Tony Gilliam, produce manager for the Weber City, Virginia Food City was recently named a grand-prize winner in the 2015 Retail Produce Manager of the Year Awards.  Each year, United Fresh Produce Association recognizes the top 25 produce managers within the industry during their annual convention.  Five grand-prize winners are selected from among the field of competitors.  This year’s convention was held in Chicago, IL, June 8-10. 

“These men and women represent the “best of the best” in our industry,” said Tom Stenzel, United Fresh President & CEO.  “Through their creative efforts and interaction with customers, they’re making produce a centerpiece of the retail shopping experience and wowing consumers everyday.”

The candidates were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by supermarket chains, commissaries and independent retail stores throughout the industry.  The award recognizes outstanding achievement in the areas of produce merchandising/marketing, community service and commitment to total customer satisfaction.

“Tony is an exceptional merchandiser, constantly identifying new and creative ways to display the items within his department,” says Mike Tipton, director of produce operations for Food City.  “He has a great working relationship with the local farms situated near his store and is a tremendous promoter of Food City’s local grown produce program.  In fact, his store sets the pace for our spring locally grown strawberry sales.” 

Gilliam is also a strong supporter of the company’s sampling program, making items available for sampling on a regular basis.  He also delivers fresh fruit and vegetable samples to local schools, health departments, outreach programs and numerous community events throughout the year.  And when Food City and Mann Farms recently teamed up to donate a salad bar to Rye Cove High School in Duffield, VA, Gilliam mobilized his team to raise the monies necessary to fund the project.  The program has been so well received that Gilliam has committed to assisting his local Middle School next year in obtaining a salad bar as well.

Gilliam regularly promotes the Fruits and Veggies More Matters campaign.  He works with his local health department sampling items for area children and their parents and stressing the importance of healthy eating habits.  He also works closely with the local school system on their fresh produce purchases, offering advice on new and interesting items that might be of interest to the children.  He offers departmental tours to area schools to introduce the kids to different fruits and vegetables and provides nutritious snacks for his local Upward Bound Basketball youth program.

“Tony is dedicated to serving his customers and his community,” adds Tipton.  “He encourages his associates to treat their customers like family and “stock up stream” so they will always be facing their customers no matter where they are on the sales floor.  He is an asset to our company and the community as a whole and we certainly congratulate him on this great honor.”

Food City associates were also named award winners in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. 

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores operates 105 retail supermarkets throughout the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.