Nice N Easy Recognizes Top Employees
SYRACUSE, N.Y. –- Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes recognized several of its top employees at the company’s annual awards banquet, held here last week. The event celebrated the achievements of 2012.
The evening kicked off with recognition of Joan Seifried, a Nice N Easy employee since the 1980s. She started as the manager of the Herkimer Nice N Easy store in Herkimer, N.Y., moved into the role of director of franchise and corporate operations, and then became a Nice N Easy franchisee herself.
The Assistant Manager of the Year award, sponsored by Dr Pepper Snapple and MillerCoors, went to Casey Trask. He was employed at the Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppe in Brewerton, N.Y., when the store was rebuilt, and has been serving as the acting manager of the Nice N Easy in Phoenix, N.Y., during the manager’s absence.
Vickie Verschneider, who works at Clifford Fuel’s Alder Creek Shoppe, was honored as Mama Mia Foodservice Manager of the Year, an award sponsored by DeIorio’s. Ashley Ryfun, from the chain’s newest store on Onondaga Hill in Syracuse, was named Easy Street Eatery Foodservice Manager of the Year, sponsored by Hormel Foods and Bake ‘n Joy.
The top honor of Store of the Year, sponsored by Acosta Sales & Marketing and Crown Imports, was awarded to the Nice N Easy in Carthage, N.Y. This store is a corporate location and managed by Linda Widrick and Jamie Carr.
“It takes every store employee to work as a team and have a successful store. We do have that. Every employee plays an important part of running the store and most importantly…provides outstanding customer service,” Widrick said in accepting the award.
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| Carlos Gonzales, |
The prestigious Manager of the Year award was presented to Carlos Gonzales of the Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppe in Tupper Lake, N.Y. This award was sponsored by Crowley Foods and Frito-Lay. The store is owned and operated by Hyde Fuel.
“Since Carlos came to work with us in 2008, the store has seen a huge transformation and continues to be a store to be proud of,” noted Penny Willette, operations manager for Hyde Fuel. “Since his leadership, the store sales have increased each year.”
Fran Duskiewicz, senior executive vice president, was honored with the Sharon Jordan Memorial True Spirit Award, one of the highest honors a Nice N Easy employee can receive. The award is presented annually by Nice N Easy President and CEO John MacDougall and goes to an employee who emulates the “true spirit” shown by former model employee Sharon Jordan, who passed away following a short illness.
The Trade Partner of the Year award, based on annual sales and growth, was presented to Frito-Lay, while Hyde Fuel of Saranac Lake was recognized as the 2012 Franchise of the Year. Hyde Fuel currently owns and operates three Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes in Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake. The Franchise of the Year award was sponsored by Crowley Foods and Tri-Valley Beverage.
Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes operates more than 85 stores in the upstate New York market.
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| Store of the Year (photo used by permission of the Carthage Republican Tribune) |