The National Confectioners Association announced the recipients of the 2014 Confectionery Leadership Awards. The awards celebrate the recipients' contributions to the category through their effective business collaboration, category management best practices and innovations in merchandising confectionery products in-store.
The following individuals were nominated by industry colleagues and then carefully selected as recipients by NCA members based on their creativity, innovative thinking and leadership and support with the category: Tim Erceg, purchasing specialist, Hyvee, Inc. and Jamal Parker, senior buyer, candy and snacks, Sam’s Club.
"This award recognizes and rewards the talent and dedication of the industry's trade customers who go above and beyond expectations," said NCA President Larry Graham, in a prepared statement. "There were so many deserving and worthy candidates submitted, but the members felt that Erceg and Parker are truly pioneers who exemplify the visionary thinking required to bring value to and propel the category forward."
NCA, in collaboration with Candy & Snack TODAY magazine, created the awards program in 2011 to recognize and honor the confectionery industry’s best and most innovative category champions and leaders. The program allows NCA manufacturers and brokers to recognize outstanding retailers and wholesalers in the confectionery community for their effective customer marketing, shopper-driven shelving practices and promotion of new items.
Erceg and Parker will be presented with their awards in Miami, Fla. at NCA’s annual State of the Industry Conference, March 2 to 5, 2014.
