Associations

By Mike Kercheval, President and CEO, International Council of Shopping Centers  

Strong sales and market share gains for Opa by Litehouse Feta Dill Greek Yogurt earned the new product the Dressing of the Year award from The Association for Dressings & Sauces.

The dressing and sauce group held its annual meeting in Naples, Fl., recently and bestowed top honors on Litehouse due to the impressive performance of Feta Dill Greek Yogurt. In one year, the new product became the best-selling dressing in the market accounting for 21% of the yogurt refrigerated salad dressing category, according to Litehouse.
 

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. was named Employer of the Year by the Ohio Governor's Council on People with Disabilities for significantly contributing to employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.   Kroger was nominated for this recognition by the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The company received the award at a ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse on Oct. 16.  

By Sandy Kennedy, president of RILA
   (Editor’s note: The president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, Sandy Kennedy, wrote the following op-ed in The Hill, discussing why chip-and-PIN is one important layer of protection retailers, banks and the government can provide consumers.)  

Richard Phillips is headlining an upcoming supply chain conference organized by several food trade organizations. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, try Captain Phillips, as in the guy Tom Hanks portrayed in the 2013 movie of the same name.

New York --A group of 104 national, state and local organizations--representing farmers, manufacturers, retailers, transportation providers and others--signed a letter urging the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) “to quickly conclude a new labor agreement...to allay growing concerns of thousands of businesses who rely on West Coast ports for orderly and timely supply chain operations.”

New York -- At least 47% of U.S. merchant terminals will be enabled for EMV chip technology by the end of 2015, according to the Payments Security Task Force (PST). The estimates are based on forecasts provided by acquirers representing approximately 80% of U.S. purchase volume.  

Matthew Youngs, president of Ralph Lauren Childrenswear and Latin America has been named chairman of the National Father’s Day Committee.

In this new capacity, Youngs will collaborate with Dan Orwig, president and CEO of The Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council, to oversee and execute the Annual Father of the Year Awards luncheon benefitting Save the Children’s U.S. Programs.