The Food Council Committee for Good Government (FCCfGG) will hold the golden anniversary of its “Good Government” Breakfast on Oct. 1 at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, New Jersey.
State lawmakers and food industry leaders will be discussing key issues and honoring those who support good government principles. Attendees will hear about issues impacting the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) members. Those include organized retail crime prevention and packaging legislation, as well as a recap of other major policy initiatives the trade organization has undertaken in the past year.
The event is expected to include bipartisan comments about policies and priorities as the November general election nears, with the U.S. presidency on the top of the ballot, a U.S. Senate race in New Jersey and all House seats.
The program is sponsored by FCCfGG, a nonprofit political action committee that promotes the election of state lawmakers who support the priorities of food retailers. Attendees will hear from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw.
“The NJFC is fortunate to have developed vital, long-term working relationships with many members of the state legislature over the years,” said Linda Doherty, FCCfGG treasurer, who is also the president and CEO of NJFC.
“These key partnerships have been a direct benefit to the thousands of supermarket employees and millions of New Jersey consumers who rely on a strong food industry in this state. For this golden anniversary, we will celebrate these relationships, express our appreciation and discuss critical agenda items for the coming year.”
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Attendees will salute five honorees in the food retailing business and government. They include:
Patriot Award
In Memory of Bill Sumas, Village Supermarkets
This award is rarely presented, having been received by just three others, and is a testament to the lasting impact of the late Sumas, who died this summer after a four-year battle with cancer. He will be remembered for his advocacy and engagement with government officials to foster productive partnerships between the industry and government.
“As a leader of the New Jersey food industry, Bill was generous and passionate about advocating for critical policy initiatives and to mentor emerging leaders,” Doherty said.
“Bill has been recognized by many of his industry friends and colleagues for his commitment to serving as a role model for the future generation. He is also fondly remembered for his support of local anti-hunger initiatives and other worthy community programs.”
Good Government Award
Andrew Kent, EVP of Glass Gardens ShopRite and chair of the NJFC
Kent represents the next generation of ownership at Glass Gardens. He has served as the chair of the NJFC board of directors since 2022. He graduated from the inaugural class of the NJFC Leadership Development Program in 2014 and now gives his time mentoring future food industry leaders.
“Andrew embraced his role as chairman and redefined the vision and engagement of the association through strategic planning and execution,” Doherty said. “His determination and involvement involved with NJFC and many other food retail organizations, both on the state and national levels, is inspiring. His commitment to effective engagement with policymakers is significant and appreciated.”
Outstanding Legislator Award
William Spearman, New Jersey General Assembly, District 5
NJFC has a long working relationship with Spearman, who regularly engages and collaborates with the council for insights on bills and proposals and offers assistance and support.
NJFC is working with Spearman on its Organized Retail Crime bill package, packaging legislation and a bill to fix the new online lottery rule. Food security is important to Spearman, who serves along with Doherty on Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin’s Food Security Taskforce.
Spearman has represented District 5 since 2018. He is chair of the Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee, vice chair of the Children, Families and Food Security Committee and serves on the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.
Outstanding Legislator Award
Holly Schepisi, New Jersey State Senate, District 39
NJFC also has a long and productive relationship with Schepisi, who is a key part of Republican leadership, serving as conference leader. The senator is known for promoting pro-growth policies and advocates for decreasing regulatory burdens on employers.
“Schepisi is a sponsor of NJFC’s Organized Retail Crime legislation package, designed to tackle organized retail theft and assault of retail workers through enhanced penalties, enforcement and resources to combat these types of crimes,” Doherty said.
The senator has represented District 39 since 2012, first in the General Assembly and in the Senate since 2021. She serves on the Senate Community and Urban Affairs and Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committees, as well as the Joint Committee on Housing Affordability and Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity.
Thomas W. Kelly Government Service Award
Robert Asaro-Angelo, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Asaro-Angelo, nominated as commissioner in January 2018, oversees the state’s services to New Jersey workers. He was named board chair of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) for the 2021 association year.
“We appreciate our partnership with the commissioner and his team and the department’s commitment to labor and workforce development issues that significantly impact NJFC members, such as implementation of the online working papers program for minors,” Doherty said.
“This new system provides flexibility and additional employment support to keep food retailers appropriately staffed so that retailers can continue to serve their customers and communities. We are also pleased to acknowledge our longstanding work with the department on customized training grants that support the food retail industry’s food safety training initiatives.”
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