NRF to recognize ‘the Chief’ at special luncheon

NEW YORK — The National Retail Federation will present Ohio Council of Retail Merchants president and CEO John C. Mahaney Jr., known as “the Chief,” with the J. Thomas Weyant Lifetime Achievement Award at NRF’s Annual Convention and EXPO next week in New York.



NRF established the Weyant Award to honor individuals who have committed their professional careers to state government affairs and state retail associations, and it is only awarded to those professionals who NRF considers “the very best and most influential state retail executives.”



The Chief will receive the award at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 15, during a special luncheon. NRF SVP of government relations David French and Retailers Association of Massachusetts president Jon Hurst will present the award.



Former recipients include Thomas S. Saquella, Maryland Retailers Association; Larry Meyer, Michigan Retailers Association; John D. Hinkle, Kentucky Retail Federation; Charles McDonald; Alabama Retail Association and Jerry Wheeler, South Dakota Retailers Association.



More than 25,000 retail industry professionals are expected to descend on New York early next week to attend Retail’s BIG Show.