Expo Review - Wisconsin Grocers Association

Expo Review-nentialSuccess2012 Grocer of the Year Award honorees Tim and Kevin Metcalfe, Metcalfe’s Market in Madison andWauwatosa. Please go to wisconsingrocers.com to see many more photos. Top photo, left to right: JeffNolting (West Towne Store Director), Jeff Greenheck (Operations Director), Tim Metcalfe (President-owner),Jim Meier (Hilldale Store Director), Kevin Metcalfe (Co-owner) and Rich Lewandowski (Wauwatosa StoreDirector. Photo to right, Tina and Kevin Metcalfe, Tim and Julie Metcalfe.By Tim SchiebelThe 2012 WisconsinGrocers Association’sInnovation Expo was ahuge success.People laughed and learnedduring the four great seminars.They cheered on their baggersin the Great Wisconsin Bag-Off competition and voted fortheir favorite entry in thePromotion Showcase. Grocersnetworked while enjoying thePiano Cabaret. Hundreds ofbooths provided grocers withnew and innovative things toincorporate into their stores at12 WISCONSIN GROCER www.wisconsingrocers.comthe Trade Show. And finally,winners of the Excellence inOperations, CommunityService, Vendor of the Year,and Grocer of the Year awardsreceived recognition at theChairman’s Banquet.We thank Mark Trapp, RobBell, Leslie Nolen, and DavidFikes for their seminarsdirected at helping grocers planfor the future and make theirstores better. (Please see moreabout seminars on page 13.)Wisconsin’s 65th Alice inDairyland, Rochelle Ripp,hosted enthusiastic participantsand the audience of the GreatWisconsin Bag-Off. KaelaKucera of Festival Foods, Fonddu Lac, took third place,Amber Jackson of Larry’sPiggly Wiggly, DePere, placedsecond, and Jared Siedel ofFestival Foods Marshfield, tookhome first place and a trip toLas Vegas to compete in theNational Grocers Association’sBag-Off competition. Just lastyear, Wisconsin’s StephanieTeteak, Larry’s Piggly Wiggly,Kaukauna, brought home thenational championship. Wesupport Jared in his quest tokeep the title in the dairy state.The Promotion Showcase hadmore than ten entries!Everyone in attendance wasable to vote for their favoritewith a poker chip. Burnstad’sMarket in Tomah won thethird place prize of $100.Quality Foods in Wausau tookhome second place and $150.But Trig’s was voted as the bestand won the grand prize of$200.Tuesday night, after a day fullof seminars, grocers were ableContinued on page 20.