CHICAGO — Food Marketing Institute presented its Store Manager Superior Service Awards to Don Blair of Bi-Lo in Rock Hill, S.C. (large chain category); Kenneth Hall Jr. of Schnuck Markets in East St. Louis, Ill. (medium-sized chain category); and Lewis F. Kennedy of Green Hill Farms in Syracuse, N.Y. (small chain category). In presenting the awards, Harold Lloyd of Harold Lloyd Presents cited the store manager as being the single most important position at a supermarket company. He said some of the qualities great store leaders have in common are vision, passion, a willingness to share key performance metrics with other employees, and the ability to “bring fun to the workplace every day.” The other six finalists for the awards, out of 200 total entries, were: Ron Frasier, Hannaford Bros. in Colonie, N.Y.; Steven Girton, Nell's Shurfine Market in Carlisle, Pa.; Joseph “Wood” Martin of Harris Teeter in Wilmington, N.C.; Judy Plogsted of bigg's in Harrison, Ohio; Rose Richardson of Chief Supermarket in Defiance, Ohio; and Pat Scullin of Giant Eagle in Lyndhurst, Ohio.
