Ira Kress, who has spent his entire 37-year career with Giant Food, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Food World/Food Trade News “Pete Manos Retail Executive of the Year” award.
The annual award was first presented to the late Giant Food chairman and chief executive upon his retirement in 1999 and was subsequently named after him. Manos spent his entire 39-year career with Giant Food and passed away in 2016. The award is given to a food industry executive annually, in recognition of distinguished industry service, leadership and community involvement.
Kress received his award at a breakfast meeting held on November 4 at Martin’s West in Baltimore in conjunction with the Maryland Retailer’s Association’s (MRA) food industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Kress joined the Landover, MD-based regional chain in 1984, starting as a part-time cashier at the chain’s Colesville Rd. store in Silver Spring, MD while attending college. After taking a year off from his studies (he was considering a career in law enforcement), Kress joined Giant’s entry level management retail trainee program in 1987. Less than 18 months later, he was promoted to produce manager and continued his career in store operations until 2001 when he was named VP-human resources & labor relations. In 2011, Giant elevated Kress to a senior VP role in HR & labor relations and in 2013 was named senior VP-store operations. When former Giant president Gordon Reid was named president of parent company Ahold Delhaize USA’s larger sister division, Stop & Shop, in 2019, Kress was appointed interim president and in July 2020 was given the president’s title. Kress is also a board member for the Ahold Delhaize USA Family Foundation and serves on the boards of the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Advisory Council; the Capital Area Food Bank; and the USO National Capital District.
Previous winners of the “Manos” award include: Danny Wegman, Wegmans; the late Robert Weis, Weis Markets; Carl Schlicker, Ahold USA; Fred Morganthall, Harris Teeter; Jeff Brown, Brown’s ShopRites; Bill White, Shoppers; Bobby Ukrop, Ukrop’s; Ron Dennis, Farm Fresh; Benjy Green, B. Green; Jim Perkins, Albertsons; Nick Bertram, The Giant Company; Jim McCaffrey III, McCaffrey’s Markets; and Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets.
New inductees in the 2021 MRA food industry Hall of Fame include one individual, three companies that do business in Maryland, and one trade association.
Jerry Gordon, longtime owner of Eddie’s Market of Charles Village, who retired at the end of last year, was honored for his many years of outstanding retailing and community service.
Saluted for its contribution to the industry was Baltimore-based Jeppi Nut Co. which was originally founded in 1884.
Retailer Harris Teeter, which entered Maryland 15 years ago and now operates 18 stores in the Old Line state, was also inducted.
Entering the Hall Of Fame too, was McCormick & Company, the iconic Hunt Valley, MD-based flavor organization that was founded in 1889 by Willoughby M. McCormick.
Also inducted was the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), the food industry’s largest trade association and advocacy group that offers research, education and government relations to food retailers and suppliers.