CHICAGO, IL - Though hundreds from all over the United States were nominated, only a few could win. The United Fresh Produce Association has just announced the 25 recipients of its 2015 Retail Produce Manager Award.

According to a press release, the United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Award, sponsored by the Dole Food Company, honors exceptional produce managers that work every day on the front line to increase the sales and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

This year’s winners included:

• Scott Baker, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Chapel Hill, NC
• Mario Branco, Lucky Supermarkets, Oakley, CA
• Tom Dubrowski, King’s Food Markets, Cresskill, NJ
• Tony Gilliam, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., Weber City, VA
• Gary Gillispie, Altus AFB Commissary, Altus, OK
• Bernadine Godeck, Pick’N Save, Eagle River, WI
• Martin Gomez, Grocery Outlet, Chehalis, WA
• Esteban Gonzalez, Rouses Supermarkets, Gretna, LA
• Juan Graciano, Safeway, Inc., Redding, CA
• Tom Johnson, Hannaford Bros. Company, Taunton, MA
• Brad Johnston, Brookshire Grocery Company, Shreveport, LA
• Chuck Kauffman, Andronico's Community Markets, San Francisco, CA
• Sue Knop, Food Pride, Ida Grove, IA
• Henry Kryeski, River Valley Market, Northampton, MA
• Michelle Lee, Ball Foods, Ball, LA
• Justin Lorson, Weis Markets, Inc., Lewisburg, PA
• Anthony Machado, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, Granite Bay, CA
• Cedric Patrick, The Kroger Company, Atlanta, GA
• Dale Schoenefeld, Hy-Vee, Inc., Watertown, SD
• AJ Sleasman, Price Chopper, Clifton Park, NY
• Ryan Tanner, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, Reno, NV
• Ron Tarini, Big Y Foods, Inc., Brandford, CT
• Josh Teifel, Food Maxx, Concord, CA
• Kevin Thalken, Hy-Vee, Inc., Blue Springs, MO
• Mike Underwood, Coborn’s Inc., New Prague, MN

United Fresh will host a celebratory dinner in honor of these “stars of our industry,” at its 2015 conference and exposition in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday, June 10, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Chicago.

With other notable happenings, such as the Women in Produce event with featured speaker and honoree Karen Caplan, as well as numerous new product debuts and networking capabilities, this is an event you don’t want to miss. So mark your calendars for a trip to Chicago next month.