GMDC gives Lifetime Achievement Award

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Global Market Development Center (GMDC) announced that it has awarded its 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award to Jerry Barnes at its Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference in Orlando, Fla.

GMDC said it annually bestows its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on a person who has contributed significantly to the general merchandise and health beauty wellness industries, as well as to GMDC through his or her leadership.  Jerry Barnes has been a regular participant at GMDC Marketing Conferences for over twenty years and served as chairman of the board of the association in 1994.  Since 1996 he has served on the GMDC staff in his role as VP member services.

"Jerry’s contributions have been very unique as he served as a key leader as both a member and as a senior manager on our staff.  Jerry had a very successful career inside the industry which began in the late 1960’s when he joined Fleming Foods in Topeka, Kansas.  In 1982 he left Fleming to go to Carr-Gottstein Foods in Anchorage, Alaska where he served as corporate VP merchandising and GMDC’s chairman”, noted GMDC president David McConnell.

“I think Jerry did his most significant work on behalf of GMDC when as chairman of the board he helped facilitate the merger between GMDC and the former National Association of Service Merchandising in 1994.  In his many years as a staff member he has truly served as a catalyst for membership growth and expansion as he’s captured the trust of the membership through his knowledge of the business and passion for GMDC!”