Strategy & Marketing Science, at Albertsons Media Collective, who will speak with Leah Logan, VP and General Manager, Retail Media at Inmar Intelligence. 
• Pam Dillon, Co-founder and CEO, and Andrew Sussman, Co-founder and CTO at Preferabli.  
• Jenn Hahn, Founder and CEO of J Recruiting Services, talking with Rachel Caruso, Corporate Labor Relations at Wakefern Food Corp. 
• Mindy Sherwood, President, Global Walmart and Chief Sales Officer at Procter & Gamble.
• Amanda Trent, Talent Development Strategy & Deployment Leader at The Kroger Co., talking with Emily Henao, Director of Customer Loyalty at Meijer.
• Three top women in private label: Kasey Sheffer, VP, Own Brands at Giant Eagle; Alison Gregas, Director of Private Brands at Weis Markets; and Catherine Misour, Innovation Manager at Giant Eagle. 
• Rebecca Torpie, Director of Marketing at BriarPatch Food Co-op, joined by Kathy Scott, Store Director at Balls Food Stores, and Jennifer Enoch, Director of Talant Acquisition at Lowes Foods. 
• Bernhard Schweitzer, CEO, and Bernhard Heiden, Creative Director, at Interstore Schweitzer. 
• Johanna McLeod, Store Manager at Lidl, taking the stage with Evelyn Dewane, District VP at Reasor's. 
• Stephanie Jordan, Division Asset Protection & Safety Manager at Kroger Co., presenting with Christin Berry Asset Protection Manager at The Giant Co. 
• LaTonya King, Senior Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Organizational Development and Talent Acquisition at Food Lion, will explore DEI in action with Jordan Aldrich, Director, Team Member Engagement at Meijer. 
• A trio of Gen Z college student leaders at Western Michigan University’s acclaimed food marketing program, along with WMU’s Russell Zwanka, head of that program, author and professor. 

In addition to engaging educational sessions, this year’s Grocery Impact event honors more than 500 grocery industry leaders. The GenNext award winners will be recognized for their accomplishments on Tuesday, Nov. 7, and the Top Women In Grocery honorees across Rising Stars, Store Manager and Senior-Level Executives categories will be celebrated at a gala on Nov. 9. 

Complete event details are available on the Grocery Impact event page.