Vinton native named Retailer of the Year

Nearly 500 grocery industry leaders attended the 18th Annual Iowa Grocery Industry Association Hall of Fame Dinner Thursday, November 3, at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel, where the IGIA honored its Retailer of the Year, Supplier of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award winners.

Earning this year's Retailer of the Year Award was Richard P. Beckwith, Fareway Stores CEO and Chairman of the Board. The native of Vinton, Iowa first started working for Fareway in Boone at the age of 16.

He spent many years traveling around the state to assist with store openings and worked his way through the ranks beginning in Storm Lake, and then on to Winterset and Cherokee. In 1985, Beckwith was promoted to regional supervisor in the Boone corporate office.

Beckwith took on the role of regional vice president in 2002, first vice president in 2005 and was named CEO in 2007. Rick came into his current position as chairman of the board and CEO in 2010.

Beckwith is the fourth Fareway employee to earn the Retailer of the Year Award from the IGIA. He believes in the traditions of Fareway's past, established early on by his grandfather Paul S. Beckwith and grandmother Mary Ellen, and strives to strength Fareway for a successful future.

Claiming the honor of 2011 IGIA Supplier of the Year was Johnson Brothers of Iowa. Although the company is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, Johnson Brothers has a strong history in Iowa. In 1985, the company opened as a distributor for E & J Gallo Winery in two Iowa locations.

After expanding across the state, Johnson Brothers started a Spirit Brokerage Team and a second wine division, Iowa Wine & Beverage, in 1992. The spirit brokerage now represents 101 brands, and the wine portfolio offers over 2,600 items. They have recently expanded into the non-alcoholic beverage category representing Nesquick, Jones Soda, Sweet Leaf Tea and Red Bull in part of Iowa.

Johnson Brothers currently does business in 17 states.

Johnson Brothers is actively involved in charitable events across Iowa that have benefitted JDRF, Bravo, the Science Center, Breast Cancer Awareness, Bras for the Cause, the Des Moines Metro Opera and the Wildwood Hills Ranch.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ross Nixon, former Dahl's Foods president and COO. Nixon, who semi-retired in July after celebrating his 40

^th

anniversary with the company, started in the grocery business at the age of 14 at his hometown grocery store, Wayne's SuperValu.

After serving over 13 years in the military and achieving the rank of captain, Nixon began workings for Dahl's Foods at the Army Post store in 1971. His potential was quickly recognized, and he moved up to assistant manager of the Hickman location, and later the Ingersoll store. Nixon managed Dahl's on Merle Hay before joining the corporate team in 1983. He earned his title of vice president in 1993 and achieved position as Dahl's Foods president and COO twelve years later in 2005.

Nixon's accomplishments in the grocery industry previously earned him the title of IGIA Retailer of the Year in 2008.

Other individuals honored at the dinner included Dana Sump, beverage category manager for Casey's General Stores, and State Representative Kraig Paulsen. Sump was named the 2011 IGIA Volunteer of the Year while Paulsen was presented with this year's Legislative Leadership Award.