ARLINGTON, Va. — FMI—The Food Industry Association has announced the 11 finalists for the 2025 Store Manager Awards, recognizing outstanding retail leaders from across the globe. As the awards mark their 20th anniversary, FMI honors store managers who exemplify excellence in leadership, sales growth, community engagement, and customer service.
“For two decades, FMI’s Store Manager Awards have recognized extraordinary leaders who nurture, serve, and help sustain their local communities,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI. “This year’s finalists exemplify leadership that is purposeful, innovative, and characterized by care for their teams and customers. We are honored to celebrate their achievements as we mark this 20-year milestone.”
The 2025 finalists were selected from 174 nominations across four categories:
Category A – Small Retailers (1–25 stores):
- Russ Blais, Roche Bros. Marketplace
- Emily Lowe, E.W. James & Sons, Inc.
Category B – Medium Retailers (26–199 stores):
- Amy Stainbrooks, Giant Food
- Jason Johnson, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. (Food City)
- Brittany Rhoades, Family Fare Supermarkets
Category C – Large Retailers (200+ stores):
- Ramatoulaye Diallo, Jewel-Osco
- Toby Pentecost, Food Lion, LLC
- Heath Redman, Harris Teeter LLC
Category D – International Retailers (Outside the U.S.):
- Leon Kruger, SPAR South Africa
- Larisa Kvaratskelia, SPAR Georgia
- Tahjae Welch, The MarketPlace Limited
People’s Pick Voting Opens Soon
Each finalist is eligible for FMI’s People’s Pick Award, where the public can vote for their favorite store manager. Voting opens Monday, May 19 at 8:00 a.m. EDT on FMI’s website. The finalist with the most votes will receive a special trophy and a $500 prize to celebrate with their store team.
Join FMI and sponsor The Coca-Cola Company as they celebrate these leaders at the 2025 Store Manager Awards Ceremony, which will be live-streamed on June 5, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. EDT on FMI’s official YouTube channel.
For more information on the finalists and how to vote, visit www.FMI.org.
