TEANECK, N.J. -- National Frozen Food Month, March, a store level event throughout the nation's supermarkets, was celebrated here June 8 as awards were given to retailers, brokers, manufacturers and distributors by officers of the Eastern Frosted Food Association, Ringwood, N.J.
The regional event foreshadowed the national Golden and Silver Penguin Awards, soon to be announced by the National Frozen Food Association, Harrisburg, Pa.
Rows of cobalt blue glass penguins stood at the ready as the guests filed into the Bergen Ballroom of the Marriott Glenpointe hotel, chatted for an hour or so, and then settled down to listen to Eileen Scott, executive vice president, Pathmark Stores. She described "things I hate, in business and in life," which include things like mediocrity, lack of passion, poor service, poor training and senior managers who fail to understand customers or to visit stores.
Two tables full of Kings Super Market dairy/frozen food managers led the applause for one of their own, Jeffrey Wadleigh of Store 61, Midland Park, who won the Retail Clerk's Contest. Winning with Wadleigh was Carlos Garcia of Marketing Specialists, Fairfield. Wadleigh had won twice before, in 1993 and 1997, and this time, the grand prize is a trip for four to Orlando, Fla.
Kings Super Markets won first place among retailers with one to 25 stores, while second went to Dan's Supreme Supermarkets, Hempstead, N.Y. Barry Farber of Gristede's won in the next largest retailer category, 26 to 50 stores; second, Tony Beccaria of King Kullen Grocery Co., Westbury, N.Y., with Mark Stein of White Rose accepting, and third was to Foodtown's Art Winter.
In the largest category, 51 stores and above, Tina Markarian of A&P took first place, Pat Longo of Pathmark Stores, second, and Margaret Danzi of Waldbaum's, Central Islip, N.Y., third.
In the retail cooperative category, first was Bob Fitzsimmons of Wakefern, Elizabeth, N.J., and second was Abner Joseph of Key Food, Brooklyn.
Among the brokers, Marti Sheredy, account manager, Atlantic Region, and Jill Wasserman, business manager, frozen foods, Marketing Specialists, took first honors for their work with Kings, ShopRite, Gristede's and Dan's Supreme. Second was Tom Barrons of Advantage-Pezrow and third was Dennis Applegate of M.W. Hauk.
Among the frozen food manufacturers, first place went to Edy's Ice Cream, Leo Glynn accepting, second-place winner was MBM Foodworks, and third was Paul Harris of Highliner Foods, Nova Scotia, makers of Fisher Boy frozen fish products and Italian Village frozen pasta products.
In the distributor category, the one award went to Gene Sniniski of Millbrook Distribution Services.