PHOENIX — Tim Devanney, president of Connecticut’s Highland Park Market, received the Food Marketing Institute Glen P. Woodard, Jr., Public Affairs Award on Tuesday.
The award recognizes Devanney’s leadership in helping the supermarket industry address important government issues and was presented at FMI’s Midwinter Executive Conference here.
FMI said Devanney was instrumental in helping spark interchange fee reform by convincing his home-state senator, Christopher Dodd, of the need. Dodd at the time was chairman of the Banking Committee. “It is in part due to Devanney’s advocacy on behalf of the industry that the senator was convinced of the need for reform and announced his commitment to address interchange reform through his committee,” FMI said in a statement.
Devanney has played a vital role in representing the interests of the supermarket industry at both the state and federal level, FMI said. He has been a member of the FMI board of directors since 2002, and also served as chairman of the Independent Operator Committee. As a member of the board, Devanney is actively involved in public policy initiatives that impact the food retail industry. He is also currently serving his second term as chairman of the Connecticut Food Association.
Devanney grew up in the grocery business, helping out in his father’s store in Manchester, Conn., when he was 10 years old. He took over the daily operations of Highland Park Market in the late 1980s, but continued to follow his father’s simple philosophy to always help others.
Devanney is the 16th recipient of the Woodard Award. Glen Woodard led public affairs advocacy in the supermarket industry during the second half of the 20th century, representing Winn-Dixie Stores and FMI.