Awards

Framingham, Mass. – Staples has reached the milestone of having 500 buildings meet EPA Energy Star certification. The facilities include stores, distribution centers and sales offices nationwide. Staples also launched a goal to reach 1,000 Energy Star facilities by the end of 2016.

Pleasanton, Calif. - Safeway was selected to receive the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the nation's highest honor given to employers for exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve employees.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an office of the Department of Defense, announced the 15 award recipients on Tuesday.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General received a Gold Stevie award for Company of the Year in Retail at the 11th annual American Business Awards in recognition of the company’s position as an industry leader in the retail sector.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Southern department store Belk has selected 13 winners from nearly 300 entrants in the retailer's Southern Designer Showcase competition. Belk announced the winners at an event at its corporate headquarters.

"We are so excited to add these impressive designers to our Belk family," said president and CMO Kathryn Bufano. "This year's winners truly represent the Modern. Southern. Style. that we deliver to our customers every day."

PHILADELPHIA — Customers and employees of extreme value retailer Five Below have raised nearly $345,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer for all children. 

NEW YORK — To mark the launch of Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield Mouthwash, Colgate will team up with actress and television host Stacy Keibler to try to break the Guinness World Record for most people using mouthwash simultaneously, currently at 1,061.

Called "A Wish for a Swish," the event will be held at noon EDT Tuesday, June 25 in New York City's Times Square.

Food Lion store manager Charles Inman got a big surprise on Monday when some folks from the Brussels-based home office of parent company Delhaize Group showed up at his store.
 
Inman was selected from more than 3,400 Delhaize Group store managers to receive the company’s Store Manager of the Year award and company officials decided to surprise Inman with a ceremony at his store in Clayton, N.C.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — PepsiCo has chosen three schools as the grand prize winners of the 2012-13 PepsiCo Dream Machine Recycle Rally, a national recycling program and contest designed to encourage students to recycle every day.  

New York -- President Bill Clinton and Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren on Tuesday were honored as 2013 Fathers of the Year by the non-profit National Father's Day Council.

The awards were given at the group’s annual 72nd annual Father luncheon in New York City, with proceeds from the event benefitting Save the Children’s U.S. programs.

Retailers looking for insight into popular new products in the candy and snacks world can thank organizers of the Sweets & Snacks Expo for doing some heavy lifting.
 
A panel of experts at the 17th annual event sifted through hundreds of samples prior to the sold out trade show in Chicago and found eight worthy of the distinction of “Most Innovative New Product.”