SACRAMENTO, CA, 2018-Jan-30 — /EPR Retail News/ — Kevin Davis, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Farms, and Robert (Bob) Kelly, Executive Vice President, Hidden Villa Ranch, will be inducted into the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement on March 21, 2018, at the Hilton Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs. For the 2018-19 academic year, the Foundation will award over 300 scholarships totaling more than $500,000. The Foundation will disburse more than $200,000 in tuition reimbursement in 2018.
The Hall of Achievement was created in 1992, to recognize grocery retailers and suppliers who have contributed substantially to the advancement of the grocery industry. Well-wishers from throughout the industry will be on hand to honor these individuals for their contributions to the California food industry.
“Both Kevin and Bob definitely meet the criteria for this very prestigious honor,” said Ronald Fong, President of the CGA Educational Foundation. “Their lifelong commitment to the grocery industry and the communities they serve is unquestionable. They have also been tremendous supporters of the Foundation. We are honored to have them join the such an elite group of grocery professionals.”
For 26 years the CGA Educational Foundation has provided financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA-member employees and their dependents and offers educational programs for the grocery industry. Since that time, more than $7 million in college scholarships and tuition reimbursement grants has been awarded to grocery employees and their families.
ABOUT OUR HONOREES
Kevin Davis
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bristol Farms
Kevin Davis is Chairman & CEO of Bristol Farms; Chairman of Lazy Acres, the preeminent specialty food and natural food stores in Southern California; and CEO of Good Food Holdings, their holding company.
Kevin started in the food industry in 1970 as a box boy. He joined Ralphs Grocery Company in 1974 and worked all store level jobs through promotion to Store Manager in 1980. In 1985, Kevin was promoted to Assistant District Manager and one year later to District Manager. That same year he was promoted to Director of Sales and Advertising. In 1988, he was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Advertising, and later to Senior Vice President of Marketing.
Kevin left Ralphs after 21 years to become Executive Vice President of Bristol Farms. He was promoted by the Board of Directors to President in July of 1996 and less than one year later was promoted to Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.
Kevin is a past Chair of the California Grocers Association, President Emeritus of the Western Association of Food Chains and Past Chair of Unified Western Grocers and currently serves as the Chair of Food Marketing Institute. He was also a Director and Past Chair of California Hospital Medical Center Foundation Board, and Past President for the Food Industry Circle at City of Hope.
Supported by full scholarships from the food industry’s Western Association of Food Chains, Kevin graduated from the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1978 and later graduated as Class President of the Executive Program in the Graduate School of Business at UCLA.
In 1986, Business Week name him one of the 50 “Fast Track Kids” in American business and, in 1998, was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of their 30 “Up and Comers” in Los Angeles business. Kevin was named Alumnus of the Year by the USC Food Industry Management Program in 1999 and Executive of the Year in 2011.
Married for 35 years, Kevin and his wife, Cindy, have seven children and three grandchildren.
Robert (Bob) J. Kelly
Executive Vice President
Hidden Villa Ranch
Robert “Bob” Kelly is Executive Vice President of Hidden Villa Ranch. He grew up in rural San Diego County on a small family poultry farm and graduated in 1975 from San Diego State University with a degree in Microbiology. After graduation Bob held several positions in different industries. Eventually, he became the Sales Manager with Embly Ranch in San Diego. In 1996, Hidden Villa Ranch bought Embly Ranch and the Pine Hill division was born. Bob is Executive Vice President for the Pine Hill division and is responsible for all operations, sales and marketing.
His professional organizations include board position with the Orange County Council Boy Scouts and an officer with the Illuminators, one of the largest industry trade organizations in the retail food business. Past association involvement has included board positions with Pacific Egg and Poultry Association, California Egg Commission, Embly Ranch, Sunshine Foods and Coast Packaging.
Bob also devotes a large amount of time to several charitable organizations including City of Hope, Boy Scouts of America, Easter Seals, Illuminators Educational Foundation, CGA Educational Foundation, and Olive Crest, where he has received the “Ambassador for The Children” award.
Bob and his wife, Linda, live in Upland, Calif., and have been married for over 26 years. They have one daughter. Bob has a son from a previous marriage and has two grandchildren.
CGA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION HALL OF ACHIEVEMENT
The CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement provides the food industry with the opportunity to recognize the achievements of those individuals who, through their foresight and dedication, have enhanced California’s food distribution industry. Proceeds from the event help fund the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.
“The Foundation appreciates the tremendous support it has received from the grocery industry over the last 26 years,” said Shiloh London, Executive Director, CGA Educational Foundation. “Their generous donations allow the Foundation to achieve its mission of providing financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offers educational programs for the grocery industry.”
For more information on the Hall of Achievement, visit www.cgaef.org, or call 916.448.3545.
The CGA Educational Foundation was created under the direction of the California Grocers Association Board of Directors in 1992. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offer educational programs to advance the grocery industry. For more information, visit www.CGAEF.org.
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Source: CGA