Houchens Food Group recently unveiled a new program, the Store Manager Appreciation Awards, to recognize the work of its grocery store leadership, whom it considers its “unsung heroes.”
Consisting of 18 lunch banquets divided by region and banner, the events include individual recognition of store managers as well as a selection of other awards. In addition, a Store Manager of the Year is named.
The first two events, which were held June 18-19 in Jasper, Indiana, celebrated HFG North Division IGA stores. The remainder will continue through November.
One of the 18 honorees will be crowned HFG Store Manager of the Year during a celebration in January at the Houchens-L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky. That manager could then become an IGA Retailer of the Year nominee and attend the 2025 NGA Show in Las Vegas. 
In a statement, HFG said its store managers “have the most important job but don’t always feel they get credit for all they do.”
“They are more than the friendly faces that greet our customers with a smile every day, the problem-solvers who ensure the shelves are stocked and the leaders who inspire their teams to deliver exceptional customer service,” the statement continued.
“They sacrifice their weekends with their families and are always available when something goes wrong. Most importantly, they are the backbone of our community grocery stores that serve small-town America, where our independent grocers are needed the most.”
The program was the brainchild of Greg Rush, HFG’s chief marketing officer and VP of merchandising.
“The store manager is one of the most critical roles in our business, and we want to recognize them for their hard work, dedication and sacrifices to serve our customers,” he said. “Our leadership team is thrilled to celebrate [them].”
For award consideration, managers are measured on sales, payroll and EBITDA. Other factors include culture, training and workforce development and community involvement.
At the North Division events in June, Duane Mann of IGA in Loogootee, Indiana, was named Manager of the Year for the West Region, while Kathy Fischer of California Marketplace in California, Kentucky, took the honor for the East Region. Each region has 10 stores. The winners received a family ticket package to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana.
“As we continue to learn more and get to know our managers at each event, we increasingly appreciate their efforts, hard work and commitment to their store, community and our company,” Rush said.
“We are deeply grateful for their dedication and the impact they have on our company, and we hope that the SMAAs are a meaningful way to express our gratitude.”
While this is the inaugural year of the program, Rush indicated the company is looking to the future.
“We’ve made a remarkable leap from concept to reality in just a few weeks,” he said. “Our team is already in planning mode for 2025, brainstorming creative ideas to make future appreciation events even more memorable.”
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