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HFG Wraps Up a Year Long Store Appreciation Award Tour

March 9, 2025

The first annual Store Manager Appreciation Awards (SMAA) series wrapped up this January in a spectacular final event at Western Kentucky University to unveil the top honor of Overall Store Manager of the Year and recipient of the Jimmy Nichols' Golden Shopping Cart trophy. Melissa Anderson & store #17 Hometown IGA of Albany, KY was awarded the top honor along with being HFG's nominee for IGA Retailer of the Year 2025.

The Store Manager Appreciation Awards was sparked from a conversation between HFG's former President, Jimmy Nichols and the leadership team on the challenges of maintaining talent post COVID. The leadership team was challenged on how to adjust budgets and invest in our store managers. Current President Greg Rush acknowledged, "we need to invest in more training; we need to provide them with all the tools they need to successfully operate [their stores]. But also, it is important for employees to know how important they are to our business."

The marketing and merchandising teams immediately set out planning and coordinating with operational leadership a series of 18 district events to celebrate each of our 207 IGA and Food Giant grocery locations across multiple states. Each district selected awards based on outstanding performances in sales, merchandising, safety, marketing and more; while also selecting one top overall district winner to receive the SMAA store manager award and Shelby Report's Outstanding Independent award.

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North Division Winners:

  • Kathy Fischer, Store #757 California Marketplace, California, Kentucky
  • Leslie Gregory, Store #490 Priceless Foods, Franklin, Kentucky
  • Margaret Zech, Store #2 Hometown IGA, Irvington, Kentucky
  • Dustin Arnett, Store #59 Priceless Foods, Tompkinsville, Kentucky

East Division Winners:

  • Melissa Anderson, Store #17 Hometown IGA, Albany, Kentucky
  • Pam Sartain, Store #487 Priceless Foods, Kingsport, Tennessee

South Division Winners:

  • Tyler Harris, Store #493 Priceless Foods, Russellville, Alabama
  • Ben Hogan, Store #64 Food Giant, Abbeville, Alabama
  • Tammy Peterson, Store #614 Piggly Wiggly, Florala, Alabama
  • Charity Karle, Store #621 Piggly Wiggly, Defuniak Springs, Florida
  • Cassidy Little, Store #631 Piggly Wiggly, Bay Springs, Mississippi

West Division Winners:

  • Adam Myers, Store #559 Save Mart, McGehee, Arkansas
  • Harlan Elfrink, Store #597 Food Giant, Bloomfield, Missouri
  • Jimmy Winchester, Store #539 Food Giant, Medina, Tennessee
  • Enoch Smithey, Store $594 Cash Saver, Tupelo, Mississippi
  • Chris Fortune, Store #544 Food Giant, Parsons, Tennessee
  • Nathan Everly, Store #520 Marketplace, Madisonville, Kentucky
  • Duane Mann, Store #463 IGA, Loogootee, Indiana

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The SMAAs culminated at WKU's L.T. Smith Stadium with each district SMAA winner being celebrated for their top wins. Melissa Anderson's scorecard for store #17 ultimately rose to the top and secured her win as our first SMAA Overall Winner.

Congratulations to Mellissa and the entire Hometown IGA store team in Albany, KY on your amazing win!

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