NGA Appoints New Board Members

Following last week's announcement that National Grocers Association (NGA) President and CEO Peter Larkin will retire in December 2019, the trade association wrapped up its Fall Leadership Meetings with new appointments to its board. 

NGA's board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Kevin Proctor, chief investment officer of Save-A-Lot Food Stores, and Jay Ard, VP of industry affairs for The Coca-Cola Co., as members of the board.

Jay Ard photograph courtesy of NGA

Association officials said Proctor will offer a "unique perspective and extensive background in both the retail and real estate markets." Before taking his position at Save-A-Lot, Proctor spent more than 16 years with Lidl. While there, he held multiple positions in both the operational and corporate sectors, including EVP of real estate, where he worked toward's the retailer's North American expansion. Proctor also was COO of Digicel Group, a mobile phone network provider that operates in the Caribbean, Central America and Oceania regions. Kevin received his bachelor of science in real estate development from Oxford Brookes University in 1997.

Kevin Proctor photograph courtesy of NGA

Ard worked his way up the Coca-Cola ranks after joining as a route driver for the Rainwater Coca-Cola Bottling Group in 1979. He became area VP for south Louisiana in 1994 before earning a promotion to general manager of the Gulf States Division and Florida Division. He has held the role of VP of national sales, convenience retail, since 2005.

“I am pleased to welcome Jay and Kevin to NGA's board of directors,” Larkin said. “Both have broad industry experience and will bring insight that will be very valuable as we work to advance our organization and the independent supermarket industry.”

Nearly 200 attendees joined the meeting in Washington, D.C., which included the Independent Impact Summit and Trading Partners Live! event. Leftover products from participating companies were donated to the Carpenter's Shelter, which serves previously homeless children and adults.