WGA Awards Macey Scholarships
The Women Grocers of America (WGA) has awarded 2013 Mary Macey Scholarships to Kathleen McDonald of Dan’s Food Market in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, and Shannon Rosenblum of Brookshire Grocery Co. in Tyler, Texas. Each will receive a $1,500 scholarship to further their education and careers in the independent sector of the food retailing industry.
“[T]he choice wasn’t easy,” admitted Denise Beckman, president of Arlington, Va.-based WGA. “We received four times as many applications as last year, and the students were impressive in accomplishments, passion for the industry, and representation of the industry from single-store to multistate retailers. WGA remains committed to recruiting and retaining the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs with an emphasis on young women.”
McDonald is a junior at the University of Utah, majoring in business administration, with a minor in nutrition. A Dan’s employee for the past three years, she currently works in customer service and as a floral assistant. She hopes eventually to open her own organic/healthy food store where she can help people with such health issues as celiac disease and diabetes.
Rosenblum is completing her associate’s degree in business administration at Tyler Junior College. A part-time student, she works full-time on Brookshire’s DSD data integrity team, in addition to raising her children. She has been with the company for seven years and plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Tyler to earn her bachelor’s degree in business administration, after which she hopes to continue her career in the independent grocery sector.
The scholarships are awarded in honor and remembrance of WGA’s first president, Mary Macey.
As well as providing women in the grocery and food industries with the chance to capitalize on individual educational and professional opportunities through the Mary Macey Scholarship program, the WGA recognizes outstanding women in the grocery industry with the Woman of the Year award, which is presented each year at the NGA Show. Membership in the WGA is open to any woman affiliated with a retail, wholesale, manufacturing/service supplier company or state/local association that maintains membership in the National Grocers Association (NGA).