Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Meijer has announced the winners of its 2021 Legacy Awards, recognizing eight individuals across the Midwest for their impact on their teams, customers and communities.
The Legacy Awards are the highest recognitions a Meijer team member can receive and feature two categories: the Fred Meijer Award and the President’s Award.
“Our team members make everything our customers see in our stores possible,” said Hank Meijer, executive chairman. “These awards honor team members throughout the company who are leaving a legacy on their teams and communities. We’re proud to have them.”
Kevin Hurn, director of pharmacy procurement and new business, received the 2021 Fred Meijer Award. This award is given annually to one individual who embodies the values and mission set forth by Fred Meijer, including leadership based in humility, generosity and a passion for serving others.
Over the course of his 35-year career at Meijer, Hurn has been a driving force behind many major pharmacy programs that benefit Meijer customers, including acquiring specialty pharmacy offerings to better serve patients with chronic and difficult-to-manage conditions. He also played a vital role in the retailer’s industry-leading COVID-19 vaccination program, managing its vaccine inventory to keep the Meijer pharmacies and mass clinics stocked.
Recently, Hurn organized the retailer’s free N95 mask initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, making Meijer one of the first major retailers to offer them from the national stockpile. He also volunteered to raise service dogs for Paws with a Cause, build houses with Habitat for Humanity and traveled to Haiti on humanitarian aid trips in his personal time.
“Kevin Hurn truly lives out our purpose of enriching lives in the communities we serve every day, not because he wants the credit but because it’s what he knows is right,” Meijer said. “He’s recognized by his colleagues as a ‘humble visionary,’ which reminds me of how people spoke about my father, making this award in his honor especially fitting.”
The company also celebrated seven winners of the 2021 President’s Award, which acknowledges their significant business contributions in the last year. The recipients are:
- Angel Cuevas, distribution facility clerk in Tipp City, Ohio;
- Carla Hendon, director of supplier diversity and indirect procurement in Grand Rapids, Michigan;
- David Le, R.Ph., pharmacy team leader at the Sawmill Road Meijer in Columbus, Ohio;
- Jeffrey Marentette, R.Ph., senior enterprise architect-pharmacy, ITS in Grand Rapids, Michigan;
- Kelvin McGill, warehouse clerk in Lansing, Michigan;
- Robert Ostroff, store director of the Alpine Avenue Meijer in Walker, Michigan; and
- Melissa Tinkham, customer service and general merchandise line leader at the Fremont Meijer in Fremont, Michigan.
“This year’s President’s Award winners exemplify the reason we began the Legacy Awards tradition – they reflect the wide impact our team members are making on our business and in our communities,” said Rick Keyes, president and CEO of Meijer. “Looking at the breadth of their accomplishments reminds us that an individual can always make a difference.”
For more information, visit meijer.com.
