Neil Greenstein of Brookdale ShopRite and ShopRite of Newark, Stew Leonard Jr. of Stew Leonard’s and Samer Rahman of Allegiance Retail Services will be honored by the New Jersey Food Council at its “Night of Distinction” on May 15 at the Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset.
The event is expected to draw more than 500 guests, including prominent food industry executives from across the region.
“This is the perfect time to celebrate the industry and its leaders who have made such significant contributions to advance one of New Jersey’s most important business sectors,” NJFC President Linda Doherty said. “The 2024 honorees have all achieved significant food business success and have a history of civic service within the New Jersey food community. It is our honor to celebrate them with our annual Industry Achievement Awards.”
To register and learn more, click here.
A look at the honorees:
- Greenstein: A third-generation grocer, he is proud of his heritage in the industry. His grandparents opened the family’s first supermarket in Bloomfield in 1948 and joined the Wakefern cooperative in 1952. His family’s two ShopRite stores employ more than 800 people, and he calls his stores “the supermarkets with a heart.” Newark leaders credit Greenstein with being a community partner, giving of his time and resources to become an integral part of the city and the redevelopment of Newark. This includes his involvement with organizations like the Greater Newark Conservancy, the Boys and Girls Club of Newark and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
- Leonard: He is the CEO of Stew Leonard’s, a family-owned farm fresh food retailer recognized as one of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” for 10 consecutive years. He took over as CEO and president in 1991 and grew the company from one retail food store in Norwalk, Connecticut, to seven stores across Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, as well as eight family-owned wine stores. Stew Leonard’s welcomes more than 20 million customers a year, employs more than 2,500 team members and has annual sales exceeding $550 million.
- Rahman: He is vice president and chief merchandising officer at Allegiance Retail Services, a company he joined in 2013 as director of meat and seafood before moving up the corporate ladder. His time in the business, however, dates back to 1988.
During the Night of Distinction event, guests will enjoy an industry recognition ceremony, delectable cuisine, live music, cigar lounge and a silent auction that supports the NJFC Educational Development Scholarship Program. Register here.
The New Jersey Food Council is the Garden State’s preeminent trade association, representing almost 400 companies including 1,200 retail food stores, wholesalers, manufacturing and service companies that collectively employ more than 200,000 associates in the state.
