women of influence 2016

www.foodindustrywomen.com

the Griffin report / shelby publishinG present

The Women of Influence is an exclusive product of The Griffin Report and Shelby Publishing Company.

in thefoodindustry Edition

Women of Influence

11th

2016

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2 The Griffin Report of the NortheastWomen of Influence in the Food Industry 11TH EDITION March 2016 2

PATRICIA DAVENPORT ARRUDAAhold USA, Stop & Shop SupermarketsYears with company: 39Current position: Director of Deli/Bakeshop Sales and Merchandising, New England Division

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:I studied at Regis College and Bentley College. I sup-port United Way and Great-er Boston Food Bank.Who are your mentors and

how have they assisted you in your career?Mentors are those people who steer us into the right direction of thinking. They help expand our minds by asking questions and mak-ing us take a step back to analyze the opportunity and potential courses of action. I have had two great mentors in my long career, and both of them did exactly this. I continue this approach when working with the next group of leaders in my company. It is better to form minds that work well in analysis and de-ductive thinking than to fill minds with facts.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? The achievement of which I am most proud is building a very successful team during a time of company transi-tion. Assuming my current role a year ago, eight of my 12 team members were new to their positions. With a la-ser focus on key initiatives, the team produced great fourth quarter selling re-sults and year to date have hit their financial targets

through 10 periods.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Setting a great example for work/life balance for my team. We work in a fast-paced industry, and it is im-portant that we maintain our personal relationships and have time to recharge our souls. This remains a work in progress and is even more important for the next gen-eration.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Keep organized and remem-ber to delegate appropriately so that the work assigned can also be a training tool for the designee. Take every op-portunity to teach, train and mentor those around you, as the team delivers the accom-plishments not an individual. Remember to keep solid time blocked out for your person-al and family life.

Hobbies:Travel, cooking, reading and grandchildren.

We are proud to present the 11th edition of “Women of Influence in the Food Industry.”

The honorees represent companies coast to coast and include various backgrounds, experience and channels. The categories include brokers, distributors, retailers, franchises, manufacturers, organizations/associations, restaurants, universities and culinary institutes.

Meet these women trendsetters who are qualified for inclusion in this prestigious listing because their leadership, skills and dedication made—and are making—a difference in the food industry.

The honorees were chosen for their highly visible contributions to our industry, their professionalism and the awareness they

have generated for the potential of other women in our business. These women play a significant role in their companies through their leadership, expertise and dedication, and beyond their companies through their charity, philanthropy and civic work.

This high-energy group includes a gardener, interior decorator, skier, golfer, painter, yoga/Zumba enthusiast, photographer, hiker, sailor, equestrian, writer, runner, tennis player, volleyball player, Tae Kwon Do enthusiast, marathon runner and rock climber. These women also are passionate about their families, companies, customers and communities.

Shelby Publishing Co. will continue to recognize women who make a difference. As always, we welcome your feedback and

comments, and if you know a female leader, innovator, trendsetter or someone special that you feel might qualify for our Women of Influence in the Food Industry list, I would love to hear from you.

You can nominate an honoree by going to our website—foodindustrywomen.com—and click the Nominate link.

Please join me in applauding these phenomenal Women of Influence. I hope you enjoy reading their stories and thoughtful reflections.

Karen HartyExecutive Vice PresidentThe Griffin Report of the NortheastShelby Publishing Co.

Karen Harty


I N T H E F O O D I N D U S T R Y

to The Griffin Report’s 11th Annual Showcase of

Women of Influence In the Food Industry

Welcome

Edition11th

LISA ANGELESKraft Heinz Co.Years with company: 22Current position:Customer VP

Education and professional/volunteer organi-zations:BS, Marketing, MBA Monmouth UniversityBoard Member, New Jersey Food Council Member, Network of Executive of Women

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I have been so fortunate to have several pro-fessional and personal mentors who have encouraged me to be confident and take

risks. Their willingness to give their time and share their feedback has helped me grow both personally and professionally.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am so proud of the team I work with today. Their desire to win and tenacity to overcome challenges is inspirational. The defining mo-ment of my career was when I was offered a position as regional VP. I was honored to be viewed as someone who could lead a large team and deliver results.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Balance—whether it is between my company and customer or my career and family.Prioritizing and allocating my day to always meet the customer’s need while driving prof-itable growth.

What is your advice for up-and-coming com-ing executives?Believe in yourself, take risks and learn as much as you can in each assignment. Pas-sion, attitude and networks are just as im-portant as learning new skills.

Hobbies:In my spare time, I love to spend time with my husband Billy and our two children, John and Jamie.

The Griffin Report of the Northeast 3 March 2016 Women of Influence in the Food Industry 11TH EDITION

Congratulations to Kristin Zierau,

for all your hard work, your dedication, professionalism and innovative spirit.

2016’s Women of Influence in the Food Industry Honoree

Northern California Division

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4 The Griffin Report of the NortheastWomen of Influence in the Food Industry 11TH EDITION March 2016

MELODY BEACHERC&S Wholesale GrocersYears with company:FiveCurrent position: VP of Information Technology, Retail Sys-tems

Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations:BS and MS, University of Akron

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?There have been so many! I have been blessed to work with many amazing business leaders and resources through both professional tri-umph and defeat. It has been very enlighten-ing to see professionals evolve through both sides of business transitions.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I don’t think that I have had the defining mo-ment of my career yet. That would feel a bit finite to me. My opinion is that each day is a new beginning, and unknown and differ-ent opportunities are always going to present themselves. With each opportunity, I learn

a little more, and continue to feel pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I am proud that I have been able to embrace change in my ca-reer, and hopefully I have been a resource to help others do the same.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Juggling all of the priorities. I want to make sure that I have the time to pay attention to my employees, both as people and as resourc-es satisfying business objectives. In addition to my employees, it is also important to me that their work is meeting the needs of my key stakeholders, so I need to also maintain good communication with my peers and supervi-sors. While I am handling all of the human aspects of my job, I also have to be mindful of the technology because in my role, a mistake can have significant impact on the business. From there, I also need to make sure that I have time for my family and myself, so bal-ance is definitely a challenge.

What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?Enjoy it. Maintain an attitude of helpfulness. Don’t internalize the reaction of others to a situation; maintain your own point of view and learn from every experience. Catch your breath and make a plan. Be patient while con-tinuing to drive the agenda forward, which may seem like a bit of an oxymoron, but that is the art of leadership to me, especially in IT. While you can change a computer in the blink of an eye with a key stroke, humans aren’t always so quick to adjust.

Hobbies:Rubbing boxer puppy bellies, searching for sand dollars on the beach, reversing the ef-fects of sitting all day with some yoga, and doing whatever I can to find a way to make my husband laugh when we are lucky enough to steal some time together.

ALLISON BERGERWakefern Food Corp.Years with company: Nearly eight

Current position:Group VP and General CounselI oversee the following divisions: Legal, Com-pliance, Risk Management, Safety, Quality

Assurance, Loss Prevention, and Government Relations.Education and professional/volunteer organiza-tions:JD, University of Pennsylvania, 1990 BS, Business Administration (summa cum laude), State University of New York, Bing-hamton, 1987New Jersey State Bar Association, Associa-tion of Corporate Counsel, Society of Corpo-rate Compliance & Ethics, Food Marketing Institute

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?I have had many mentors over my 25-plus- year career, both personally and profession-ally. They have not only provided me with invaluable feedback in key professional areas, such as technical abilities, communications, interpersonal relationships and leadership skills, but also skills and knowledge necessary to further my personal goals. Here at Wake-fern, CFO Doug Wille has been instrumental in my transition from private practice to in-house counsel, providing me with corporate

and financial insight into the company and its cooperative membership.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?Wakefern Food Corp. enjoys a reputation of integrity in its business dealings and relation-ships with associates and customers, and in the communities served by our cooperative members. The organization realized that, as it moved forward, it had the responsibility and ability to preserve this reputation. I was tasked with reinforcing Wakefern’s then-current program into a comprehensive compli-ance program. I am very proud of the program we built, which includes a new compliance function board director, senior management support and oversight, new and updated poli-cies and procedures, employee training and accountability, and formal reporting and re-sponse mechanisms.The program is designed to foster a transpar-ent culture of accountability that promotes ethical conduct and lawful compliance, and promotes proactive best practices in major

compliance areas to address identified risks to ensure ethical and compliant conduct.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Wakefern Food Corp. is the largest retailer-owned food cooperative in the United States. The combination of this corporate structure and food industry regulation makes the gen-eral counsel role particularly challenging.

What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?Don’t let fear hold you back. Take on the tough projects, put yourself out there and be the steward of your own career. Don’t under-estimate the positive impact of compassion and kindness—they are not akin to weakness.

Hobbies: When time permits, I enjoy reading, yoga, meditation and spending time with family and friends.

CHRISTINE BOETTCHERAcosta Sales & MarketingYears with company: 1.5; more than 20 years in the CPG industry

Current position:Business Manager

Education and professional/volunteer organiza-tions:BS, Marketing, Rutgers University School of BusinessMember, Network of Executive Women

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?I have had several exceptional professional mentors throughout my career that have helped me. The most influential were manag-ers and peers that provided direct, construc-tive feedback that helped me grow profession-ally.Personally, my mother has always been my biggest mentor and advocate, encouraging me to achieve what I wanted through hard

work, discipline, persistence and remind-ing me to be resilient and think positive.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of the achievements that I have had where I went out of my comfort zone and took an outside-the-box approach to a problem or opportunity to achieve results.A defining moment was when I was offered an opportunity to move during my career. I had always resided in New Jersey and was offered an opportunity to move to the New England area for a promotion. Moving away from fam-ily, friends and the familiar was challenging, but allowed me to grow in my career and have a broader experience in the industry, expos-ing me to a new region, customers and go-to- market strategies and personally exposed me to an area that I really enjoy and still reside in today.

What is the most challenging part of your job?I love the challenges of my job, which are juggling the daily priorities with all the con-stant changes that occur with our clients and customers. Also challenging is maintaining a positive work/life balance.

What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?I would advise others to not be afraid to take risks, work hard and go beyond what is ex-pected of you in your role and share your re-sults with others.

Hobbies:I enjoy spending time with my awesome fam-ily, baking, going to the beach and traveling.


Congratulations Debbie Martins-greeneVice President & Partner

a well-deserved honor for your 27 years of dedication and

commitment to golick Martins, inc.

and the Food industry

Your Family & associates at golick Martins, inc.

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HALEY BOWMANUtz Quality Foods Inc.Years with company: 13Current position:Senior Category Director, Mass

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BA, American Studies, Yale University, 2000Member, Network of Ex-

ecutive Women Mid-Atlantic ChapterMembership Chair, Found-ing Chair, Utz Women’s Mentoring Group

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I have been fortunate to have many mentors throughout my career so far. My mentors helped me to develop both hard and soft skills, including always trying to view things from various perspectives.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I believe that you can ac-complish anything if you put your mind to it. Over the last two years, I am most proud of working with a team of ladies to develop the Utz Women’s Mentoring Group. UWMG is an internal orga-nization with the purpose of providing opportunities for the women of Utz to develop skills that focus on personal

advancement and leadership in a nurturing environment that promotes learning, men-toring and support.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging and also the most rewarding part of my job is positively influ-encing others to implement the strategy for the project at hand. I truly enjoy including others in success.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Choose to lead by example and surround yourself with positive people.

Hobbies:Taking care of my children, including helping to coach their sports teams.

KARI BURKEWahlburgers and Alma NoveYears with company: FourCurrent position: Operations Coordinator

Education and professional /volunteer organizations:Associate’s degree, Fash-ion Institute of Technology, New York City

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted in your career?I have to admit, after really

thinking about this particular question, I didn’t have any mentors until I started work-ing with Paul Wahlberg. I already knew the importance of doing the right thing, be-ing compassionate and un-derstanding, and at the end of the day “just make ’em happy” when it came to cus-tomer service, but it wasn’t until I started working for Chef Paul that it actually came to life and was imple-mented. Chef Paul Wahlberg has taught me that these standards can actually be put into place and produce very very successful outcomes, both in life and in business.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I guess each time someone asks me how I started in the company and ended up where I am now, that story always brings up special feel-ings of achievement. Long story short, I was hired to scan documents and file, and now this is my normal intro-duction: “I’m looping in Kari, who handles pretty much everything at Wahlburgers.

You name it, she’s involved.”

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is being able to handle all of the “things” that are thrown my way on a daily basis. My phone...goes off a few hundred times a day. Each text and each question and each need is different from the one before. My true duties (are) being Chef Paul Wahlberg and our CEO Rick Vanzura’s executive admin-istrative assistant, but that is actually about a tenth of what I do. I love when people sit in my office for a time and see how many things I juggle at once! What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Take it all on! Get involved! Volunteer! Don’t ever say, “I can’t” or “I’m too busy”! If something is over your head, admit it, but make sure that is after you have exhausted every effort to see if you could do it yourself.



KRISTEN BODENSTEINDaymon WorldwideYears with company:SixCurrent position:Director

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, Northwestern Uni-versity, Evanston, Illinois BS/BA, Boston University

Who are your mentors and

how have they assisted you in your career?I am fortunate to have had some very helpful mentors that have been trusted advi-sors at pivotal moments in my career. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was that “some-times in life, we need to play the cards we have been dealt” (even if they are not the best). That enables me to get beyond my emotions during challenging times in order to focus on a solution.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? One of the things I work towards in my career is to develop my ability to step outside my comfort zone in order to grow. By doing this, I build confidence to be able to tackle greater re-sponsibilities. Once I had to give a presentation in front of 1,000-plus people, and after it was over I felt I could conquer the world.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is influencing without authority. This has helped me to be flexible and become an active listener. A mindset that everyone adds value and we are working towards something greater than ourselves also helps to drive success.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Stay confident in your abili-ties even if things don’t always go as you have planned, and try to learn from every setback or chal-lenge. There most likely is another path for you to fol-low that could be greater than you ever imagined.

Hobbies:Spending time with family and learning how to cook!

THERESA BRESTEN HP Hood LLC Current position: VP and Treasurer

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, Bentley UniversityBA, Economics/Accounting, College of the Holy CrossI am active in community groups, professional associa-tions and academic institu-tions. Currently I serve on boards such as Atrius Health Inc., a large physicians group, the Industry and Lo-cal 338 Pension Fund, the

Dairy Industry Union Pen-sion Fund, the Charles H. Hood (scholarship) Founda-tion and Roca, a social ser-vice nonprofit which helps at-risk young people. I was elected to the Women of the Harvard Club Leadership Committee in 2015. I am a member of Bentley Universi-ty’s business advisory board. Former board member for Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, former advisor to the micro-finance initiative of Bentley University and past president of the Treasurers’ Club of Boston.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Mentors have played a key role for me over the years, providing coaching, support and encouragement. Some have opened doors to provide opportunities to challenge myself, develop leadership skills, build confidence and broaden my skills.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?

There hasn’t been one de-fining moment but rather a series of progressions over time. Throughout many years at Hood, my role has changed frequently, enabling me to grow with the organi-zation. Never a dull moment through company centraliza-tion projects, decentraliza-tion projects, acquisitions, divestitures, expansion, con-traction and several different ownership scenarios. The ex-perience has been intellectu-ally stimulating, challenging and rewarding.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Balancing work, volunteer commitments and family life is indeed a challenge. It helps to be a high-energy person! Key skills are the ability to prioritize, delegate and main-tain perspective. It is really about picking your “battles” and focusing your energy on those projects that truly add value to the organization. You also have to be realistic, flexible and adaptable.


KIMBERLI CARROLLRuiz Foods ProductsYears with the company:15 Current Position: SVP of Sales-Foodservice Business Unit

Education and professional/volunteer associations:BA, Business Management and Organizational Development, Fresno Pacific UniversityUFFVA Leadership Program

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My very first mentor was my father, who was up and out the door at 5 a.m. nearly every day and didn’t get home until after dark. He was all about work and family and had very little time for anything else. He taught me that if you want to

make something happen, then you have to get after it and make it happen. He always said, “Don’t expect others to do what you are not willing to do yourself.” That has stuck with me throughout my career.Additionally, I have had sever-al unofficial mentors who have advocated for me and chal-lenged me to improve. Early in my professional career, I had the opportunity to work with David Lopez, who was the di-rector of foodservice sales for Ready Pac Produce. He had an easy and thoughtful style that put people at ease and was gracious, always giving the credit to others. I have endeav-ored to embrace those qualities in my own style of leadership. I am also fortunate to work with wonderful people who I can rely on to help guide me when the need arises. I feel grate-ful to be surrounded by such a great group of people.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I feel that I have been very for-tunate to work for aggressive companies that have embraced an entrepreneurial approach to building their businesses. Taking a chance on something that has never been done be-fore is both exciting and scary. In 2001, right after I started working for Ruiz Foods, an idea came to us to create a tor-tilla-enrobed taquito-like prod-uct for the roller grill. I had to

the good fortune of being on the early team that developed the product and the market-ing campaign for what is now known as Tornados, a meaty, cheesy snack for the roller grill that we sell in convenience stores across the country. This brand has been hugely success-ful and continues to be success-ful even after more than 12 years in the market. Working with the team to create and build the Tornados business has certainly been a high point in my career.

What is the most challenging part of your job?I certainly feel the tug of work/life balance from time to time. I am fortunate to have a won-derful husband who shares that burden with me and we make it work. Another big challenge is staying on top of all the current opportunities while carving out strategies for the future.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Listen and try to learn from everyone. Build relationships inside and outside your orga-nization and make an effort to help others succeed. Don’t be afraid to take on new chal-lenges. Growth comes outside the comfort zone.

Hobbies: I enjoy weight training and spending time with husband and daughter.

DR. RAE CHAMPAGNEBrookshire Grocery Co.Years with company: 14Current position: VP of Education & Com-munications

Education and professional volunteer organizations:Ph.D., Literature, Univer-sity of Texas, DallasMA, English, University of Louisiana, MonroeBA, English, BA, Journal-ism, Louisiana CollegeBoard Member, Junior Achievement; Board Mem-ber, Business Education Council; Board Member, Goodwill Industries; Mem-ber, FMI Future Lead-ers Planning Committee; Graduate, Leadership Ty-ler.

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?Rick Rayford, president and CEO of Brookshire Grocery Co. Rick has un-derstood the importance of communication within a large company and has opened doors to make my team a vital part of daily operations.

What are you most proud of in your career achieve-

ments? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I’m especially proud to have implemented uni-versity programs for our employees. Through the retail management certifi-cate, especially, it’s been rewarding to see adults return to college or attend college for the first time.I’m also proud to have pushed through many changes that have updated communication within our company. I believe that, together with my team, I’ve been able to modern-ize the way we communi-cate, add structure to our processes and increase engagement in a way that really helps drive our com-pany’s unique culture.

What is the most challeng-ing part of your job?In my world, the most challenging thing is to keep things fresh and new. Employees need to hear a message repeatedly for it to stick, and it becomes difficult at times to find new ways to say the same thing.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Find your unique niche. I would’ve never dreamed that an English profes-sor would do so well at a grocery company, but my background was just what was needed to grow people (through education, intern-ships and recruiting) and shape our culture (through engagement with the cor-porate intranet, social me-dia, publications and rec-ognition programs).I would also say it’s very important to be humble. And, always be authentic.

Hobbies:Traveling! I love those ex-hausting guide-led tours that visit all of the major cities in a country or just hit the highlights of sev-eral countries in one trip.

KAREN CAPLANFrieda’s Specialty ProduceYears with company: 38Current position:President and CEO

Education and professional/volunteer organiza-tions:

BS, Agricultural Economics and Business Management, University of California-DavisMember, Produce Marketing Association (PMA); student mentor, PMA Foundation for Industry TalentMember, United Fresh Produce Association; co-chairman, United Fresh Foundation Let’s Move Salad Bars to California Schools; Unit-ed Fresh Start Foundation Board of TrusteesMember, The Trusteeship, Los Angeles Chapter of the International Women’s ForumMember and past president, Los Angeles chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)Member, Vistage CEO GroupAdvisory Board Member, University of Cali-fornia Agricultural Issues CenterBlogger: “What’s on Karen’s Plate,” (friedas.com/karensblog)Columnist: Fresh Fruit Portal, Orange Coun-ty Breeze and The Shelby Report

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?My mother, Frieda Rapoport Caplan, founder

of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. She showed me that anything is possible and obstacles can be overlooked.What are you most proud of in your achieve-ments? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?In 1986, at the age of 30, promoted to presi-dent and CEO of the company.In 1990, Karen and her sister Jackie Caplan Wiggins became owners of the company, pur-chasing it from their parents.In 1990, Karen was the first-ever female chairman of the Los Angeles Fresh Produce Council (now known as the Fresh Produce & Floral Council).In 1993, Karen founded “Women in Pro-duce,” a produce industry annual networking event for women to network and share ideas.In 2003, Karen was the first female chairper-son of the United Fresh Produce Association.In 2003, The Packer newspaper named Ca-plan “Produce Person of the Year.”In 2005, Karen served a three-year term as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank, 12th District, Los Angeles.In 2015, Karen was the Women in Produce

Honoree from the United Fresh Produce As-sociation.In 2012, Karen’s eldest daughter, Alex Jack-son, joined the business. What is the most challenging part of your job?The perishable nature of the products is al-ways a challenge, as are the challenges man-aging hundreds of different products with a wide range of seasons and, of course, the challenges Mother Nature puts on the growers and suppliers of our products. What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?Be authentic. Don’t believe the press about you. Question everything. Hobbies:Traveling to new places around the country and the world. Cooking and finding the best places to dine.


KAREN CONONETZUnified GrocersYears with company :18Current position:Director of Center Store Procurement

Education and professional /volunteer organizations:Edmonds Community CollegeBachelor, Business Management, Univer-sity of PhoenixPast President, City of Hope, and current board member, Pacific Northwest Food In-dustries Circle

Who are your mentors and how have they

assisted you in your career?I have learned as much from the people re-porting to me as I have from the people I have reported up to.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am most proud of the individuals whom I have been a part of their career advance-ment. There is nothing better in life than knowing you helped someone else with their achievement. I don’t have a certain defining moment but rather a journey of moments that have evolved my career.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is the delicate balance of work and home life and remembering to be present at all times.

What is your advice for younger executives?Ask for forgiveness, NOT permission.FISH PHILOSOPHY—Chose your atti-tude every day, Be Present, Have a good time, and Make someone’s day!Margaret Thatcher says it best: “Success is having a mixture of having a flair for the thing you are doing knowing it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a sense of purpose.”

KATIE COLLETTPepsiCo Years with company: 13Current position:Director of Large Format Strategy, working for Rebecca Kerr, VP of Large Format Sales

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: Bachelor’s, Seton Hall Univer-sityMember, Network of Execu-tive Women, Metro New York RegionWomen’s Inclusion Network, PepsiCo

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you?Throughout my career I have found mentors in some of the brightest and most dynamic leaders Pepsi has to offer. One in particular showed me how to stand up for what I believe in while bringing oth-ers along. The Pepsi ship is a big one to turn and you often need to recruit others slowly to get an organizational shift. He was a leader that I would run through a wall for and I aspire to be. I’ve also found some outside mentors through the Network of Executive women. These brilliant women have helped expand my industry network and industry knowl-edge. They’ve helped me over-come many challenges that I might not discuss with internal mentors. These relationships have made me more valuable to Pepsi and the customers I’ve called on.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? My career isn’t defined by one big moment but a series of small wins. Every day can

be a battle, and having the en-thusiasm to start each day like it’s my first is what I’m most proud of.

What is the most challenging part of your job?I am currently transitioning into a new role. While excit-ing, these transition times can be extremely challenging. New roles come with new contacts and a new set of standards to be set. While frequent change can be difficult to manage, it helps to keep things exciting.

What is your advice for upcom-ing younger executives? Evaluate all facts available from every lens and make choices that result in the best outcome. Having facts to sup-port your decisions will give you confidence and the support of others. Ensure you keep a healthy balance in life to en-sure career longevity.

Hobbies: Competitive volleyball and playing with my children. Both activities are necessary to keep me balanced.

SARAH CHARTRANDAhold USAYears with company: 16 Current position:SVP of Human Resources and Head HR Business Partner

Education and professional/volunteer orga-nizations:Master’s, Labor Relations and Human Re-sources, Michigan State UniversityMBA, Boston CollegeBoard Member, Network of Executive WomenAlumni Mentor, School of Labor Relations & Human Resources, Michigan State Uni-versity

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Ahold is a company where leaders take a genuine interest in the development of women, and I am truly fortunate and grate-ful for the many mentors who have shaped my career. Don Sussman, Mark McGowan, Kathy Russello, James McCann, Maria Sil-vestri and Nick Bertram are leaders I learn from every day. And Maureen McGurl is a mentor who took a chance on me early on in my career, and she still provides excellent career advice.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am most proud of the people I work with and paving the way for their success. At Ahold, we are truly building a winning team, and that is the most exciting part of my job.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Mentor others as you have been mentored. Spend time developing people, even though it may take longer than just doing the job yourself. Learn to lead teams in addition to managing tasks. And, above all, take the time to give back: to your team, to the com-munity, to the industry and to your family!!

Hobbies:Photography

LIBBY CHRISTMANAhold USAYears with company:18

Current position:VP of Risk Management & Safety

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, Lebanon Valley Col-legeBA, Economics, Ursinus Col-legeFood Executive Program, Cornell UniversityChair, Risk & Safety Council,

Food Marketing InstituteMember, Network of Execu-tive WomenRisk Management Summit Advisory Board Member for Business Insurance MagazineBoard Member/Secretary, Central Penn Chapter, Risk & Insurance Management So-cietyAdvisory Council, Workers’ Comp Research Institute Member, PA Chamber Work-ers Compensation Work GroupWomen’s Leadership Net-work, Capital Area United Way

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?The moments that make me proud are when our retail managers advise that I or my team have been instrumen-tal in solving a problem and made a positive impact on their operation. That makes me proud.I’m also proud of improving safety and reducing risk in the workplace, properties and for our customers. We’ve re-duced injuries and costs over

the past five years. That’s a benefit to our associates/cus-tomers, first and foremost, as well as for Ahold.My career definition changed when I began to see myself differently than I had in the past. When people at Ahold and outside of work began to seek me out for opinions, ad-vice and mentoring, I realized that I was having an impact on others. That realization from many years ago inspired my desire to mentor and in-creased my confidence about what I have to offer.

What is the most challenging part of your job?I am consistently looking for more innovative ways to com-municate to retail associates and to our senior manage-ment. Risk management and safety can get lost in compa-nies that do not have a strong focus on ensuring safe and resilient operations. My intent is to keep risk reduction front and center and bring new and innovative methods to com-municate its significance.


STEPHANIE CRIMMINSPanera BreadYears with company:10Current position:VP/GM, Consumer Pack-aged Goods (CPG)

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:Mount Holyoke CollegeMBA, Harvard Business SchoolLaunchpad Venture GroupHarvard Business School Development Section Chair

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career:Mentors have played an enormous role in my life. In fact, I was actually brought to Panera by a former boss whom I worked for when I was at Fidelity Investments years ago. Early in my ca-reer I was hesitant about seeking advice and guid-ance; now it is a critical part of my career. I have realized people like to help others, and there is something re-ally powerful about calling up a former or existing col-league and saying you really need their help or advice.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am really proud of the consumer packaged goods business I’ve helped build for Panera. My team and I started with just a con-cept—bringing our guests’ favorite parts of the Panera menu to retail—and built it into a sizeable business with significant growth potential for the company. It has been a tremendous amount of fun

to take an idea and bring it to life. Plus, I’ve had the privilege to build and lead a team of extremely talented individuals.

What is the most challenging part of your job?There is never enough time!

What is your advice for up-coming younger executives?Send short notes to former colleagues to let them know you are thinking of them and don’t hesitate to ask for their advice or counsel.Don’t be afraid to fail—fail-ure often leads to significant personal growth.Have fun! Find a role that brings you joy and satisfac-tion.

Hobbies:I like to hang out with my husband and two children. We live outside of Boston and try to take advantage of all the seasons by skiing in the winter and going to the beach in the summer. I also love hot yoga, playing soccer with my children and going hiking in the woods.

REGINA CURRYMcCormick & Co. Years with company: 10.5Current position:Senior Director, Global Di-versity & InclusionEducation and professional/volunteer organizations:BA, Psychology, Northern Kentucky UniversityProfessional in Human Re-sources Certification (PHRSenior Professional in Hu-man Resources Certification (SPHR)I have the title of Emeritus from McCormick’s Multiple

Management Board and currently serve on the board of directors for Associated Black Charities.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Mentors have been critical components of my career development and success. I had a mentor very early in my career that helped me navigate the corporate environment and the com-pany’s culture. He opened my eyes to seeing beyond the face value of daily in-teractions, meetings, etc., into how things were truly accomplished. The relation-ship was built on trust and open communication, and I received feedback whether I wanted to or not!...I am thankful of that relationship and still utilize the lessons learned today.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? In my journey I’ve been able to recognize and take advantage of opportunities to advance my career. I am most proud of the work that I am doing now in diversity

and inclusion and the impact it has had for individuals and our organization. Mc-Cormick has a unique cul-ture built on the “power of people” which provides a great platform for diversity and inclusion initiatives. I remember receiving the call about taking on the role and feeling not quite sure if it was the right move for me. As an African American woman, diversity and in-clusion has always been an important part of my life but didn’t want it to define me as a professional. I am so grateful that I made the de-cision, as I’ve found my pas-sion and feel this is the most rewarding work in my ca-reer. It transcends any cat-egory and brings all parts of what I’ve learned from HR and the business together.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is to always keep a global lens. McCormick is a multinational corporation and has customers in more than 110 countries. It is very easy to get engulfed in the culture you are a part of and live daily.


ALONA FLORENZC&S Wholesale GrocersYears with company: SevenCurrent position: Senior Director of Corporate Development

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, Sloan School of Man-agement, MITBA, Williams College Volunteer, C&S Mentorship Program, C&S Coaching ProgramBoard Member, Montessori Schoolhouse

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My mentors have been wide-ranging. Almost every boss I have ever had has pushed me to reach beyond what I think are my capabilities. They raise the bar to make sure I am not complacent about my skill set. Mentors have been peers who remind me that there is a bigger world beyond my own narrow fo-cus and that when we share challenges, we find collective ways to improve the whole. These folks are the ones I look to for advice when I reach a crossroads, and the people who are in my cheer-ing squad when it feels like we are in a marathon.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? Seeing my team reach their potential and accomplish projects that have a real impact to the business is something I value. Being able to have an influence on others through project work, through mentorship, through development has been important to me.

What is the most challenging part of your job? The most dynamic part of my job—and the most chal-lenging—is solving compli-cated problems that arise when I least expect them. It is the reason I wake up in the morning excited to go to work—because I know I am involved in something that makes me think critically and requires me to react quickly.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Push yourself to find the hardest challenges. If some-thing appears more compli-cated than you can handle and requires more than your current skill set, seek out that project and rise to the occasion. You will learn more than you can imagine. Also, remember that you never know how helping others will pay off. This is a small world, and paths cross, so as you offer assis-tance, you may be seeding your future in some way.

Hobbies:Reading (British literature), cross-country skiing, spend-ing time with my family.

BETH FORDLand O’Lakes Years with company: FourCurrent position:Group EVP and COO for Food and Feed

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: MBA, Columbia Business SchoolBachelor’s, Iowa State Uni-versityBoards: PACCAR since 2015; Clearwater Papers since 2013; Children’s The-ater Company of Minne-apolis; Greater Twin Cities United Way.Advisory Board: The W.

Edwards Deming Center for Quality, Productivity and Competitiveness at Colum-bia Business SchoolAlso: Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Business at Iowa State University; Executive Advi-sory Board of SCM World; Chair, Twin Cities Go Red for Women (American Heart Association), 2016.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?One of the most significant mentors I’ve had in my ca-reer is my current boss, Chris Policinski at Land O’Lakes. I’ve had numer-ous sponsors in my career who have taken an interest in my development and have supported me and moved my career forward. In terms of very direct learning, Chris has provided not only oppor-tunity but has acted as a role model in how to lead, grow a company and stay focused on critical issues while de-veloping key talent. As well, he has shaped the culture of the organization to be active participants in the commu-nity. He’s a terrific reminder of the importance of active leadership.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I have worked in six indus-tries for seven companies, so learnings have been broad. What has defined my ca-reer, I believe, is talent de-velopment and leadership...I believe my most significant accomplishment will be the number of future leaders I’ve worked with and have developed in my almost 30 years of business. They will have an impact long after I am finished with my career.

What is the most challenging part of your job?My challenges are oppor-tunities, and I see them as such. There is significant commodity volatility in our businesses so that can be challenging but it is an op-portunity to outperform if we manage that volatility and risk better than competi-tion. Talent is another area. There is always a “war” for talent, and identifying, attracting, developing and retaining top talent leaders is the most significant chal-lenge but, again, most sig-nificant opportunity.

ANN DAWSpecialty Food AssociationYears with company: 9.5Current position: Immediate Past President

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, Marketing, Boston UniversityBA, Mathematics, Merri-mack CollegeExecutive Forum, AIWF, Board Member, World Edu-cation Services (WES)

Volunteer, St. Gregory Armenian Church, Parish Council

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Various mentors at Gen-eral Foods, Kraft and Philip Morris International. David Dangoor taught me how to internalize a brand and have a vision for where it could go. Steve Dimowitz coached and challenged me to make my leadership style more effective. I learn from the members of my association every day on their challeng-es and aspirations.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements?Developing people to unlock their potential by giving them the tools to be great. I am proudest when they suc-ceed.I tend not to reflect on the past as the future is always ahead of us. My focus is to ensure that when I move from one position to anoth-er that the organization in better shape to continue to

grow than when I arrived.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Ensuring that change is part of the DNA of the organization and keeping eyes and ears open to trends so that we can support our members and the growth of the industry.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Be sure to learn the basics in whatever field you are in. Not learning them will ulti-mately catch up with you.Make sure you always love what you are doing.

Hobbies:Golf, ping-pong, skiing, watching my daughter play softball. Learning Chinese with my daughter, calligra-phy.Volunteering at my church.Any time I get to spend with my husband and two daugh-ters.

LISA DUBSEttline FoodsYears with company:Three-plusCurrent position:Director of Organizational Development & Training

Education:BS, Food Technology & Nu-trition

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My parents taught me to have a strong work ethic and

drive for achievement at a young age. They taught me that hard work and ambi-tion would allow me to reach my goals. Another influ-ential mentor in my career was Kris Olewine-Milke. I worked for her when she was VP at Sysco of Central Pennsylvania. Kris taught me how to refine my ap-proach to executing creative ideas that bring people and programs together to attain success.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I’m most proud of the people who I mentored to develop their own potential and take their talent to the next level of success. When someone is coachable, they can be guid-ed to achieve their dreams through their own effort. Seeing their goals come to fruition gives me the great-est satisfaction.A defining moment of my career was when I became Northeast regional director of training for Sysco cor-porate. I was responsible

for 13 operating companies from Maine to Virginia. I requested additional leader-ship and coaching classes for myself. I felt that if I was going to be responsible for the growth of others, I need-ed to continue to develop my own education.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The hardest part of my job is teaching people to respect co-workers’ individual tal-ents, strengths and styles. Coaching people to under-stand diverse personalities is what makes a cohesive team that achieves results more quickly and effectively.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Life is a journey. Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to take risks. Get involved by joining different profes-sional groups. Never stop learning.


PATRICIA “PATTY” GOTOAsenzya Inc.Years with company:32 Current position:President and CEO

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: Member, American Spice Trade Association (ASTA), Institute of Food Technolo-gists (IFT).Retired board member: Ju-venile Diabetes Research Foundation, Southeast-ern Wisconsin; Manage-

ment Resource Association; Women’s Business Enter-prise National Council; Food & Beverage of Wisconsin (FaB).UW-W, WCTC, Mar-quette-Continued Education Coursework, MRA-Leader-ship.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My dad has been by far my biggest mentor in my career. He has taught me that hard work, fairness and great passion can take you places you may never have thought possible. I’ve been very for-tunate to have a strong influ-ence by both my parents to help guide and support me through so many years.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? I am very proud to have grown the company to where it is today, along with main-taining our strong reputa-tion in the food industry, and to be able to provide south-

east Wisconsin with great job opportunities and to be a part of the community.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job has been finding enough time in a day. It’s a matter of making sure you prioritize your responsibili-ties appropriately to keep our objectives moving for-ward.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Follow your passion. What-ever career path you choose, be sure it’s something you enjoy and truly have an in-terest in. Work hard, learn everything you can and al-ways be respectful of others.

Hobbies:Spending time with my fam-ily, walking, swimming, reading and most definitely cooking!

KAREN GOZZIWakefern Food Corp.Years with company:15Current position:VP of Corporate Advertis-ing

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:New Jersey Advertising Club, Network of Executive Women, Girl Scouts of Cen-tral New Jersey.

Who are your mentors and

how have they assisted you in career?Jim Sumas, ShopRite mem-ber, and chairman of our advertising committee Dean Janeway, former president of Wakefern Food Corp., and Ron Gianettino, presi-dent and owner of Gianetti-no & Meredith Advertising.Ron allowed me to discover my creativity, and both Dean and Jim taught me about the supermarket busi-ness and made me passion-ate about what I do.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am most proud of the staff of professionals in the adver-tising division of Wakefern Food Corp. Their ability to connect and react and pro-duce great consumer com-munications in all forms of media is unmatched by any other group in the business.My defining moment was when I made a leap of faith and left the agency business and joined Wakefern Food Corp. It had a tremendous

impact on my professional growth and business acu-men. I’ve been very for-tunate to have such great leadership throughout my entire career—agency and corporate side.

What is the most challenging part of the job?Challenging and exciting is the move to digital and how we engage with consumers today, particularly Millen-nials.

What is your advice for younger executives?Stay passionate and take risks.

Hobbies:Fishing, watercolor paint-ing, hanging out with my great husband Joe.




BRIDGET GRABOWSKI C&S Wholesale GrocersYears with company: 15 Current position: Director of Deli and Bakery

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:Studied business at Clarkson University

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career ?

I have been very fortunate to have had many mentors throughout my life that have helped shape me into the per-son that I am today. My par-ents, who instilled a strong work ethic and the impor-tance of truth and honesty in me; coaches who taught me that hard work and dedica-tion pay off; and supervisors and colleagues that I have had the pleasure to work with over the years that have helped coach and guide me in the daily tasks and situations that arise in the day-to-day of our industry. I am grateful that I have had the support and guidance from so many great mentors throughout my career, and I am for-tunate enough to still have many of them in my life to-day in one aspect or another.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am most proud that I have been able to mentor and coach associates on their ca-reer paths within the orga-nization. Challenging team members to push beyond

their own limitations and empowering them with the tools needed to grow is very rewarding. I am also very proud of the Deli & Bakery team that we have built and the continued success we have had through startups, transitions and many other accomplishments.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part about my job has been jug-gling a fast-paced, retail-focused business with mul-tiple customers and regions across the country and main-taining the level of excellence we pride ourselves on.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? My advice is to be true to yourself, enjoy what you are doing, honesty is always the best policy, and empower and mentor associates to achieve their long-term career goals.

DEBBIE GREENEGolick Martins Inc.Years with company: 27 Current position:VP

Education and professional / volunteer organizations:BS, Business Administra-tion, University of Massa-chusettsMember, Beta Gamma Sig-ma, University of Massachu-settsMember, Alpha Mu Alpha National Marketing Honor-ary Society for recognition of outstanding scholastic

achievement in the market-ing discipline, University of Massachusetts.Academic Excellence Award for High Scholastic Achieve-ment, University of Massa-chusetts School of Manage-ment

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My mentor for 27 years has been Manny Martins, presi-dent of Golick Martins. Man-ny taught me how to con-duct myself in a professional manner in all aspects of the business, from working with manufacturers to calling on customers in all classes of trade: grocery, specialty, wholesale and special mar-kets. Manny’s passion for the business showed me that a strong commitment to suc-cess and a positive attitude will inspire your peers to strive to have the same quali-ties that will result in a solid business with strong growth potential.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-

ment of your career to date? Being named vice president of Golick Martins in July 1991 and becoming a part-ner in January 2016.

What is the most challenging part of your job?With my focus on specialty foods, I deal with many small emerging companies that do not have the knowl-edge of the business prac-tices in the Metro New York market, which requires the time-consuming task of edu-cating them. It is challeng-ing to manage the demands from the manufacturers and customers and meeting their expectations while trying to achieve the ultimate objec-tive of selling product and attaining the desired sales results.It is important to stay en-thusiastic and motivated as you face the daily challenges because your attitude will be rewarded with positive sales results.

DANA GIFFINThe JM Smucker Co.Years with company:Two and a halfCurrent position: National Account Manager- Chain Drug and Mass

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:Bachelor’s, Business Ad-ministration, University of Massachusetts, AmherstRegional Secretary, Net-work of Executive Women-

New EnglandWho are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?The NEW New England women have been hugely in-fluential to my career. I have been involved in the organi-zation since my first year in the industry (almost seven years), and I have developed strong mentor relationships. These ladies supported me during my move from Acos-ta to Smucker and have been extremely encouraging that even though I am still young in this industry, I can still offer value to the region as a member of the leadership committee for New England. I have been fortunate to have very strong male mentors in the industry: Phil Gelinas (JOH), Peter Martin (JOH), John Desimone (Acosta) and Mike McConnell (JM Smucker) have all been di-rect or indirect supervisors to me, and have all support-ed me fully in my aspirations in sales.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? I am proud that I was able to excel at the many opportuni-ties that were handed to me during my first four years in the industry. It is always a good feeling to see your ex-periences and hard work at building relationships are recognized even outside of your company, and so my defining moment so far was when I was offered a sales position at the JM Smucker Co., which was and is a very well respected company in the CPG industry.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Working on national ac-counts such as CVS and Rite Aid can be a challenge because the nature of over 10,000 points of distribu-tion means very big wins but equally big losses.

LISA CHILDERS GLORIOSOBrookshire Grocery Co.Years with company 22Current position: VP of Pharmacy

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at MonroeMember, Texas Pharmacy

Association and American Pharmacy AssociationNACDS RxIMPACT Phar-macy AdvocateTop Women in Grocery, Rising Star recipient, 2010Louise Brookshire Service Award

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I’ve been fortunate to have had many mentors during my career, both personally and professionally. These people have encouraged me, challenged me and provided honest feedback that influ-enced me greatly. There are two special mentors. My dad, who taught me that I could do anything that I set my mind to and to whom I owe my work ethic and love of all people. Also, Jim Cousineau, SVP-pharmacy, has been my supervisor through vari-ous levels of leadership over the past 22 years. His goal of being on the cutting edge of pharmacy from a technol-

ogy standpoint has melded nicely with my passion to develop a pharmacy depart-ment known for providing outstanding customer care. Jim has been a supporter of all initiatives that I have pursued to benefit our com-pany and profession.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Keeping up with the changes in the profession of pharmacy is a constant challenge, balancing finan-cial accountability with the commitment to achieving optimal health outcomes for every patient by providing the best care possible. Just as the “people” part of the job is the most rewarding, it is definitely the most chal-lenging as well.People are amazingly cre-ated with so many different influences that affect their perspectives; helping them see and realize their poten-tial can sometimes be a chal-lenge!


ANGELA HOLLANDGeorgia Association of Convenience Stores Years with company:Nine Current position: President

Education and profession-al/volunteer organizations:Graduate of Kennesaw State University Earned the Certified Asso-ciation Executive designa-

tion from the American Society of Association Executives Received the 2013 Ste-phen Styron award from the Georgia Society of Association Executives

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?Outside of my par-ents, my career mentor is Jim Tudor. He has taught me a tremendous

amount and, in the pro-cess, I learned a lot about myself. He has a way of bringing out the best in people, and he certainly does that for me.

What are you most proud of in your career achieve-ments? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?The work I do touches so many people, and if I can help store owners oper-ate better stores, then I’ve made a contribution to the community as well as the industry.My defining moment: In

2011 I knew for certain that I was where I needed to be. My board imple-mented a strategic plan that included Jim’s retire-ment and asked if I had an interest in serving as the next president. Their sup-port has been overwhelm-ing. They’ve supported me during the transition, provided educational op-portunities and various re-sources and, most impor-tantly, entrusted me with their state association.

What is the most challeng-ing part of your job?The biggest challenge, to date, has been find-ing the right life balance. Although I’ve been with GACS for nine years, I’m only two months into the presidency. It is a very dif-ferent role than my previ-ous one, and I’m finding that I want to get it all done now, today. That’s just not feasible. There are days when I have to make myself stop work-ing.

SUE HENSLEYNational Restaurant AssociationYears with company: 11 Current position:SVP of Public Affairs and Communications

Education degrees and profes-sional/volunteer organizations: BA, Journalism, University of Illinois; Kellogg School of Management Women’s Food-service Forum (WFF) Ex-ecutive Leadership Program, 2014-15.Certified Association Execu-tive credential

President of the Center for Food IntegrityBoard Member, Share our Strength’s Dineout for No Kid HungryBoard Member, American Ho-tel and Lodging Association’s Women in Lodging Council.Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restau-rant Association, has been an exceptional mentor. She has given me the opportunity to help create initiatives like Kids LiveWell and the Con-serve sustainability platform, and has encouraged me to grow through professional de-velopment opportunities like the WFF’s Kellogg Executive Education program.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I was privileged to help spear-head “Dine for America” af-ter Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, in which nearly 18,000 restaurants raised $13 million for the American Red Cross in a single day.

That memorable event em-bodies the restaurant indus-try’s commitment to providing for those in need.Being involved in the creation and launch of Kids LiveWell has also been a highlight of my career. Kids LiveWell—a program requiring restau-rants to meet specific nu-tritional guidelines for their children’s menu items—has grown to 43,000 restaurant locations over the past four years as well as museums, theme parks and even mili-tary bases. Kids LiveWell has won numerous awards, but the continued growth of par-ticipants and menu items is a more important measure of the program’s impact.

What is the most challenging part of your job? One of the more challenging parts of the job is the breadth of issues, ranging from food safety to operational issues to crisis scenarios. I am for-tunate to lead a tremendously talented team. We are always thinking of new ways to com-municate our message and tell the industry’s story.


PATRICIA JOHNSONStop & ShopYears with company:30Current position: District Director in New England

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and I play an active role in the Network of Executive Women and Women Add-ing Value (WAV) for Ahold USA organizations.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I have had the opportunity to work with and for sev-eral outstanding leaders within the Ahold and Stop & Shop companies. The di-versity of these mentors has enabled me to develop my own leadership style that in-corporates the importance of people development as well as overall store operations. The opportunity to leverage these relationships to de-velop my own style of lead-ership has had a significant influence on my career.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am most proud when I see those that I have had the op-portunity to coach and men-tor continue to develop in their own careers and suc-ceed to the next level.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part

of the district director’s po-sition is developing a knowl-edgeable, cohesive team, focused on delivering and sustaining positive results, who consistently support one another while celebrat-ing the teams’ accomplish-ments.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?My advice to upcoming ex-ecutives is to continue to focus on your leadership, be strategic, own your own ca-reer, never be afraid to ask for help and celebrate suc-cesses.

Hobbies:My hobbies are spending time with family, traveling, volunteering, and attending sporting events.

THERESA KESSLERInternational Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA)Years with company: 26 Current position: VP of Finance and Admin-istration

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:George Mason University, Business AdministrationMember, American Society of Association ExecutivesMember, Society for Human Resource Management

Member, Women’s Foodser-vice Forum

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?The first and most impor-tant mentors in my life are my mother and father. They taught me at a young age the importance of hard work, be-ing a good citizen and caring for others.Scott Robinson, who I worked for at the begin-ning of my career at Cornell University’s student dining department, instilled confi-dence in me and encouraged me to move on when the time was right for bigger and bet-ter things.My current supervisor, Mark Allen (President and CEO, of IFDA), has been instru-mental in allowing me to de-velop professionally. He has provided me opportunities to enhance my skill set beyond finance and has challenged me to become a well-rounded leader.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am proud of where I am in my career today and the

work and dedication it took me to get here. I am proud of the team of people I work with today, and I believe that our organization does a great job focusing on our members’ needs and helping our members succeed. I am honored to be involved with IFDA’s newest leadership committee, The Women In Foodservice Distribution Leadership Committee. It has afforded me the oppor-tunity to work with some amazing women in the in-dustry.

What is the most challenging part of your job?One of my biggest challenges has always been maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Seek out new assignments that will challenge you. Be passionate, respectful and truthful. Don’t ever think that any job or task is too small, because consistently showing that you are willing and able to take on new re-sponsibilities will eventually pay off. Be patient.

DENA ZIGUN KOWALOFFRoche Bros. SupermarketsYears with company: ThreeCurrent position:Director of Marketing

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: MBA, Harvard Business SchoolBS, Cornell UniversityCombined Jewish Philan-thropies

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you

in your career?Laura Kuykendall, whom I worked with at the Claridge Food Group, helped me el-evate my role from an indi-vidual contributor to a lead-er. She empowered me with decision-making authority, strengthening management capacity, encouraging risks and learning from failures. At Roche Bros., Aimee Mor-gida and Jennie Fotovich have been excellent female role models and support-ers. I’m also grateful for an amazing network of talented and creative strategic think-ers who’ve strengthened my capacity through outside collaboration, including Lisa Lazarczyk and Reni Gertner of LAZ PR, Julie Vail and Martin Sorger of Marquis Design, Rachel Vidoni, Lau-ren Tully, Jeff Vetstein and Vanessa Karliss at Topco, and Marci Sapers and Paige Arnoff Fenn of Mavens and Moguls.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?Rarely does a marketing executive get to design and launch a brand from scratch with the full support and re-

sources of a well-established market leader, but I had the amazing opportunity to do so with Roche Bros.’ new Brothers Marketplace ban-ner. This project brought together research and strat-egy skills, customer profil-ing, branding and design, and integrated marketing. I collaborated with excel-lent operations executives, merchants, architects and more to bring the brand to life through every aspect of this innovative new format. To be able to walk around and watch customers shop in the new store is an amazing culmination.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Making time for strategic projects while keeping up with the fast pace of day-to-day tactical needs is quite a challenge!

What is your advice for up-coming younger executives?Say yes! Try new things that push you.

DEBRA KULTZOWRDD AssociatesYears with company: 17 (35 years in the food in-dustry)Current position: Business Manager

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BBA, Marketing, Pace Uni-versity Pleasantville, New York

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?

I have been fortunate to have both personal and profes-sional mentors through the years. Mom and Dad are credited for teaching me the importance of morals and in-tegrity. My husband, Antho-ny, and my children Stepha-nie and Steven, have been my sounding and advisory board that keeps me grounded.Professionally, there have been many mentors, but Frank Fiumano, a kind, gentle and intelligent man, took me under his wing in 1996 and taught me the im-portance of humor, tenacity and “not to sweat the small stuff.”

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?My defining moment and the one I’m most proud of was taking a leap of faith in leav-ing an established food bro-kerage and starting all over at ground level with a new unknown food broker and growing along with RDD’s success.

What is the most challenging part of your job?There are several challeng-ing parts of the job. Person-ally, it is managing the work/life balance. Technology has forced us to become available way past the normal 10-hour days.Professionally, the challenge is meeting the objectives of our clients and at the same time achieving our company goals. Working for a food broker, the changing market conditions, cost of goods, the economy and the supermar-ket consolidations certainly have shifted the way we ap-proach our business.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?My advice for young ex-ecutives is to work hard but smart, be honest, ask ques-tions, enjoy what you are do-ing and have a positive atti-tude. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

Hobbies:In my spare time, I enjoy kickboxing and baking.


LEE ELLEN KIRKThe Culinary Institute of AmericaYears with company:13 Current position:Senior Advancement Officer, Corporate Relations

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:

BS, Hospitality Services Ad-ministration/MarketingCenter for Creative Leader-shipFoodservice Management Professional (FMP)Master Hotel Supplier (MHS)Women’s Foodservice Forum board member, nine years; Executive Committee mem-ber, two years; Marketing & Communications chair, three years.International Foodservice Manufacturers Association committee member.Board Member, Performing Arts Council, PSUBoard Member/Executive Committee, Kishacoquillas Historical Society, six years.Reedsville Presbyterian Church Audit and Events CommitteeMeals for WheelsState Hotel and Restaurant Associations (various)

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My life mentor is my father. He instilled in me a very strong work ethic and taught me the importance of being fair and treating both inter-nal and external customers with respect. Also, since we moved a lot due to his career with IBM, I learned to become very adaptable and flexible at an early age.My work mentor is Dan Ges-cheidle. He took me under his wings when I first joined the NRAEF and pushed me to achieve excellence in every-thing I did. He encouraged me and allowed me to create and manage new initiatives for the organization. He challenged and provided me a platform to test my unskilled areas and grow within a safe environ-ment.

LINDA LAWSONAssociated Wholesale Grocers Inc.Years with company:20Current position: SVP, Division Manager, Ft. Worth, Texas, Division

Education and professional/vol-unteer organizations:BA, Business Administration, Mt. St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, Ohio (formerly The College of Mt. St. Joseph)Board Member, Tarrant Area Foodbank, Ft. Worth, TexasMentor, Vision Ft. Worth Men-toring Program

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?I have had many mentors and people that have helped me and

guided me throughout my ca-reer. First, you have to want to be mentored and be able to accept criticism as well as ad-vice. The folks that have had the most influence on my career are Bob Pickerill, SVP, Divi-sion Manager, Kansas City, and Gerald Cockerham, Execu-tive Director of Inventory Man-agement, Kansas City. Both of these gentlemen have a wealth of knowledge and were will-ing to share their experiences while working for each of them. Their advice and guidance was invaluable. This is the reason I mentor today. Successful people always have had help along the way, and I want to give back!

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of the fact that I am the first female division president of an AWG division. This industry is male-domi-nated, but more women are achieving leadership positions. My defining moment was be-ing offered this position. I was humbled and proud that the leadership of my company had the faith in me to lead the Ft. Worth Division.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of the job are the changes day to

day. No day is ever the same. There are a lot of moving piec-es.Also, dealing with the folks that make everything happen and the different personalities make it a challenge, but fun. It is a challenge to me to develop people and see them grow. It is rewarding to see them succeed and have a part in growing our company.

What is your advice for upcom-ing younger executives? The biggest piece of advice is to be patient when wanting to move up. As I am mentor-ing now, I see a lot of talented young folks with so much po-tential that want to move too fast. A lot of learning happens along the way. You have to be good and master the job that you are currently doing to give you the foundation for the fu-ture. I learned this during my tenure here at AWG. I was in the same job for seven years, then was promoted four times in eight years. Sometimes, the time is just not right. Take time to learn as much as you can as you are pursuing advancement. It will pay off in the long run.

Hobbies: Golf, travel and photography.

ROBIN LEATHERWOODBlount Fine FoodsYears with company: FivePosition: Technical Services Manager

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:AS, Mechanical Engineering; working toward BS in Food Science and Technol-ogy. Member, Institute of Food Technologists

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted in career?Rajen Mehta, Ph.D., a former colleague during my first job in the industry, saw the makings of a food scientist within me even though I did not have a degree. The great deal of respect and encouragement he showed resounds with me to this day. William Bigelow is a huge proponent of my professional development and has en-couraged me to continue to grow within

the company. I truly believe that his guidance has helped me tremendously with my career as well as my overall pro-fessional confidence.

What are you most proud of your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?My first year at Blount I was given an MVP award and hold myself to that standard in all I do. I am also a proud continuing education honor student.My defining moment is the day I an-swered a job posting on Craigslist for a temporary food technician position at an ingredient company located two hours from home. What started as a 12-week position lasted nearly four years, spark-ing my passion for food science and pro-viding me with necessary experience to begin my journey in the industry. I have since developed my career at Blount, bringing together both engineering and culinary backgrounds in a unique way.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Staying aware of the constant evolution of consumer wants and needs as well as changing legal regulations in labeling.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Never, ever stop learning!

Hobbies:Baking (it can be the perfect blend of science and art and is both challenging and relaxing not to mention delicious), spending time outdoors and live music of any kind.

TONYA HERRINGAhold Years with company:10 monthsCurrent position:SVP of Grocery & Fuel

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: Harvard Business School Leadership Academy Cer-

tificateMember, Network of Execu-tive Women (NEW)Women Impacting Store Brands Excellence (WISE)Volunteer Girls Inc.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I have had many mentors in my career, and each support-ed and helped me in differ-ent ways. While some cre-ated paths for me to grow, others were just sounding boards. However, the ones who impacted me the most gave honest feedback and pushed me well outside my comfort zone. During these times is when I learned the most about myself and had the biggest career challeng-es and jumps.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements?

Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?My proudest moments in my career is watching the peo-ple I mentor/sponsor/train achieve their career goals.The most recent defining moment in my career was changing companies after 23 years and moving across the country while leaving my family behind. I have learned more about true courage, how to embrace it and the true definition of taking a chance.

What is the most challenging part of your job?While all roles are challeng-ing, I still believe taking the time for true people devel-opment is the biggest chal-lenge. It’s the easiest thing to say “get it done later,” but it has the biggest nega-tive and positive impacts on the business.


www.ImperialDistributors.com | 508.756.5156

We are so proud that the third generation ofthe Sleeper family is partof the Imperial team.We thank Naomi for her vision, dedication,and significant accomplishments.

www.ImperialDistributors.com | 508.756.5156


CONGRATULATIONSNaomi Sleeperand all the 2016 Honorees!

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Congratulations to

Karen Stout2016 Woman of Influence

from

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NICOLE LEMAIREInteractions Marketing, a Daymon Worldwide Co.Years with company: 7.5Current position: VP of U.S. Sales and Opera-tions

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: Political Science, San Diego State University

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Early in my career, I had two incredible female mentors that were highly influential. I worked alongside the owner of a tal-ent agency in Los Angeles from 19-21 years old, which pro-vided me with real-world experience before I graduated col-lege. I believe that experience and her mentoring helped to shape my professional career.Once I landed at Interactions, I was fortunate to work closely with the director at the time who gave me every opportunity to learn and get involved in all aspects of the business. She has forever inspired me with her leadership, intelligence and generosity.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? My most proud achievement is building a highly motivated, passionate and talented team of creatives, sales people, opera-tors, managers, marketers and brand ambassadors.

What is the most challenging part of your job?As our team has grown and has become more spread out across the U.S., it becomes more challenging to connect with each person as often as I’d like to.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Treat others as you would want to be treated.

Hobbies: Travel adventures, concerts, running, yoga, biking, swimming in the ocean.

NICOLE DEVOE LEWISDelhaize America, Hannaford DivisionYears with company: 18 Current Position: Director of Deli, Bakery and HMS


BS, Business Administration, minor in marketing, University of Maine, Orono, 1998.

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career? I have had many mentors throughout my career. The ones that I have appreciated the most are those who are willing to give

me honest, direct feedback. In addition, I have had mentors who have been instrumental in helping me consider career op-portunities that would give me opportunities to develop skills in areas that my current and previous positions wouldn’t allow.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment in your career to date?I am most proud of the risks I have taken to move into areas of the business that I was not the expert in. Those are the times that I’ve learned the most about myself and about the business. Those experiences were defining moments for me. Specifically, I remember a time when I moved from a category management position to a leadership position in human resources. At the time we had just announced a major change in the structure of our organization. I was learning what it meant to be a leader in an area that I had no experience in and I was responsible for supporting leaders and associates through a large organiza-tional change. It taught me to have courage, trust my intuition and how to lean into others for support.

What is the most challenging part of your job? The fresh part of our business is so exciting, especially in deli

and bakery. I get really energized about all that we could do. The challenge is prioritizing having the right balance of pa-tience and impatience for change.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Always be curious. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, learn all that you can in position/project you’re involved with. Have a voice, be confident, speak up if you have something to contrib-ute, even though you’re the most junior. Find mentors that will give you open and honest feedback and then take action!

Hobbies: Right now, my husband and I spend a lot of time enjoying the hobbies of our children. When I am not spending my time supporting their events, I like to exercise, try new recipes and listen to music.

MAUREEN LINDERBimbo Bakeries USAYears with company: Nearly two Current position:VP of Marketing, Premium Bread and Innovation

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, Kellogg Gradu-ate School of Management,

Northwestern UniversityBA, Purdue UniversityCurrent: Marketing Committee Member, Grain Foods Founda-tionPast: American Baker’s Association Board MemberThe Ad Council board member, including member of the Ex-ecutive Committee

The Grain Foods Foundation Board MemberCampbell Soup Foundation Board MemberFairfield County Community Foundation Board Member

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted in your career?It has been my good fortune to learn from many very talent-ed senior leaders, supervisors and colleagues throughout my career. I have learned general management, marketing and leadership skills from observation of and interaction with all of them.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? I am proud of driving profitable business growth, building strong brands and developing high-performing teams through-out my career. There have been many wonderful moments throughout my career, but none that stands out as more excep-tional than all the rest.

What is the most challenging part of your job?There are disruptions occurring in many industries, and it’s

an important challenge for me to discern what could become a disruption in our industry, how quickly the disruption will occur and how to respond and adapt appropriately to maintain healthy business growth. What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? It’s satisfying and rewarding to do something you love, so fol-low your dreams and be willing to work hard to achieve them.

Hobbies: When I am not working, I like to spend time with my family and my friends.


Congratulations to:Betania Neto

of Christmas Tree Shops

on induction into the :

75 W. Century Road Paramus, NJ 07652Metro NY --- New England --- Mid-Atlantic --- Upstate NY

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CongratulationsTheresa Bresten

HP HOOD_03_GriffinWOI.indd 1 1/19/16 8:31 AM


BRENDA LOTESTAKeyImpact Sales & Systems Inc.Years with company:EightCurrent position:Chief Marketing Officer

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:Education Certifications: Kel-

logg School of Management, MBA, Institute of Professional Advancement, Certification C.P.F.B. Stephens College, BFAVolunteer: Feeding America, Women’s Foodservice Forum Board Service: Women’s Foodservice Forum, Board of Direc-tors, Foodservice Sales & Marketing Association, Association

of Sales & Marketing Companies, National Food Brokers As-sociation Steering committee, Business Information Network: Founding Member and President.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Over the years, I have had many mentors and advocates who have shared their knowledge, supported my career and person-al development. This includes family, customers, clients, com-petitors and business partners, for which I am eternally grate-ful. The foundation for any successful career is new learnings, support and personal development. I have been fortunate to continuously receive opportunities for all three. I have had tremendous support from exceptional business partners, col-leagues and employees as well as unending encouragement from my husband and daughters.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of building lifelong relationships and the

show of strength and resolve to “weather a storm” in order to achieve long-term sustainable success, as well as the leader-ship positions taken to assist others in advancing their own careers and personal growth.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Challenges come every day in many different forms, and that is what keeps work exciting! If it were easy, everyone would do it. For me, not having new challenges is a challenge.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?The most meaningful advice I can share would be, number one, always look to learn something new. Some ways to do this is to step up to the plate and take on new responsibility when-ever possible, join associations and give back. Number two: make continuing education a priority. Number three: do not let negative people run you off course, and never, ever give up on yourself and those who support you.

JILL MCINTOSHThe Kroger Co.Years with company:13Current position:VP of Natural Foods Mer-chandising

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Business Administration, Xavier UniversityJuris Doctorate, University of

Toledo College of Law Co-chair, Network of Executive WomenYWCA, in both Portland, Oregon, and Cincinnati, OhioBoard of Directors, ProKids

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I’ve had many wonderful mentors. Former Kroger EVP Don Becker and Kroger Personal Finance President Kathy Kelly

encouraged me to take a position outside the law department and learn other parts of our business. I was the first leader of money services at KPF and helped it grow into a strong business. I then joined Kroger Manufacturing as senior direc-tor of HR/labor relations, where I met another mentor, Calvin Kaufman, who was group vice president of Kroger Manufac-turing. We had a great partnership, helping HR focus on tal-ent development, team building and diversity. Because of our success, I was promoted to lead HR for the Fred Meyer Divi-sion in Portland. Tim Massa and others in corporate HR were instrumental in making this amazing experience happen, which again focused on enabling our people for success. I returned to Cincinnati after mentors Robert Clark and Mel Bomprezzi encouraged me to join merchandising and lead natural foods.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?The defining moment in my Kroger career was my decision to take an opportunity outside the law department. That was a leap of faith and completely changed my career trajectory here. As an attorney, I never imagined I’d be part of merchandising. I’m fortunate to work for a company that offers associates op-portunities to learn and grow.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Natural foods is a booming business, and we have many oppor-tunities to better serve our customers. Sometimes when you’re moving a big ship, it takes time to make things happen the right way. Having patience, making thoughtful decisions and creating alignment is important at a company our size.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Don’t be afraid to take chances. Put yourself out there and build a strong team. Take the time to mentor others so we can develop our future leaders. You’ll learn as much from your mentees as they will from you!

Hobbies:Spending time with my family, running, volunteering and trav-eling.

GRACE MIKULSKIAcosta Sales & MarketingYears with the company:Two and a halfCurrent position: Business Manager, Ahold Team


BS, Food Marketing, Saint Joseph’s UniversityActive participant in the Network of Executive Women, Acos-ta Mechanicsburg Culture Committee and volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?

Mark Sisler, who was a senior business manager at Acosta, was one of my first career mentors. Mark took me under his wing when I was promoted to my current sales role. He was eager to share his years of experience in this field. He taught me the significance of relationship-based selling in a world of technology. I still find value in the lessons he taught me.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?One of the defining moments of my career to date was when I was asked to graduate from the two-year Leadership Develop-ment Program one year early in order to become a business manager on the Ahold Team. This was a testament to my hard work, dedication and striving to be my best self.

What is the most challenging part of my job?The most challenging part of my job would be the fine balance of pleasing our clients (manufacturers) and pleasing the cus-tomer (Ahold). Sometimes the goals and visions do not align for these two, and it is my job to navigate these waters while maintaining a good relationship with both sides of the busi-ness.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Advice that I would give to younger professionals is to ask a lot of questions. While you are young in your career, that is the time to learn everything you can. You are a sponge—absorb everything. Strive to understand why you are doing the work you are doing, not just how. Once you understand the why, the how becomes much more manageable.

Hobbies: I love to travel, cook, ski/snowboard and was recently certified to teach Zumba.


BETANIA NETO Christmas Tree ShopsYears with company:1.5Current position:Food Buyer

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:AA, Fashion Merchandising and Man-agement, Berkeley College, New Jersey

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I’ve been fortunate to have many men-tors throughout my career. However, one in particular stands out the most when considering how much she im-pacted my career. Yonina Weiss has been my mentor, my friend and an

amazing person who always guided me and is still guiding me from up above. I have learned so much from her, not only in business, but also in life. Yo-nina was especially influential when it came to building my negotiating skills, establishing vendor relationships, and teaching me the ability to just be blunt when it comes to decision-making. She guided me and impacted me in my career in order for me to become the successful buyer that I am today.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of succeeding in a buy-ing position in the food industry with no prior background in it. The moment I knew that I was truly meant to be in this business was when I first attended the Sweets and Snacks Show in Chica-go. The vendors, the product, the entire work environment brought out an en-ergy in me that I didn’t know existed. I truly love what I do.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is having to leave my young family behind when I have to travel. I absolutely love the experiences that I obtain from each trip; however, not having the ability to be with my family at the end of the day makes it hard.

EMILY MOSCATOSaint Joseph’s UniversityYears with company: 1.5Current position: Assistant Professor of Food Marketing

Education and professional/vol-unteer organizations: Ph.D., Virginia TechMBA, University of Notre DameBS, Villanova UniversityAmerican Marketing Associa-tion, Association of Consumer Research, Women Impacting

Storebrand Excellence, Friends of the Wissahickon

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I have been very fortunate to have fantastic and supportive mentors. My mother, Dr. Susan Moscato, has been a role model personally and professionally throughout my life. Dr. Julie Ozanne shepherded me through my doctoral program, allowing me to stumble, learn and grow. She continues to be a source of wisdom and laughter. Dr. Nan-cy Childs has been invaluable in my position, providing insight, introductions and resources. These mentors have not only given me personal support, they are also amazing women who have, in large and small ways, helped trail blaze a healthier work environment for others who have come after them. For this, I am truly grateful.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?The achievement I am most proud of is being involved in higher education. My position as a teacher, researcher and

community supporter allows me to engage in matters that I am passionate about and in-teract with people whose pas-sion surpasses mine. I have a strong belief in the power of marketing to support consumer well-being. In my role at Saint Joseph’s University, I am able to educate students and the community, and research is-sues of food well-being, includ-ing sustainability, socialization and food justice. It is difficult to find one defining moment, but it is very motivational when stu-dents offer their gratitude for discussing issues of food well-being, knowing they will take these lessons into their careers.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Balance. So many aspects of my job are engaging that I want to spend all my time on them. The diversity of my work makes it exciting but also the biggest challenge.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Take initiative and fail. Learn from that failure and do not let it be a hindrance. Keep taking the initiative. Never doubt your intelligence or your ability.


WANDA PARNAYGiant Food StoresYears with company: 26Current position:District Director

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:American Cancer Society volunteerMultiple Sclerosis Society volunteerToys for Tots volunteerProfessional mentor

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?When I began my career, it was a time in the grocery industry where very few women were in positions of

leadership/management. I was the second female to be promoted to a store man-ager in the region at that time. Throughout my ca-reer I have had many men-tors that have been able to identify traits that I didn’t see in myself and helped to encourage and mentor me to be able to successfully take on positions of increased re-sponsibility. Due to the im-pact of mentors throughout my career, I realize the im-portance of paying forward mentorship to help others advance their careers as well.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I am most proud of the re-lationships/networks I have built with the people that I work with and to see them continue to grow in their careers. Other than achiev-ing the financial goals of the company, this is the most re-warding part of my job.I have worked for the com-pany 26 years and have been promoted eight times. The most defining moment to me is the difference I was able to make when I was as-signed to a district with a lot of challenges. In addition to geographic and economic challenges of the area, the

associates in the district didn’t believe in themselves. Through strong leadership and teamwork, they now be-lieve in themselves and the district is improved in many areas.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Sustaining and developing bench strength in the stores for continued growth and success.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?We’re in a people-oriented business—remember to treat all people (customers, associates and colleagues) with respect and dignity. As one of my mentors taught me, remember at times to encourage associates to be-lieve in themselves. And, most of all, love what you do and don’t forget to have some fun.

Hobbies:Shopping, reading, spending time with friends and fam-ily, gardening and building friendships.

HEATHER LEED NEARYAuntie Anne’s Inc. (a division of FOCUS Brands)Years with company:11Current position:President


I earned a BA from Millersville University and an MBA from Penn State University, where I also earned the Alumni Achievement Award in 2010. I serve on the board of directors for the Lancaster Family YMCA and also serve on the Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Advisory Council.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I feel like I learn from everyone around me. While I don’t have an “official” mentor, I do look up to those who are senior to me and I learn from them every single day. At a previous com-pany, I worked for a VP of marketing named Candie Harris. I admired her presence, her approach to business, and how she was a mom and a businesswoman. We’ve kept in touch over

the years, and I’ve reached out to her from time to time when I’m struggling with something. She was one of the first people to text me when I was recently promoted, and it meant a lot to me to hear from her. I have some other folks I reach out to from time to time when I’m at a crossroads. My dear running friend Mark Fallon has been a great source of advice of late. My mom is another person I admire. When I’m struggling with a decision, I think about how she would handle it–always with grace and integrity.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am proud to be a woman in leadership, specifically leading the Auntie Anne’s brand. When I started at Auntie Anne’s in 2005, I was hired as a marketing manager. Looking back, I would not trade one single role I held within the company be-cause I learned the intricacies of the brand through each and every responsibility I took on, whether big or small. I also had the opportunity to develop strong relationships with associ-ates, loyal consumers of our products, franchisees and their managers, as well as vendor/supplier partners. I know I am only as successful as the team around me, and I am fortunate to work with a talented, passionate group of individuals.I don’t feel like I have one defining moment. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to work with such great people who have all taught me so much. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and I hope I’ve learned from them. I have great friends, franchisees and colleagues who aren’t afraid to tell me when I can do something differently, and I learn so much from them.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Time, or lack thereof. While I consider time management to be a strength of mine, there are some days when there just aren’t enough hours. I just took on the role of president in mid-November, and I set a goal to meet with every Auntie Anne’s corporate associate for 15-30 minutes before the end of the year. It is important for me to get to know what drives people, what career aspirations they have and how I can sup-port them in their goals. These brief but powerful one-on-one meetings have been so inspirational to me. I wish I had time to do this more often. However, I am learning to enjoy the time I have and make the most of every single minute.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?My advice for younger executives is to take on the jobs that nobody else wants to do or seem less than appealing and glamorous. I have learned so much throughout my career from these types of roles and responsibilities. Oftentimes, it is these experiences that provide a deep understanding—learn-ing something from its inception and having insight on what worked and what tweaks were needed. Career advancement takes hard work, but look at everything as an opportunity and embrace it and never be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty! Hobbies:In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two daughters, as well as extended family and friends. I am an avid runner and enjoy a good round of golf. I also enjoy traveling.

TRACY NOELAssociated Grocers of New EnglandYears with the company: Six Current position: Human Resources Manager

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Business, Southern New Hampshire University PHR, SHRM-CP Member, Society of Human Resource ManagementMember, Human Resources Association Greater ConcordMember, NHTI Advisory Board

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted in my career?

It started with a college professor who inspired me to start a career in HR. At-tending her classes, listen-ing to her stories and shar-ing her experiences showed how important HR is to an organization and how we, as HR professionals, can make an impact in the lives of others. Additionally, I’ve had the good fortune to have worked with many inspiring leaders in my career. I’ve watched what they do and emulate them. I’ve learned to understand and hone in on my natural strengths, listen to opposing views, stretch myself and surround myself with positive and successful people.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? All of us have those moments in our careers that reveal and shape our character as a pro-fessional. We may not recog-nize them as such when they are happening, but their sig-nificance can grow over time. One experience...reminds me to always be aware of your blind spots. People skills did not always come naturally to me, and yet the value of building trust through inter-personal relationships cannot be underestimated, especially as a leader in human resourc-es. When I started my career

in HR I have always made it a priority to connect with people. This required step-ping out of my comfort zone. As I worked alongside great mentors, listening to col-leagues and accepting differ-ent points of view, fostering trusted relationships became essential. The lesson learned for me and what I encourage my team to do is always look for opportunities to stretch yourself. This is the most rewarding and biggest op-portunity for growth.

What is the most challenging part of my job?I would say staying profes-sionally current and finding a balance between work and family. I have a stack of HR magazines and books that I like to read but don’t always find the time.

What is your advice to young professionals?It all comes down to what’s right for you. Know your pri-orities, set your boundaries, make smart choices and ask for what you want. You’ll be surprised at how little resis-tance you’ll get, the amount of respect you’ll gain and how much happier you’ll be.


NANCY PIERCEAssociated Grocers of New EnglandYears with company: TwoCurrent position:Retail Bookkeeping Man-ager

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: BS, Accounting and Fi-nance, Southern New Hampshire UniversityActive volunteer with sev-eral nonprofit charitable or-ganizations

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?My most memorable mentor was a woman named Domi-nique Dancause who encour-aged me to finish my educa-tion, which enabled me to get to the level of my career.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I’m most proud of success-fully leading various teams throughout my career. I en-joy mentoring and assisting team members and others to develop and grow within their own career.

What is the most challenging part of your career?The most challenging part of my job is helping our customers realize the value of financial and operational measurements of their own businesses. We’re a co-op of independent grocery stores, and part of my position is to work with store owners to not only to collect and pre-

pare financial information for them but also to educate them on what the informa-tion means and how they can use this information as a tool to help make their operation even more successful.

What is your advice for up-coming younger executives?There is a great deal to be learned from people who have already made mistakes so you won’t have to. Take advantage of this! Work hard to get ahead and don’t be afraid to question every-thing in order to understand better. Be open to change, but also make sure you hold on to your values.

Hobbies:I enjoy reading, gardening and cooking (when my hus-band lets me). I enjoy most outdoor activities unless it is too cold.

CORI PURRINGTONES3 LLCYears with company :17Current position:Director of Transportation

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: C&S Peer Mentorship Pro-gramFast Friends Greyhound Adoption

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career ? I have had several mentors over my career. The most in-fluential have really pushed me to work outside of my comfort zone and were will-ing to support me in my ef-forts. Their ability to put me in challenging situations and provide opportunities for my growth has really shaped my career and my leadership philosophy.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?There is no better feeling for me than helping others achieve their goals. Every time I get to witness and be a part of another associate’s success is a new defining moment for me.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is staying ahead of market trends in the trans-

portation industry while providing the service our customers deserve and ex-pect.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Be curious! Ask questions and learn from everyone around you. Create your own path and be open to feedback. Never pass up an opportunity to challenge yourself and your team, even if it doesn’t mean a promotion.

Hobbies:I love to read, run and spend time with my family.


NATALIE REAMThe Kroger Co.Years with company: 27Current Position: Corporate Vice President, Cus-tomer Communications & Mar-keting

Education, professional/ volun-teer organizations: BS, Utah State UniversityMember, Google Retail Advi-sory Council, Food Industry Leadership Council, Network of Executive Women.Volunteer, DePaul Cristo Rey High School

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?Most important in terms of in-fluence have been my parents, as they established our fam-ily values and instilled in me a strong work ethic, treating others as you would like to be treated and the ability to opti-mize to create better outcomes. I’ve been fortunate to have been mentored by business leaders within our organization that have supported my vision, con-nected me to areas of our com-pany and initiatives outside my principal areas of responsibility and encouraged me to extend my influence and share ideas more broadly.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of the people on my team who I have had the good fortune to mentor, coach and guide, to see their career develop in ways that they did not believe possible and their personal growth beyond what they would have imagined.As for a defining moment, while still a work in progress, I would point to my establish-

ing, from the ground up, an in-house agency that provides full-service advertising, customer communications and marketing within the walls of one of the world’s largest grocery retail-ers.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Finding time for strategic thinking and for time away from the desk to go and see what is happening in other parts of the country, the world and within other industries that might influence our go-to-mar-ket approach.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?This is something my dad taught me indirectly, and that is to love what you do, and if you do, it will not seem like work! I advise young professionals to identify not only what they love to do, but to be aware of, tap into and cultivate their natural talent; to know what they are especially good at and apply their natural talents to work that they love. It will make for a long, successful and reward-ing career.

SUSAN ROMEIJust Born Inc. Years with company: Five; 26 in CPG industry totalCurrent position:Channel Director for Drug/Value and Interna-tional

Education and profession-al/volunteer organizations:BS, Education, Keene State College

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted in

your career?I have been fortunate to have built a wonder-ful network of business associates who have helped guide me in my career decisions and en-couraged me to pursue my dreams. A stand-out mentor for me was Michael Stoeckle, who was my VP at Bio Labs. Michael was a driv-ing force in my career, pushing me out of my comfort zone and help-

ing me to achieve levels in my career that I never thought possible. I am forever grateful.

What are you most proud if in your career achieve-ments? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?My proudest moments are when I am mentoring and developing people on my team and paying it for-ward.The defining moment in my career has been mov-ing to the candy industry in 2010.

What is the most challeng-ing part of the job?Managing the constant change in our industry. I love a good challenge! Mostly, I like the lessons and the feeling of accom-plishment I get from solv-ing problems we are faced with every day.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Be excellent listeners, al-ways have a plan—even if it changes along the way (and it will). Be kind to everyone, but don’t ask for permission.

Hobbies: Golf, reading, biking and gardening.



NICOLE PERANICKDaymon WorldwideYears with company: 1-plusCurrent position: Director of Global Consumer Strategy–Culinary

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:I hold a BS degree in inter-national business with honors

from The Dolan School of Business of Fairfield University and a Grand Diploma in Pastry Arts from The French Culi-nary Institute. I have also attended The Wharton School and UCLA for executive education, the Universidad de Sevilla in Spain and the International School of Economics in Holland.I have been an active member of the Women’s Business De-velopment Council (WBDC) and New York Women’s Culi-nary Alliance. I am also affiliated with major academic societ-ies, including Beta Gamma Sigma (National Business Honor Society) and Sigma Iota Rho (National Honor Society for International Studies).In my “spare time,” I am an active participant within my local food entrepreneur community, serving as a mentor for new startups to help navigate the industry and grow their busi-nesses.

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career development?Most of my mentors are sourced from home. My older brother, Joe, guided me into a career in CPG brand marketing, where I gained a solid foundation in business management and brand building. Through my parents, Nick and Diane, I developed my passion for food and baking, and with their mentorship, became a pastry chef, aspiring to create my own baked goods company. Inspired by my husband Andrew’s innate profes-sional drive, I built a successful business and was able to par-lay this experience into my current role, which is a perfect marriage of my brand management and culinary backgrounds. At Daymon, I feel fortunate to be able to also call my manag-er, Shilpa Rosenberry, my mentor, who offers a wealth of both industry and professional knowledge to realize my potential within this business. I am truly indebted to these five individu-als. Thanks to them, I can say with sincerity that I truly love my work and am excited about the future.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements to date? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of being able to build a successful business and brand, With Love From The Cupboard, which allowed me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to create this truly unique competency for Daymon. With the tremendous receptivity to innovation from our customers, I have been able to impact culinary innovation strategies for many global re-tailers in a short amount of time.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is its breadth and global

reach. My role gives me the ability to work with over 100 unique retailers across 14 channels of trade in 50-plus coun-tries around the globe. Every retailer has a distinct business need and customer profile, requiring a custom approach for translating the culinary trends into relevant innovation to drive differentiation and growth. Solving for this challenge requires a deep understanding of the future of culinary, future consumer and nuances by market, all achieved through our proprietary methodology for culinary trend analysis.

What is your advice for upcoming professionals?Never settle for complacency. Own your career, follow your passion and take calculated risks in pursuit of achieving your goals. View challenges as opportunities for continuous profes-sional growth.

Hobbies:I continue to bake and experiment in pastry arts as a hobby shared with family and friends. When not in the kitchen, I enjoy movies, theater and spending time with my husband and dog, Maddie.


SHILPA ROSENBERRYDaymon WorldwideYears with company: 2.5Current position: Senior Director of Global Consumer Strategy

Education degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: BS, Information Systems and Management, Fairfield UniversityAdvanced Retail Strategy Program Certifi-cation, UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management

Who are your mentors and how have they as-sisted you in your career?No matter what stage I’ve been in my ca-reer, I always come across challenges—big and small—that I may not have encountered before. During these times, I’m fortunate to have several mentors, both inside and out-side of the food industry, that I can turn to for feedback and coaching. Some of these are current leaders in my organization; others are former leaders, customers and clients that I trust and admire. As I navigate my career, having these men-tors, all with varied backgrounds and disci-plines, to champion me, provide perspective and even push me to think differently, has proved invaluable.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I started my career in process and technology consulting at Accenture, moved into brand and product development for Martha Stewart Liv-ing Omnimedia and built on that experience to ultimately develop a rewarding career in retail strategy and insights, helping retailers to de-fine their future strategies. This is something I’ve been doing now for more than 10 years, and I’m very passionate about it. Every piece of my journey has been a building block for the next. It was not always easy to transition and to learn new areas of business, disciplines and skill sets, but I am proud that I have con-

tinued to stretch myself to take on new chal-lenges. I can’t pinpoint a defining moment in my career, but joining Daymon has been a high point. In this role, working across many channels of trade, businesses and categories, I feel more challenged than ever before. We not only develop the strategies for our retailers, but we can operationalize them fully—from product to packaging to merchandising to in-store experience. It is an exciting place to be, especially during such a pivotal point in retail where private brands plays such a critical role in differentiating retailers.

What is the most challenging part of your job? A big part of what we do is work with our retail partners globally to help them innovate and differentiate. This can be in product de-velopment, in business model or in customer experience. Retailers all say they want to innovate, but it can be tough to actually do it. Doing it right requires data, insights and probably most importantly, gumption. Con-vincing some of our retail partners to place the right bets does not always make for easy conversations, but there is nothing better than when a successful differentiated program is brought to shelf and pays off.

What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?There are two pieces of advice I would give upcoming younger executives. First, focus on problem solving. It sounds so obvious,

but develop good processes for approaching problems. No matter where your career takes you, solving problems will be one of the most important skillsets to have. The best execu-tives not only identify issues but also provide ways to solve them. The worst thing you can do is go to leaders with issues without hav-ing a personal perspective about how to solve them. You don’t have to have all the answers and it’s okay to ask for help, but make sure you know how to think through a problem. Secondly, take any and every opportunity you can to work in teams. Learning how to work effectively with teams is something important at every stage in your life, both in and out of work. We can do great things as individuals, but I believe the best and most rewarding suc-cess is done collectively.

Hobbies:Spending time with my husband, two kids and my English bulldog.

CongratulationsBrenda Loteste

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ROCHELLE SEIDENECKGiant EagleYears with company: 14.5Current position: VP of Edible & Inedible Grocery

Education and professional/volunteer organiza-tions: MBA, Duquesne UniversityBS, Marketing, Gannon UniversityDuquesne University Women’s Leadership GraduateCornell University, Food Executive ProgramBoards Director, Pennsylvania Diversity CouncilBoard Director, Strong Women, Strong GirlsBoard Director, St. Anthony School Pro-gramsAdvisor, Giant Eagle Women’s Business Re-source GroupMars Area Baseball Association volunteer

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I have a personal “board of directors”—it’s more than just having a mentor. It’s know-ing all of the different people that can guide

you in different ways. I have people that sit on my board that guide me in personal matters and people that help guide me in professional matters. They all have unique skills sets and experience and can provide me with different perspectives and advice.

What are you most proud of your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I have had many proud moments in my career; I think there have been many small defining moments through every step of my career. Each step within my career has defined who I am now.I think the moment recently that I’m most proud of is when I was able to call my father and tell him that I’ve had been promoted to vice president.

What is the most challenging part of job? Balancing everything. Work, life, family, pressures—it all keeps me energized.

However, some days the balance is just off and some days it’s just right. It’s figuring out how to navigate through each one and know-ing that sometimes “good enough” is good enough—that’s the real success.

What is your advice for upcoming younger executives?Be true to yourself and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Hobbies:I love running and ran my first half-marathon last May and plan to run another half-mara-thon this May. Most of my free time is spent with my husband and kids. I take such great pride watching my son Finn play baseball and my daughter Lola in gymnastics.

MARYLOU SANDRYMarylou’s News Inc. (dba Marylou’s Coffee)Years with company: 29Current position:Founder and President

Education and professional/vol-unteer organizations:Quincy College, Bentley Univer-sityPast director, South Shore Chamber of CommercePast overseer, South Shore HospitalMember, South Shore Women’s Business NetworkMember, Specialty Coffee Asso-ciation of AmericaMember, New England Conve-nience Store AssociationMember, National Federation of Independent Business

Member, Cape Cod Chamber of CommerceMember, Retailer’s Association of MassachusettsMember, Weymouth RotaryTrustee, Leukemia & Lympho-ma Society and 2003 “Woman of the Year”

Who are your mentors and how they assisted you in your career?Richard Marchetti, owner and president of Miller Golf (now deceased), had a great deal of wisdom that I didn’t appreciate when I worked for him. Not un-til I had created my own com-pany did I realize how smart he was. Phyllis Godwin, owner of Granite Electric, was a wonder-ful role model for me as a woman president of a company consist-ing of male (electricians).

What are you most proud of in your career achievement? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I started my business with one store in 1986. It was my escape from the corporate world, and now almost 30 years later, we have a chain of more than 36 stores, we employ over 700 peo-ple and have a reputation for the “best coffee in town” served by great personalities and fabulous customer service.When I saw my pink cup thrown as trash on the side of a busy road—alongside McDon-ald’s bags, Burger King wrap-pers, Dunkin’ Donuts trash, I thought, “Wow! Big time!”

What is the most challenging part of your job?People. Trying to keep my em-ployees happy and customers satisfied. Keeping expenses down when forces I have no control over overrule, i.e., mini-mum wage increase, fluctuating coffee market and weather, is a huge challenge. When it’s bad, it’s horrid; last winter was the worst.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Be a sponge—absorb and learn as much as you can from the experienced—but know that you can’t be the expert in ev-erything (especially if you are starting your own business). Do what you do best, but trust the experts on matters you don’t do well. Surround yourself with smart people that are not afraid to work hard!

Hobbies:Love the sand, sea, sun, palm trees and warm weather. Love long walks, exercise at the gym and addicted to Sudoku. Flower arranging.

LYNN SCAVULLOStop &Shop Supermarkets (NY Division)Years with company:15Current position: Director of Store Support

Education degrees and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Biology, Rutgers University

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?I have been very fortunate throughout my career to work for very strong op-erators, and each of them have taught me so much about store operations, budgeting, business and life in general. Bob Yager, the current SVP of opera-tions I work for, put his trust in me and gave me a chance to take on this responsibility. He has taught me how important it is to put a plan in place

to win, and if you follow that plan you will succeed.

What are you most proud of in your career? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am proud of the reputation of team-work and reliability that I have estab-lished with everyone that I work with. The stores know that they can call me and I will always help them .

What is the most challenging part of the job?The most challenging part of my job is balancing the business with what the stores need to operate. Every day I do my best to support all of our stores and their needs to ensure they can provide the best store for our customers.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?For younger executives coming up in the business, my advice would be to not forget our customers; everything we do affects them, and without them we don’t have a business. Be sure to stand up for what you believe even if you’re standing alone.

Hobbies:In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with husband and kids, usually going to their practices or games.




BETH STARK, RDN, LDNWeis Markets Inc.Years with company: SevenCurrent position:Manager of Lifestyle Initiatives

Education degrees and profes-sional/volunteer organizations:BS, The Pennsylvania State Uni-versityARAMARK Metro New York Dietetic InternshipActive member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Food Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group and Su-

permarket RD subgroup.Has served as a board member for the Lehigh Valley and Cen-tral PA Dietetic Associations; currently serves as a volunteer board/steering committee mem-ber for the Ta Ta Trot, a local breast cancer charity 5K.Newly appointed volunteer board member for the Central Susque-hanna Valley chapter of Girls on the Run.

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?Over my 11-year career, I have been influenced and guided by a number of mentors in both my prior life as a clinical/outpatient dietitian and in my current role as a retail dietitian. My former di-rector, and the person that hired me at Weis Markets, helped me understand not only the super-market setting but also how a retail dietitian fits into it and the opportunities we have to make an impact. I’ve also been fortunate to work closely with my current direct supervisor who has been extremely supportive of my team and I. I’m incredibly grateful for these individuals that have in-vested time in my professional growth and were generous with

their insights and advice.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?Upon starting my career as a di-etitian, I knew that a traditional clinical role was not for me. One of my proudest career achieve-ments to date is that I have been able to land and succeed in the type of job that as a dietetics stu-dent and new dietitian, I would have viewed as my “dream job.”

What is the most challenging part of your job?The dynamic nature of this job that makes it so exciting is also what makes it challenging. Both the retail and nutrition worlds are ever-changing, so it sometimes feels like my “to-do” list grows longer vs. getting shorter. Learn-ing to adapt and be flexible to this environment has been necessary in order to thrive.

Hobbies:In my free time, I love to cook, travel, run, spend time outdoors and enjoy the company of my family and friends.

PAMELA STEWARTThe Coca-Cola Co.Current position: VP of National Retail Sales (NRS)

Education and profes-sional volunteer organi-zations: MBABS, Business Adminis-trationChair of The Coca-Co-la Co.’s Multicultural Leadership Council, alumna of Leadership

AtlantaBoard Director of GLAAD (nation-ally), Camp Twin Lakes, AGLCC and Junior Achievement of Georgia.

Who are your men-tors and how they assisted your career?Cathy Horgan, San-dy Douglas, Steve Cahillane, CJ Jack-son and Jim Din-

kins—they always see more potential in me than current-state roles showcase; then they place me in environ-ments or on platforms to demonstrate my abil-ity to display (and earn) that next level of leader-ship or advancement.

What are you most proud of in your current achievements? Do you have a defining moment in your career?Stretching and develop-ing teams beyond their own perceived potential. Defining moment: De-

ciding to be authentic by bringing my whole self to work.

What is the most chal-lenging part about your job? Making sure every sin-gle team member rests at night knowing that he/she matters...and that he/she makes a meaningful difference.

What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?Seek first to know thy-self by giving yourself permission to embrace and bring your true, whole self to work...it truly is the only way to excel consistently and choose a career you love and one that infuses your passion.

Hobbies: Voracious reader, pas-sionate writer, global traveler lover of art, film and dance.

NAOMI SLEEPERImperial DistributorsYears with company: ThreeCurrent position:Category Manager, Natu-ral and Green Living

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management (expected June 2017)MSc, Environment and De-velopment, London School of Economics and Political

Science, 2009MA, Education, Teaching, Alliant International Uni-versity, 2006BA, Philosophy/Envi-ronmental Studies, Tufts University, 2003

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?The Imperial team has been tremendously sup-portive in my professional growth and contribution

at Imperial. My father (and CEO), Michael Sleeper, has been an ultimate role model both personally and profes-sionally. Tony Germano, VP of strategic business development at Imperial, and Joe Kirby, VP of retail sales and category man-agement, have been instru-mental in developing my understanding of the op-erations and relationships that drive both the buy and sales side of the business. And, Deborah Kaufman, VP of organizational effec-tiveness, has been a fantas-tic coach and played a key role in shaping my career path.

What are you most proud of in your career achieve-ments? Do you have a defining moment to date?I am proud to influence the Imperial team in the way we use and analyze data to drive sales growth for both our company and our retail customers. In par-ticular, making growth of the natural and green liv-ing category a key part of Imperial’s strategy is also helping not only to build sales for Imperial and our customers, but also to in-crease the market accessi-bility of products that are safer for the consumer and the environment.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Engage with all aspects of the business and ask questions. Learning from colleagues and industry partners about challenges, developments, and success-es is the primary step to making effective, meaning-ful and sustainable change.

CASEY SHEAFFERAcosta Sales and MarketingYears with company: 5.5Current position and your im-mediate supervisorDirector of Insights–Ahold Team

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Management and Mar-keting, Penn State—The Capital College

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I am fortunate to have a net-work of people who have pro-vided their guidance to help me succeed. Kathy Chandler has helped me understand the industry while encourag-ing me to think more broadly and to trust my instincts. Vince Aganad has had a huge impact on my confidence at work and has taught me that building strong relationships is the foundation to a suc-cessful career. He regularly reminds me that family comes first and to keep a good head on my shoulders.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?My most defining moments have come when I’ve left my comfort zone to take risks. I first started working with Acosta as a planogram ana-lyst and became very relaxed in that role. I enjoyed the job and could have easily settled in for the long haul. But with a little push from a co-work-er, I took the leap to move to insights. That ended up be-

ing the best career move I’ve made so far. I am most proud of the relationships I’ve built with our sales team and cli-ents.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is managing the expectations of multiple cli-ents in a constantly chang-ing environment. Sometimes it’s difficult to give everyone the attention they deserve, so prioritizing and being clear about what I am able to pro-vide is essential.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?My advice is to go with your gut; if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t and people will respect you for do-ing the right thing. Be trust-worthy and focus on master-ing the skills necessary for you to excel at your job.

Hobbies:Gardening and working on home renovation projects with my husband.


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KOEL THOMAEnoosa yoghurtYears with company: SevenCurrent position: Co-founder and Chief Aussie Officer

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BA, Marketing, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)Naturally Boulder, provid-ing pro-bono consulting to food startups

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you

in your career?I’m lucky to live in Boulder (Colorado), which is one of the largest natural food communities in the USA and have access to so many great mentors, with many coming from my first home in natu-ral foods, IZZE Beverage. I’m excited to be at a point that I can now do the same for other budding entrepre-neurs!

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?Seeing the first tub of noosa on the shelf was so inspiring. To actually have an idea and bring it to life was a stop-in-your-tracks moment. This keeps getting redefined as noosa has grown.A defining moment of my career to date? Noosa launched nationally with Target in 2012, and through this great partnership, we launched our first seasonal flavor, pumpkin, in the fall of 2014. This flavor created so much buzz and excite-ment (it’s better than pie!) that noosa became the top selling yoghurt at Target

during the fall season. To be able to achieve this mile-stone against the really big players in the category was amazing!

What is the most challenging part of your job?There have been many dif-ferent challenges through the different life stages of noosa. I would say that the biggest challenge continues to be to get retailers to go all-in with the brand. We’ve had a few key partners make this commitment and it’s re-ally paid off!

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Find a way to maintain work/life balance. There were periods that I was working 24/7 and felt like I was going to burn out. A saner work cadence will keep you invigorated for the long haul!

Hobbies:Keeping up with my toddler, mountain biking, skiing, eat-ing delicious food!

JOLIE LYN WEBERWise Foods Inc. (Parent Company: Arca Continental)Years with company: 12Current position: CEO

Education and professional/ volunteer organizations:MBA, Emory University BS, Business Administra-tion, University of GeorgiaNetwork of Executive Wom-en (NEW) BoardBoard, C5 Georgia

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?Ed Lambert, former CEO of Wise Foods. Ed encour-aged me to go back to school and get my MBA. Following graduation, he recommend-ed me for the CFO position in the company, supporting and sponsoring me with our private equity ownership group. This was a difficult sell to private equity, given my background was all in marketing. He was suc-cessful in his campaign to promote me, and in 2011 I took on the CFO position at Wise (until 2015, when she became CEO).

What are you most proud of in your career achievement? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? I am most proud of my successful transition and subsequent tenure as CFO of Wise. Given that I did not have a background in finance, this was a signifi-cant challenge as well as a tremendous learning and growth experience for me professionally.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Keeping up with rapidly changing consumer trends and tastes. With the advent of social media and so much technology, trends and hab-its are changing at a pace we have not seen before.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Take on the big challenges that make you most nervous and uncomfortable. They are the ones that will push you professionally and be some of the most rewarding experiences of your career. One must not be afraid of failure or, as I like to say, “Failure is not fatal.” Too often we shy away from great opportunities because we believe we will fail. This is not how one grows or is considered for bigger roles.

Hobbies:Traveling with my family, spending time with my four-year-old daughter and golf-ing.

KAREN STOUTThe Fresh MarketYears with company: 6.5Current position: SVP of Operations

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MBABA, BusinessBS, BiologyVice Chair, ABC Board, Greensboro, North Carolina

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?I was fortunate to have many mentors throughout my career, especially during my time growing up in Har-ris Teeter. Ned Dunn and Fred Morganthall are just two to mention. One of the more important lessons was to take on new areas and challenges that stretched me; don’t be afraid to step into areas that I knew noth-ing about. Moving across an organization to grow and learn is just as important as moving up a vertical ladder.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?What I am most proud of is being able to look back and see those individuals that I identified early in their ca-reers and helped them ad-vance. I enjoy helping peo-ple get into the roles that fit their skills and moving them through the career stages. Now, I see so many doing so

well, and it makes me proud that I can say I was a part of that person’s life and de-velopment. My crowning moment was going from a part-time cashier to SVP of operations at Harris Teeter.

What is the most challenging part of my job?Patience! That is always a challenge. But more im-portantly, getting to spend quality time with individuals that want to learn and grow. I seem to never be able to spend as much time on that part of my role and the most important one—seeing and developing talent.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives? Get out of your comfort zone. Don’t take the easi-est job or the best perform-ing areas. Don’t be afraid of failure. Not only do you learn when you fail, but it also makes you appreciate success even more.

JAMIE SWENSENBig Y FoodsYears with company: 20Current position:Manager of Employee Rela-tions

Education and professional/volunteer organizations: Studied Electronics/Info Systems at Quinisigamond Community CollegeMember, SHRMRegional Employment

Board MemberMultiple professional certifi-cations

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career? I feel lucky to have many people that have been supportive of my career throughout my time with Big Y. Professionally, my current supervisor for the past 15 years (Laurie He-bert) has personally given her time, effort and patience to prepare me for the future. Personally, my mother over-whelmingly shows me daily support and always cel-ebrates even the smallest ac-complishments in my career and life.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date? Big Y is a family-owned company of over 10,000 em-ployees. I started 20 years ago as a cashier in my small local store in Ware, Mas-

sachusetts. Although small, I was always made to feel I could make a significant impact on my store and the company by being involved. I wanted to learn everything there was to know about the supermarket business and took pride in giving great customer service in “my” store. I was promoted to the employee services represen-tative role in a store, then to a zone of stores and, subse-quently, to oversee all of the employee services represen-tatives within the company. In my role, I am able to have an impact on the overall company, including our em-ployees and customers!

What is the most challenging part of your job?My team and I are con-stantly working together on maintaining work/life bal-ance. We support many em-ployees with both positive and negative life changing experiences on a daily basis and must try to focus our thoughts on the positives.


BETH YOUNGStop & Shop Supermarket Company (New England Division)Years with company: 18 Current position: District Director of Opera-tions

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Psychology, Westfield State UniversityAssociate’s, Liberal Arts, Holyoke Community CollegeCertified Situational Leadership Coach

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I cannot select one individual that has helped me in my career. The list of people that have influenced, impacted me, coached, trained and mentored me is endless. I learn something new ev-ery day and truly feel that all associates, peers and supervisors I work with each and every day are why I am in my current position. Our teammates are what make this business a suc-cess, and with their influence, feedback and support, I would not have been as successful in past, current or future roles.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have defining moments of your career to date? I am very proud that I started as a part-time clerk while I was in college. The company had many opportunities for me to start a career. After graduation, I decided to go into the management program. I have excelled and held numerous roles within the company over the past 18 years. Working hard, be-ing dedicated and treating your teammates well has been my philosophy and the way I approach all roles I have held and

it is why I have been successful in my career with this great company.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The business is changing every day. It is fast paced and de-manding. Staying positive, upbeat and motivating your team is the best part of the job, but can be challenging to keep up with the pace. While I view this as challenge, it is also the most rewarding aspect of the job because at the end of the day you can celebrate, acknowledge all the wins and positive results that your team achieved.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Work hard, never think you will know everything, be open to feedback and, most importantly, treat your team with respect, dignity and listen to them. By doing this you can excel and achieve your goals.

KRISTIN ZIERAUThe Albertsons Cos.Years with company: 28 Current position: Marketing Director, Safeway Northern California Division

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BA, SociologyMember, Network Executive Women, Northern California

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?I’ve worked with a lot of very talented people throughout my

career. Three people stand out. Early in my career, Rojon Hasker taught me the impor-tance of building relationships and treating people right. Nancy Cota taught me the im-portance of building teams, al-ways staying true to your core values and how to get a meet-ing “fired up.”Dimitri Haloulos taught me the importance of investing in personal growth. He provided opportunities to step away from the day-to-day to learn. He pushed me and challenged me, and I’m thankful for hav-ing the opportunity to work with him.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I have had incredible oppor-tunities. I launched Starbucks kiosks in our stores, started a new brand of meats and cheeses, led category manage-ment for our floral operation. Developed and launched too many marketing plans to list but very proud of the work around planning, grand open-ings, loyalty marketing, spon-sorships and events.One defining moment was when I realized that I was not

going to be promoted in the or-ganization I was in. I gave my heart and soul to that job, not to mention the countless hours and missed family events to make an impact. If I wanted upward mobility, I needed to make a bold move. I took a lateral job into another area of the organization. Moving lat-erally at that time was not the norm. I found myself in a new role completely out of my com-fort zone. Looking back, it was absolutely the best decision.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Managing multiple priorities while keeping the team moti-vated in an environment with constant change, a lot to do with limited time and resourc-es. It’s taught me to be a sim-plifier.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Build relationships. Surround yourself with people that you will learn from. Collaborate. Always have a point of view. Show up with a positive atti-tude. And above all, have fun along the way.

KARRI ZWIRLEINTops Markets LLCYears with company:23 Current position: Director of Bakery

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:BS, Business Administra-tion (cum laude), Medaille College, Buffalo, N.Y.Delta Associates Inc. Business Insights Bronze Certified ProfessionalIDDBA Show & Sell Team Member

Who are your mentors and how they have as-sisted your in your career?I have been so fortunate to have had so many different mentors at all stages of my career. My father, in particular, was a remarkable men-tor, primarily because he instilled a strong work ethic within me. I’ve had the opportunity to sur-round myself with knowl-edgeable people who are willing to share their

valuable insights and per-spectives. I’ve learned that my mentors are not merely those in leadership roles, rather those at all levels of the business have taught me incredibly valuable les-sons.

What are you most proud of in your career achieve-ments? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?I am most proud of the people that I have helped develop over the years. The highest compliment is when someone comes to me for professional advice or guidance because they

view me as a role model. Defining moment of my career to date—my most recent promotion to direc-tor of bakery. It’s helped to validate all the effort I’ve put in over the years.

What is the most challeng-ing part of your job?Making the right decision for both the department and the customer while faced with the challenges of the rising costs of ingre-dients and labor.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Make a decision, wrong or right; trust what you know and make the decision!

Hobbies:I am currently pursuing my black belt in Tae Kwon Do along with my two chil-dren and husband. Having recently received my green stripe belt, I have a long way to go, but I’ve found many of the principles of Tae Kwon Do to be appli-cable and beneficial to my work.

STEPHANIE LENZI WHITEGiant Eagle Inc.Years with company:15 Current position:VP of Merchandising Systems and Operations

Education and professional/volunteer organizations:MS, MSIS/MBA, University of Pittsburgh

BS, MIS, The Pennsylvania State University

United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, United Way’s Women’s Mentoring program (3 Cups of Coffee), Let’s Move Pittsburgh Board Member, University of Pittsburgh Adjunct Professor and Executive Sponsor, Giant Eagle’s Women’s Business Resource Group, Lector and Eucharistic Minister, Cross-Country Coach

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted your career?I have had many influential mentors throughout my career, both personally and professionally. My father stands out as one of my most impactful mentors. He taught me the importance of hard work, perseverance, striving to do my best and, most importantly, treating EVERYONE with respect.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to-date? I am most proud of being in positions where I have been asked

to mentor and coach others. It is such an honor when people respect me to the point that they ask me to mentor them. It is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Balance! I am constantly trying to balance at work, at home and between work and home. There never seems to be enough time! I’m constantly striving to meet deadlines, drive the busi-ness forward and ensure every member of my team has the time and resources they need to be successful, constantly striv-ing, as a single mom, to be there for my three amazing children while trying to find adequate time to volunteer/give back to the community. And I find myself feeling guilty because I can’t do it all. What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Take every chance you can to learn—stay open to new oppor-tunities, embrace change and take risks.


JORDAN COHEN COEWaverly Markets, LLC

Years with company: 13

Current position: Co-owner and VP of Operations

Education degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: BA in Psychology and Italian Studies from Boston UniversityMBA in Marketing and International Busi-ness from the University of ConnecticutBoard of Directors, Wakefern Food Corp.Vice Chair, Our Piece of the Pie, a youth development agency helping urban youth be-come economically independentBoard of Directors, East Hartford Chamber of CommerceBoard of Directors, Greater Manchester Chamber of CommerceBoard Member, CT Children’s Medical Cen-ter Friends

Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?I’m very fortunate to have excellent person-al and professional mentors. My family is a source of advice, counsel and encourage-ment. Our family’s friend and consultant Bob DeLisa taught me to always trust the process, even if I think it’s taking too long! And I always think of Natan Tabak, retired SVP at Wakefern, who showed me that pas-sion and commitment can outweigh age and experience.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?Willingness to make tough decisions, fight-ing for the right choice even when it may not be popular, truly connecting with people and trying to be a good listener. I try to have a de-fining moment every day—one where I learn something new and gain perspective on each challenge and triumph.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of what I do is also the most exciting: constant change in the demands of associates and customers and de-termining the best way to keep up! Encourag-ing our team to trust the process and live our purpose is a daily priority.

What is your advice for up-and-coming execu-tives?Be energetic and positive, and extend your reach deep into the community. Be the ex-ample for others even when they cannot see past an immediate challenge.

Hobbies:Cooking, volunteering and spending every spare minute with my family.

ROBIN ANDERSONGiant LLC (Ahold USA)

Years with company35Current position:Director of Human Resources

Education degrees and professional/volun-teer organizationsBS in Therapeutic Recreation, University of MarylandMasters in Business Science, University of MarylandI serve on the boards of directors for the following: Greater Washington Urban League, DC Workforce Investment Coun-cil and Market USA Federal Credit Union.Steering Committee member for WAV (Women Adding Value), active member in NEW (Network of Executive Women), Mentoring Circle Leader, Co-chair for the WAV Community Outreach Committee

Who are your mentors and how they have assisted you in your career?

I have had many mentors throughout my career, some in senior positions as well as my peers. Ira Kress, SVP of operations and Dr. Freda Lewis –Hall, chief medi-cal officer for Pfizer, have both provided me with valuable advice and guidance over the years. Their advice and guidance has helped me identify avenues to utilize my strengths and continue to grow profes-sionally and personally.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining mo-ment of your career to date?I feel a tremendous amount of pride when I see someone that I have mentored be-ing promoted; over the years there have been many. One of my defining moments happened when I realized choosing your battles wisely was a significant character-istic of successful leader.

What is the most challenging part of your job?The most challenging part of my job is to continue to attract, retain and motivate talented people to drive our business.

What is your advice for up-and-coming executives?Stretch yourself beyond your comfort level and don’t be afraid to fail—you will amaze yourself at what you are able to ac-complish. Stop looking for work/life bal-ance there is no such thing; just be the best “you.”

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