We begin this column this month reporting on the death of Denis Zegar, president and CEO of Making Change who died last month during a bicycle race.
Making Change – formerly the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger and subsequently called Food for All – is a non-profit organization based in Alexandria, VA, that promotes human dignity, wellness and self-sufficient communities and oversees a longstanding checkstand donation initiative for retailers.
Denis was well known to the Baltimore-Washington food trade as he was formerly president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Food Dealers Association after running his own firm, DRZ Management, which specialized in substance-abuse testing, medical-review services and supervisory training for a variety of industries.
Zegar was also a former lobbyist for the food industry, a former chief tax economist and financial analyst for the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee and a former professor of public policy at GeorgeWashingtonUniversity.
We understand that Denis was participating in the Gran Fondo National Championship in Frederick, MD, when he suffered “a medical emergency”.
Denis is survived by his wife Vickie and son Zach.
All of us at Best-Met Publishing got to know Denis very well. He loved being president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Food Dealers Association and as a result made many friendships in the Mid-Atlantic food industry. He will be missed.
We also learned of the death of a retired long time food broker in the mid-Atlantic last month, Earl Keeter. Earl was well known in the Baltimore-Washington food industry having been a broker for many years. Earl will be remembered by many in the Mid-Atlantic as the man who represented Donald Duck orange juice and made it a household name in the Baltimore-Washington market. There was a saying among competing food brokers, that whereever Earl went, Donald Duck also went.
Earl was a walking encyclopedia on the history of the food brokerage business in the Baltimore-Washington market and was well liked by his competitors. He was also respected by all of the retailers and wholesalers that he called on in the Mid-Atlantic. Kathy and I got to know Earl and his wife Betty on a personal basis and enjoyed many dinners and trips to various places together. Our sympathies go out to his daughter Kara and her family.
And, just before presstime we learned that Jimmie Wright, former president of Chaimson Brokerage’s CBC Sales division, has passed away. After serving in the military, Jimmie spent his entire career in the food industry, starting with A&P in 1953. He moved over to the brokerage side of the business in 1969 when he joined Chaimson. He ultimately became president of that Baltimore-Washington broker’s non-foods division, CBC Sales. He retired in 2000, moving to Florida to take up his favorite hobby, golf, full-time.
He is survived by his wife Lois Rendelman, children Denice (Francis) Rupp, Rich (Barbara) Wright, Leslie (Charles) Hoefgen, Nancy (Robert) Jenkins, Emily Cusic; and the late Robin Wright; 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
The family asked that donations in Jimmie’s memory be made the Hospice of Palm Beach County, Lauer Unit, 5301 South Congress Avenue, Atlantis, FL33462.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recently presented retired Wal-Mart president and CEO Mike Duke with its 2014 Hall of Achievement Award before more than 400 industry leaders at the GMA Leadership Forum at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The Hall of Achievement Award represents the highest honor given by the more than 100-year-old association.
Duke’s tenure at Wal-Mart began in 1995, and he quickly rose through the ranks, leading the logistics, distribution and administration divisions. In 2005 he assumed responsibility for its international arm and also served as vice chairman. Duke was named president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in 2009, becoming just the fourth person to hold the position in the Bentonville, AR based retailer’s history. As CEO, he is credited with delivering strong financial performances while making critical investments in technology and human resources to support Walmart’s global expansion.
The GMA Hall of Achievement Award honors the extraordinary service and contributions of the consumer packaged goods industry’s most distinguished leaders. Established in 1984, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the award, of which past recipients include A.G. Lafley of The Procter & Gamble Co., Doug Conant of Campbell Soup Co., Ric Jurgens of Hy-Vee Inc. and Danny Wegman of Wegmans Food Markets.
C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. and its employees across the enterprise raised $1.65 million during the company’s 2014 United Way campaign, thus establishing a new record and increasing its contribution by 10 percent over the previous year. The workplace campaign engaged nearly 5,000 employees as donors; all gifts are matched dollar-for-dollar by the company.
C&S is one of 100 top corporations in the United Way’s Global Corporate Leadership Program. Its family of companies, and its teammates have contributed more than $9.5 million to the United Way over the past nine years. C&S, based in Keene, NH, is the largest food wholesaler and according to Forbes Magazine, the 12th largest privately held company in the United States.
At the conclusion of this year’s Wegmans LPGA Championship, Wegmans vice president Bill Strassburg presented United Way’s Children’s Success Fund with a check for $1 million, more than double the amount donated to the charity for previous tournaments and an amount likely to exceed the final tally of proceeds from this year’s tournament.
All of the proceeds from the Wegmans LPGA Championship Tournament have been invested in the goal of helping kids to graduate from high school. United Way’s Graduation is the Goal supports evidence-based programs that show significant promise in delivering this goal. The Fund helps to support programs like Hillside Work Scholarship Connection that has been proven to double graduation rates, along with other programs that serve children who are at risk of dropping out.
Over the life of the Rochester LPGA tournament, more than $11 million has been donated to programs in the Rochester community that help children succeed.
Shoppers Food & Pharmacy announced it is partnering with the American Diabetes Association to bolster efforts to battle diabetes in the areas it serves by joining the organization’s “Stop Diabetes” campaign, a program that supports community outreach and educational programs aimed at raising awareness of the disease.
In support of the campaign, Shoppers will offer customers at all 56 of its Baltimore-Washington stores the opportunity to purchase a “Stop Diabetes” paper placard at the cash register for $1. All proceeds from the sale, which will begin August 30 and run through September 14, will be donated to the ADA.
“At Shoppers, we’re committed to being a good community partner in the areas we serve,” said Bob Gleeson, president of Shoppers. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of diabetes and support those affected by the disease. We’re proud to work with the American Diabetes Association and grateful for the support of our customers who so often go out of their way to help their neighbors.”
Weis Markets announced that it has launched its seventh annual Fight Hunger Program to run throughout Hunger Action Month in September. The program provides food and monetary donations to local food banks and emergency food providers in Weis Markets’ 163-store service area. To date, the program has raised nearly $1 million for hunger relief organizations.
Food insecurity is a growing problem throughout the United States. According to Feed America, a national hunger-relief organization, 49 million Americans live in food insecure households, affecting 33.1 million adults and 15.9 million children.
“We are committed to being a good neighbor in the communities we serve, and we feel strongly that it is our duty to help support hunger relief organizations that can make a positive difference and bring food to the table for many struggling families,” said Kurt Schertle, chief operating officer for Weis Markets. “For organizations like the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, which serves 27 counties in Pennsylvania, a donation as small as one dollar can provide six meals for those in need. We appreciate our shoppers’ support in making this program a success and want them to know that their contributions made at the register really go a long way in supporting their neighbors.”
Customers are able to donate shelf-stable items, as well as purchase $2, $4 and $6 vouchers during the checkout process. 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to area food banks to help fill gaps in food supplies. Weis Markets also offers convenient, pre-filled Fight Hunger donation boxes containing pasta, sauce, fruit, vegetables, tuna, cereal and soup — all for less than $10.
The Fight Hunger Food Drive will benefit local food banks and pantries throughout Weis Markets’ five state market area. Regional food banks will also participate in the program including: The Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast, PA; The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (Harrisburg); The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (Williamsport); The Maryland Food Bank; The Commission on Economic Opportunity/The Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton); Greater Berks Food Bank (Reading); Philabundance (Montgomery County, PA); Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW)/Broome County Council of Churches; Food Bank of the Southern Tier (Elmira); Food Bank Network of Somerset County; Philabundance; Northwest Community Action Program NORWESCAP Food Bank (Phillipsburg, NJ); and Mountaineer Food Bank (West Virginia).
On a personal note, after Kathy and I spent our vacation on Cape Cod, we must recommend a couple of great eating (and drinking) spots to you, all in Orleans, MA.
A new place right where our condo is, called Rock Harbor Grill, only about four years old but offers an exciting bar scene along with great food; and Mahoney’s, also within walking distance of our condo and right in the center of Orleans, offering great food and good drink. And lastly, my all time favorite, and one which I’ve written about may times, Land Ho!
Land Ho! is just a great spot with excellent food and drink. And no matter how busy the place is, a wait of more than just 10-15 minutes is most unusual. It’s a great place to drink and/or dine and to people watch.
I know that Ocean City is the favorite vacation spot of many people in the Mid-Atlantic, and it deserves that recognition, but should you want to try something different, Cape Cod is worth the drive and you’re still on the East Coast of the United States. It’s just some place a little different.
You can reach Dick at [email protected].