FMI – The Food Industry Association has named the 12 finalists for the 2026 Store Manager Awards, recognizing outstanding grocery retail leaders from across the U.S. and around the world.
The annual recognition honors store managers who demonstrate operational excellence, innovation, leadership and community impact while delivering exceptional experiences for shoppers and associates.
Finalists for the 2026 FMI Store Manager Awards include:
Category A
- James Hensel, Oregon Dairy, Lititz, Pennsylvania;
- Jeff Payne, Harmons Grocery, Orem, Utah; and
- Lisa Milla, Strack & Van Til, Munster, Indiana.
Category B
- Ashten Walker, Market District/Giant Eagle, Solon, Ohio;
- Luke Schentrup, The Fresh Market, Hendersonville, North Carolina; and
- Wei Zheng, 99 Ranch Market, Chandler, Arizona.
Category C
- Almedin “Almo” Dokic, Food Lion, Richmond, Virginia;
- Jamie Franck, Hy-Vee, Inc., Dubuque, Iowa; and
- Mark Ferrari, QFC/The Kroger Family of Companies, Bothell, Washington.
Category D (International)
- Kanchan Rijal, SPAR Paceville, St. Julians, Malta;
- Salvatore Cossu, EUROSPAR Sorso, Sorso, Italy; and
- Tina Tsitsava, SPAR Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia.
The winners will be announced July 23 during a live, virtual awards ceremony. For more information about the FMI Store Manager Awards, visit FMI.org.