Food Lion Selects Its 2023 Store Manager of the Year
Isaac Smalls, store manager of the Food Lion at 2465 Main Street in Elgin, S.C., has been chosen as Food Lion’s 2023 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner. Smalls was selected from a group of 1,100-plus store managers across the banner’s 10-state operating area. Named after one of Food Lion’s founders, the annual award program recognizes and honors exceptional store managers who enrich the lives of Food Lion’s customers, associates and surrounding communities by such means as successfully leading their stores, supporting their teams and inspiring others.
In addition to Smalls, four other store managers were recognized as 2023 Divisional Store Manager Excellence Award recipients:
Mid-Atlantic Division: Angela Robinson, 238 Pritchard Road, Clayton, N.C.
Northern Division: Jay Moaveni, 130 Duella Drive, Inwood, W.V.
Central Division: Patrick Burns, 3680 South New Hope Road, Gastonia, N.C.
Richmond/Norfolk: Jeff Salmon, 11010 Kentucky Road, Mineral, Va.
In recognition of Small’s impact on his community, Food Lion will donate 20,000 meals in his name to Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist, in Bishopville, S.C., through the retailer’s hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds.
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“I am truly honored to receive this honor and represent the Southern division,” said Smalls. “It gives me the ultimate sense of pride and accomplishment. No matter where your journey begins, strive to be the best at what you’re doing, as bigger and better opportunities will await you here at Food Lion.”
Smalls joined Food Lion in 2008 as a bagger and held various roles before becoming a store manager. He leads a team of almost 95 dedicated associates. He and his staff have teamed up with the local sheriff’s department, local food banks and NAACP of Columbia.
“Isaac’s leadership is a testament to the positive influence a store manager can have on associates, customers, and the towns and cities they serve,” said Food Lion President Meg Ham. “Our store managers are the heartbeat of Food Lion. They foster a culture of care and belonging that helps their associates thrive and their communities flourish. I am proud to recognize these five leaders and deeply appreciate all they do to bring our brand, strategy and culture to life while nourishing families and setting them up for success in life.”
Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion operates more than 1,100 stores with 82,000-plus associates. Its parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century and its 10 Most Sustainable Grocers. In addition, the Food Lion banner is an honoree of several 2023 Impact Awards, a PG awards program that honors outstanding ESG efforts.
