Stop & Shop and Ahold Delhaize Leaders Receive FMI Executive Leadership Award
Gordon Reid, President of Stop & Shop, an H2HC member, and Elizabeth Chace-Marino, Manager of Government Relations at Ahold Delhaize USA (retail group that owns Stop & Shop) recently received The Food Industry Association’s (FMI) distinguished Esther Peterson Award for Consumer Service. The two leaders were among seven winners of the FMI 2023 Executive Leadership Awards.
“The recipients of the 2023 Executive Leadership Awards constitute a masterclass in food industry leadership,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI president and CEO. “Their time-tested skills and cultivated expertise promoted food industry growth and gracefully elevated the industry’s profile, even when faced with the toughest economic environment in 40 years.” – StoreBrands.com, Jan. 21, 2023
Over the course of their illustrious careers, both Chace-Marino and Reid have made a habit of taking decisive action to solve pressing community challenges – particularly in the area of hunger and nutrition. Notably, Chace-Marino and Reid work to help eliminate hunger and improve healthy equity in their communities.
Prior to joining Stop & Shop, Reid served as President of Giant Food, elevating the brand to the number-one market share position in each of its local markets. His leadership resulted in the company making healthy eating easier and more affordable for consumers, while also streamlining the traditional shopping experience through increased home delivery services. At Stop & Shop, Reid has continued to be a champion in helping to limit barriers impacting a child’s ability to succeed in the classroom by making sure that they have consistent access to food. Through the Stop & Shop School Food Pantry Program, the company has established and supported in-school food pantries benefiting nearly 40,000 children and families at more than 165 schools across its five-state footprint. With Reid’s leadership, Stop & Shop also opened a “Community Wellness Space’’ at their Grove Hall location (in Boston, MA) in an effort to help lower rates of food insecurity and chronic illness in the neighborhood at the intersection of Dorchester and Roxbury.
With more than 30 years of experience in government affairs, community relations and corporate affairs, Chace-Marino focuses on legislative and policy initiatives at all levels of government. Chace-Marino’s government relations acumen and dogged tenacity helped operationalize Reid’s vision to help individuals and families facing hunger achieve food security. They also forged strong relationships with community partners, legislators, and hunger relief advocates via the Hunger to Health Collaboratory to address the root causes of hunger and create long-term solutions. Chace-Marino currently serves on FMI’s Government Affairs Committee, FMI SNAP working task force, and is the past chair of its Women Infants Children (WIC) Task Force.
Both honorees recently participated in FMI-hosted dialogs held at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum during Food History month to talk with industry and government leaders regarding industry commitments to ending hunger, improving nutrition, and reducing diet-related diseases following the White House Conference on Nutrition and Health.