Affiliated Foods C.E.O. to Retire
NORFOLK, Neb. -- After more than a half-century with Affiliated Foods Midwest, Virgil Froehlich, c.e.o., has announced his plans to retire effective Jan. 1, the Sioux City Journal reports.
"This is a milestone step in my life," Froehlich was quoted as saying in a report that appeared Aug. 30. "I think I have more to offer the industry, but Affiliated needs to complete the transition to a new leadership team, and build on its strengths for its long-term future. I hope to be able to help, but I will clear the way for president Martin Arter's continuing growth. "
During Froehlich's 27 years as Affiliated's senior executive, the Norfolk, Neb.-based firm grew from a local grocery wholesaler serving fewer than 200 stores, to a 10-state, 800-plus-store, retailer-owned cooperative. Affiliated Foods Midwest, formerly known as General Wholesale, is among the nation's 20 largest wholesalers of food products to retailers in the United States.
Froehlich said he expects Affiliated to keep growing and expressed complete confidence in the company's new management team while indicating great optimism for the future of retail grocery cooperatives.
Froehlich has been a member of the Nebraska Chamber Business Hall of Fame, and a recipient of prestigious awards from The National Grocers' Association and other national Industry groups.
Over the years, Froehlich has taken an active role in the Norfolk community, serving on several local boards and state associations, ranging president of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce to director of the National Grocers Association in Washington, D.C.
Froehlich has been president of Shurfine International, a cooperative supplier to warehouses like Affiliated Foods Midwest, and has served on the board of directors of Topco Associates L.L.C, a major vendor of groceries to the nation's grocery wholesale industry.
"This is a milestone step in my life," Froehlich was quoted as saying in a report that appeared Aug. 30. "I think I have more to offer the industry, but Affiliated needs to complete the transition to a new leadership team, and build on its strengths for its long-term future. I hope to be able to help, but I will clear the way for president Martin Arter's continuing growth. "
During Froehlich's 27 years as Affiliated's senior executive, the Norfolk, Neb.-based firm grew from a local grocery wholesaler serving fewer than 200 stores, to a 10-state, 800-plus-store, retailer-owned cooperative. Affiliated Foods Midwest, formerly known as General Wholesale, is among the nation's 20 largest wholesalers of food products to retailers in the United States.
Froehlich said he expects Affiliated to keep growing and expressed complete confidence in the company's new management team while indicating great optimism for the future of retail grocery cooperatives.
Froehlich has been a member of the Nebraska Chamber Business Hall of Fame, and a recipient of prestigious awards from The National Grocers' Association and other national Industry groups.
Over the years, Froehlich has taken an active role in the Norfolk community, serving on several local boards and state associations, ranging president of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce to director of the National Grocers Association in Washington, D.C.
Froehlich has been president of Shurfine International, a cooperative supplier to warehouses like Affiliated Foods Midwest, and has served on the board of directors of Topco Associates L.L.C, a major vendor of groceries to the nation's grocery wholesale industry.