Michael J. Taverna, retired from Ahold USA, passed away unexpectedly on September 21 at his home; he was 66.
Taverna was born on January 4, 1954 in the Bronx, NY. He was a son of Joseph Taverna Sr. and Pauline (Opalin) Taverna.
A wonderful father, brother and friend, Taverna was known for his quick wit, gregarious personality, great sense of humor and nostalgic storytelling. He had a gift for engaging people in conversation and made everyone in his presence feel at ease.
Taverna grew up in New Milford, NJ, graduated from New Milford High school in 1972, and then earned his B.S. in marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. After college, he began an illustrious career in the food retail industry, which lasted more than 40 years. He first worked for A&P Supermarkets in New Jersey. He moved up through the industry ranks and worked in other retail chains, such as Wakefern (ShopRite) in New Jersey and Finast/Edwards (former Ahold banners) in New York and Connecticut. He held a number of positions, including category manager of general merchandise. As the retail industry experienced consolidation resulting from many mergers and acquisitions, Taverna relocated to the greater Harrisburg area to work for Giant Food Stores, LLC, through the Edwards grocery chain acquisition. Taverna spent most of his career working for Giant Food Stores, LLC & Ahold USA in Carlisle PA, where he was the general merchandise category manager for Giant. He retired from Ahold USA in December 2017.
Taverna was an icon in his industry. Many of his colleagues would refer to him as the “Mayor of GM.” He had celebrity status when he attended trade shows and conferences. His wealth of retail knowledge and high level of integrity were the foundation for his outstanding reputation in the industry. His years of experience made him a strong mentor to the people and teams he managed throughout his years in the business. In early 2018, Taverna began the second act of his career as a manufacturer’s representative for The Preferred Sales Group. He had a long professional relationship with Vinny Spera, owner of the company. The position was a perfect fit, as Taverna’s vast knowledge of the GM/HGC business allowed an easy transition when he began to call on regional accounts in the food industry, including Giant Food Stores, Weis, Stop & Shop in New England, and Giant Eagle.
Outside of work, Taverna enjoyed many activities and hobbies. He was a huge sports enthusiast, who loved the New York teams. Another passion of was his love for gardening. Taverna took considerable pride in his home and garden. He spent many weekends at the Jersey Shore and enjoyed local weekends with his friends boating on the Susquehanna River or attending a barbeque at the homes of friends.
Taverna is survived by his daughter Stephanie Emma Taverna, Baltimore, MD; and his brother Joseph Taverna, and nephew, Christopher Taverna, New Milford, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in memory of Michael J. Taverna to The Ronald McDonald House in Hershey, PA.