Associated Wholesale Grocers appoints indie grocer Dana Naifeh to its board of directors

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) has appointed independent grocer Dana Naifeh to its board of directors, the Kansas City-based distributor announced on Thursday. Naifeh will replace James Neumann, who is now SVP of special projects for AWG.

Naifeh brings more than 25 years of experience in the grocery industry. She is the president and owner along with her husband, Judson, fourth-generation grocer of Naifeh’s, Inc., which has two locations in Tennessee.

The Naifeh family has been in the grocery business since 1910 when Joe Naifeh opened his first grocery store in Tennessee.

"We are delighted to welcome Dana Naifeh to AWG's board of directors,” said David Smith, AWG President and CEO, in a statement. “Her hands-on experience as an owner-operator in the highly competitive west Tennessee marketplace and her dedication to the industry and community involvement will make her an invaluable member of the board."

Barry Queen, chairman of the board of AWG, said in a statement that, “Dana is a great addition to the AWG Board. I believe that her expertise and fresh perspective will represent AWG and the Mid-South Division well and contribute to our ongoing growth and leadership in the industry.

Involved in her local community, Naifeh currently serves on the Tennessee Grocers Education Foundation Board of Trustees as chairman elect. She also serves on the City of Covington Industrial Development Board.

“It is a real honor to be chosen to serve on AWG’s Board of Directors,” said Naifeh in a statement. “I am truly excited about the opportunity to work alongside other industry leaders working together to continue to grow and lead AWG.”

AWG is the nation's largest food distribution cooperative for independent grocers, serving more than 1,100 member companies and over 3,400 locations in 31 states from nine wholesale divisions. AWG’s most-recent consolidated sales were $12.3 billion. Last month the company opened its massive, state-of-the-art distribution hub in Hernando, Mississippi, that occupies 124 acres, almost one million square feet of floor space and is over 80 feet tall throughout.