Six Food Lion Leaders Honored in Progressive Grocer’s 2014 Top Women in Grocery List

Food Lion Top Honorees Represent Charlotte, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., Statesville, N.C., Waldorf, Md., Fredericksburg, Va., and Simpsonville, S.C., Markets

Progressive Grocer magazine has named six Food Lion leaders to its prestigious 2014 Top Women in Grocery list, one of the food industry’s highest honors. The “Rising Star” winners include the following:

• Lisa Hodges, director of operations for the Waldorf, Md., market.

Hodges joined Food Lion in 1990 and currently oversees 20 stores in the Waldorf, Md., region, which consists of 17 Maryland stores and three in Virginia. Over the past 24 years, Food Lion has distinguished Hodges with numerous honors, awards noting her sales accomplishments throughout many roles. In 2013, Food Lion awarded her for having the best same store sales and for supporting development plans to grow and develop store managers into future leaders.

• Sherry Ritenour, director of operations for the Fredericksburg, Va., market.

Ritenour has been with the company for 19 years. She provides leadership and motivation to 25 store managers in the Fredericksburg, Va., region. Ritenour has a proven track record as being a top retail leader in the industry. Since working at Food Lion, Ritenour has received the Store Manager of the Year award, as well as other company honors for having top item growth, associate development andher work with the community.

• Kathryn Sowers, director of operations for the Statesville, N.C., market.

Sowers has 20 years of grocery retail experience with Food Lion. She has previously served as cashier, floral manager, customer service manager, co-manager, store manager, manager of front end service/technology and director of operations. Sowers’ provides oversight for 23 stores throughout the Statesville, N.C., market. She and her stores have garnered several awards, both individually and for the company.

• Delony Spraggins, director of operations for the Raleigh, N.C., market.

Spraggins manages 25 North Carolina stores in the Raleigh/Durham market. She has been recognized by the company for her outstanding performance both as director of operations and former director of renewals. As Food Lion’s talent development and retail trainer, she created the company’s current Store Manager Academy program, led the company’s organizational talent planning process and helped to remodel 700 stores.

• Kristen Talley, director of operations for the Charlotte, N.C., market.

Talley has been with the company since 2004. After graduating from Winston-Salem State University in 2004, she was selected to participate in Food Lion’s Retail Management Trainee Program, where she learned how to manage total store operations. She has served as a store manager and is now director of operations. As the director of operations for the Charlotte, N.C., market, Talley is responsible for 24 stores, and has been recognized for her stores’ top performance.

Store Manager Award Category:

• Rhonda Mauldin, Food Lion store manager, Food Lion, Simpsonville, S.C.

Mauldin is the store manager of the Food Lion location on 1004 W Georgia Road in Simpsonville, S.C. Mauldin oversees more than 55 associates. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the grocery retail industry working as a store manager and customer service manager. The company recognized Mauldin earlier this year for her outstanding performance at the Simpsonville, S.C., location.

“All of these women are extraordinary leaders and are truly deserving of this recognition for their outstanding leadership and commitment to our customers,” said Greg Finchum, senior vice president of retail operations. “Each of these leaders has a deep commitment to excellence and makes a tremendous difference each day in the lives of our associates and the communities we serve.”

Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery award recognizes grocery retail leaders who demonstrate excellence in leadership daily throughout the industry, their stores and the communities where they proudly live and work. All six leaders will receive their award on Nov. 12 during a special cocktail dinner celebration at the InterContinental Chicago, O’Hare in Chicago, Ill.

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, now has more than 1,100 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. Food Lion is a company of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com

Contact:

Food Lion
Benny L. Smith, APR, 704-310-4077
blsmith@foodlion.com