Food Lion Announces Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award Winners

ONE FINALIST TO BE SELECTED FOR STORE MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Food Lion has named five store managers as divisional award winners, making them eligible for its prestigious Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager of the Year Award to be presented on Feb. 16. These awards recognize and honor exceptional store managers who enrich the lives of Food Lion's customers, associates and the communities we serve, successfully leading our business, and supporting and inspiring others.

Divisional winners include:

• Jeff Estes, of Store 2206, of 1088 Brawley School Road, in Mooresville, N.C., for the Central Charlotte Division. Estes started with Food Lion in 1996 as a bagger in Richmond, Va.  Since that time, he has worked in various roles of increasing responsibility up to store manager.
• Leslie Johnson, Store 57, of 5279 Roxboro Road, in Durham, N.C., for the Mid-Atlantic Division. Johnson joined Food Lion in 2010 as a store manager, where she has held that position for the past six years. Prior to joining the company, she spent some time working in retail and uses her vast experience in her current role as a store manager in Durham, N.C.
• Brandon Phillips, Store 1352, of 1526 North Bridge St., in Elkin, N.C., for the Central Greensboro Division. Phillips joined Food Lion 16 years ago. Since that time he has worked in various roles of increasing responsibility.
• Wendy Thompson, Store 1217, of 2710 Roberts Ave., Lumberton, N.C., for the Southern Division. Thompson has been working with Food Lion for 22 years. Although she has worked in various other roles with the company, she has spent the last 14 years as a store manager.
• Matthew Webber, Store 2194, of 78 Worchester Drive, in Falling Waters, W. Va., for the Northern Division. Webber has worked with Food Lion for 19 years. He has held various roles during his tenure including service associate, grocery manager and store assistant. He has spent the last 15 years working as a store manager with the company.

"Our store managers are the heartbeat of our organization and represent the towns and cities we serve," said Meg Ham, President of Food Lion. "Our store associates bring our brand, our strategy and everything we do to life for our customers. These exceptional store managers lead the way for our associates who serve our customers every day."

Food Lion will donate $1,000 to each of the feeding agencies served by these stores in honor of the division winners.  The winner of the coveted Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager of the Year Award will be presented at Food Lion's headquarter office in Salisbury, N.C., on Feb. 16.

About Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has committed to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020. Food Lion is a company of Delhaize America, a U.S. division of Zaandam-based Royal Ahold Delhaize Group. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

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Contact:

Benny Smith: 704-310-4077;blsmith@foodlion.com