Former Hy-Vee head given top industry honor

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The retired head of Midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee took home the top honor at a recent supermarket industry conference.

The Food Marketing Institute said Monday that it gave its most prestigious honor — the Sidney R. Rabb Award for excellence in serving the consumer, the community and the industry — to retired Hy-Vee chairman and CEO Ric Jurgens at the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference.

"On so many occasions, Ric shared with me his view that if we can make a difference in this life, we should," FMI president and CEO Leslie Sarasin said. "Ric believes strongly in making a difference, ever pushing us to think progressively, but in pragmatic ways that are respectful of the past and informed by his extensive industry experience. His dedication to FMI is immeasurable."