Ferrara Succeeding Larkin as NGA President/CEO
After an extensive national search, the National Grocers Association (NGA) board of directors has appointed Greg Ferrara as the next president and CEO of the Arlington, Va.-based trade organization representing the independent grocery sector, effective Sept. 1. Ferrara succeeds Peter Larkin, who revealed last fall that he was retiring, although he will remain as an adviser through the end of the year.
“As a former independent grocer, Greg’s passion for our industry is second to none, and his leadership over the years as NGA’s chief lobbyist, among other roles, has prepared him well to lead this organization into the future,” said Cheryl Sommer, NGA chair of the board of directors, and Mike Stigers, NGA vice chairman of the board, both of whom co-chaired the search committee, in a joint statement. “We look forward to working with Greg to support his efforts to build upon the strong foundation that Peter Larkin has laid for NGA.”
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead an organization and an industry that I care so passionately about,” noted Ferrara, currently the association’s EVP. “Independent grocers are the bedrock of thousands of communities across this country and NGA has played an essential role in ensuring that those entrepreneurs have the support they need to grow and be successful. The future is very bright, and I look forward to working closely with our board of directors and members to grow NGA’s influence and resources in support of our membership.”
In his current role, Ferrara oversees NGA’s advocacy and lobbying efforts, public relations, industry relations and retail and wholesale membership. As NGA’s chief lobbyist, he's responsible for representing the association and its members before members of Congress, federal agencies, and the executive branch on a wide variety of issues, while also guiding the its political and grass-roots affairs, including the NGA Grocers PAC. Ferrara also works closely with NGA’s state trade association partners.
He joined NGA in November 2005, having managed his family’s century-old supermarket in New Orleans before the store was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and having also worked as a corporate project manager for Associated Grocers, in Baton Rouge, La. Among his educational accomplishments, he’s a graduate of the NGA Executive Leadership Program at Cornell University.
