Pear Bureau NW Picks 39 Retail Winners

6/19/2015

Pear Bureau Northwest selected 39 winners in its second annual “Pear Up with USA Pears” in-store contest, which invited retailers from across the U.S. and Canada to build eye-catching displays featuring Green Anjou, Red Anjou and Bosc pears at minimum, with inclusion of other varieties of USA Pears encouraged.

To qualify for the contest, the display was required to be maintained for at least one week during the January-March timeframe.

Entries were judged on a 100 point scale for appearance, creativity and educational impact. Five bonus points were added to entries that included any of the jumbo size pears readily available this season. As recognition for their participation, all who entered were awarded a gift card for Amazon.com valued at $20.

“The produce managers participating in the contest went over and above with eye-catching and educational displays that are sure to increase pear sales for their retailers,” noted Kathy Stephenson, marketing communications director at Portland, Ore.-based Pear Bureau Northwest. “Selecting only a few winners was a difficult task, with many entries showing exceptional creativity. We appreciate everyone who created memorable displays and thank them for contributing to our pear category.”

First, second and third place winners plus 10 honorable mentions were named in three store categories (1 – 5 cash registers, 6 – 9 cash registers, and 10+ cash registers), for a total of 39 cash prizes being awarded.

Winners in each store category received:

1st Place: $1,000
2nd Place: $750
3rd Place: $500
10 Honorable Mentions: $150 each

The winners for the 1-5 cash registers category are:

1st Place: Nicoline Hill, Billie's Market, Onamia, Minn.
2nd Place: Kelly Kesler, Kesler’s Market, Blackfoot, Idaho (Kesler's second year in the top three)
3rd Place: Holly Mathis, Neighborhood Co-op Grocery, Carbondale, Ill.

Honorable Mentions:

Sheila Burt, Mike's Food Center, St. Charles, Minn.
Lynette DeClerck, Pana County Market, Pana, Ill.
Ryan Ellison, Food City, Oliver Springs, Tenn.
Nancy Hoffstetter, Cortland Sparkle Market, Cortland, Ohio
Jason Kirkpatrick, Foodland, South Pittsburgh, Tenn.
Susan Kotarba, Hardings Market, Dowagiac, Mich.
Kia LaPier, Tops Markets, Schroon Lake, N.Y.
Titus Lohr, Al's Supermarkets West, LaPorte, Ind.
Kelly Nowak, Leppinks Food Center, Belding, Mich.
Randy Tolleson, Foodland, Boaz, Ala.

Winners for the 6-9 cash registers category are:

1st Place: Kathie Meyer, Port Townsend Food Co-op, Port Townsend, Wash.
2nd Place: David Scarlett, KVAT Food Stores, Knoxville, Tenn.
3rd Place: George Marken, United States Air Force Commissary, USAFA, Colo.

Honorable Mentions:

Dawn Beckby, Henderson's IGA, Valentine, Neb.
Brad Clark, Harps, Springdale, Ark.
David Dozier, GFF Foods, Moore, Okla.
Michael Garrett, Rosauers Supermarkets, Yakima, Wash.
Nathan Goldsmith, Huckleberry's Natural Market, Spokane, Wash.
Chad Miller, Sprouts Market, Flower Mound, Texas
Efrain Ruiz, Ray's Foodplace, Cloverdale, Calif.
Susan Seward, Safeway, Yakima, Wash.
Chad Sinclair, Kuhn's Market, Moon Township, Pa.
Bill Pfannenstiel, Price Cutter Plus, Lebanon, Mo.

Winners for the 10 or more cash registers category are:

1st Place: Ken Marske, Schmitz's, Spooner, Wis.
2nd Place: David Fugiel, Caputos, Carole Stream, Ill.
3rd Place: G. Michael Oliver, Pennington Quality Market, N.J.

Honorable Mentions:

Amy Bell, Haggen, Gig Harbor, Wash.
Cay McConnell, Food City, Blountville, Tenn.
Esteban Gonzalez, Rouse's Market, Gretma, Va.
Justin Fiscus, Dutchway, Myerstow, Pa.
Mario Decaro, Tops Market, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
Michelle Bowley, Marketplace Foods, Minot, N.D.
Pat Deroche, Rouses Market, Houma, La.
Terry Inder, Dominion, Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Tim Oldenkamp, Safeway, Silverdale, Wash.
Travis Jones, Food City (KVAT), Kingsport, Tenn.

Photos of the winning entries can be found here.

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