Industry Intelligence

Danny Wegman, CEO of Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans Food Markets Inc. has received the first Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Robert B. Wegman Award today for his entrepreneurial leadership in the design of retail strategies and imaginative merchandising. The award was presented today at the Arlington Va.-based trade association’s Midwinter Executive Conference in Orlando, Fla.

FMI instituted its newest award in honor of Robert B. Wegman, who grew his family grocery business into one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. Since joining Wegmans in 1964 as a store manager, Danny Wegman, Robert’s son, has helped mold the organization into one of Fortune magazine’s best companies to work for. Under Danny Wegman’s leadership, the 79-store grocer with locations in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts garnered annual sales of $6.2 billion in 2012.

“Danny is the humblest person I know,” said Wegmans SVP of Store Operations Jack DePeters. “His drive for high standards, and leading with his heart, inspires our people to give incredible service to our customers and each other.”

In addition to the Robert B. Wegman Award, Danny Wegmans’ achievements include winning FMI’s Sidney R. Rabb Award in 2003, which his father won in 1981; they are the only father and son to receive the honor.