ARLINGTON, Va. — FMI – The Food Industry Association has announced the 12 finalists for the 2026 Store Manager Awards, recognizing grocery retail leaders who have demonstrated excellence in operations, innovation, leadership and community impact.
The annual awards program honors store managers who deliver outstanding experiences for both shoppers and associates, drive operational performance and foster strong community connections.
The 2026 finalists represent grocery retailers from across the United States and international markets.
Category A finalists are James Hensel of Oregon Dairy in Lititz, Pa.; Jeff Payne of Harmons Grocery in Orem, Utah; and Lisa Milla of Strack & Van Til in Munster, Ind.
L-R: James Hensel, Jeff Payne and Lisa Milla.
Category B finalists are Ashten Walker of Market District/Giant Eagle in Solon, Ohio; Luke Schentrup of The Fresh Market in Hendersonville, N.C.; and Wei Zheng of 99 Ranch Market in Chandler, Ariz.
L-R: Ashten Walker, Luke Schentrup and Wei Zheng.
Category C finalists are Almedin “Almo” Dokic of Food Lion in Richmond, Va.; Jamie Franck of Hy-Vee in Dubuque, Iowa; and Mark Ferrari of QFC/The Kroger Family of Companies in Bothell, Wash.
L-R: Almedin “Almo” Dokic, Jamie Franck and Mark Ferrari.
International finalists in Category D are Kanchan Rijal of SPAR Paceville in St. Julians, Malta; Salvatore Cossu of EUROSPAR Sorso in Sorso, Italy; and Tina Tsitsava of SPAR Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia.
L-R: Kanchan Rijal, Salvatore Cossu and Tina Tsitsava.
FMI will announce the winners during a live virtual awards ceremony on July 23. Additional information about the awards program is available through FMI – The Food Industry Association.
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