The Maryland Retailers Alliance has presented its 2026 annual awards, honoring legislators, law enforcement and industry partners. The honorees included a Safeway associate recognized for retail theft prevention, following a legislative year in which the association weighed in on more than 100 bills touching Maryland retail.
The awards capped a legislative session whose biggest battles involved the grocery industry. MRA was heavily involved in drafting the state’s dynamic pricing legislation governing how retailers set prices on goods, and worked with Senate leaders on bills addressing predatory lending, gift card scams and guidance for retailers and customers navigating cash payments now that the federal government has discontinued minting the penny.
“This past year was another incredibly busy one for the Maryland Retailers Alliance,” said Cailey Locklair, MRA president, who also leads the Maryland Food Industry Council. “To the elected officials joining us tonight: thank you for taking our calls, meeting with our members, listening to our concerns, working through complicated issues with us, sponsoring amendments and supporting Maryland’s retail community.”
Ahmad Ali of Safeway received a Retail Theft Prevention Award.
The other honorees were:
- Legislator of the Year – Senate President Bill Ferguson;
- Louis L. Goldstein Public Service Award – Sen. Pam Beidle;
- Retail Theft Prevention Award – Sergio D’Alto, Bel Air Police Department; and
- Retail Theft Prevention Award – Lara King, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“What I’ve learned in the last few years is that real leadership requires listening,” said Ferguson. “It means working with those who are impacted most, you, our retailers, who are growing in our neighborhoods, who are being incentivized to open up in our main streets across our entire state. If our retailers are successful, then Maryland is successful.”
Beidle noted the personal resonance of her award: Comptroller Louis Goldstein, the honor’s namesake, was the guest speaker at her very first fundraiser when she ran for office 28 years ago.
The awards were presented virtually, with the ceremony viewable here. The alliance is a statewide membership association representing retail businesses of all segments and sizes throughout Maryland.