Women Grocers of America to launch share group for emerging leaders

Women Grocers of America (WGA) is launching the Emerging Female Leaders Network, a share group for women leaders in the independent grocery industry seeking to grow their professional network and accelerate their leadership development.

The new share group will premiere in conjunction with the spring gathering of the Executive Female Leaders Network (EXFL), meeting at the first half of the event on May 1-2, 2023, in Chicago.

Objectives of the share group include establishing and growing connections and relationships with women in the grocery industry, learning new skills to support professional development; increasing confidence and acquiring tools to advance professionally, and learn more about the overall grocery industry, including consumer and market trends. 

“WGA continues to enjoy great success and growth in interest and membership after the inaugural EXFL meeting in Washington, D.C., last October, when more than 40 women met for two days of professional and personal development,” said Kristin Popp, WGA president and EVP of Wisconsin-based Woodman’s Markets. “This new share group will boost mentoring opportunities and allow women executives to nurture the next generation of leadership for our industry.”

With a targeted attendance of 12-15 women, the share group will meet biannually (spring and fall) with the executive network, in addition to numerous virtual touchpoints, creating a mentor system between its members and members of EXFL. A buddy system between EFL and EXFL will be established. Participants need to attend virtual and in-person events.

For more information and to view the agenda, click here.

About NGA

NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation's overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.

About the NGA Foundation

The NGA Foundation is the 501(c)3 nonprofit arm of the National Grocers Association. The Foundation provides independent retailers with tools to develop more effective recruiting programs, enhance retention efforts and bolster professional leadership development opportunities for employers. For more information, visit www.ngafoundation.org.