CARLISLE, Pa. – GIANT Co. celebrated employee contributions at its annual business meeting, which was held virtually last week. Twelve awards were presented recognizing the recipients’ commitment to the company and its mission.

“In what was an extremely challenging year, our more than 35,000 team members elevated their game when it came to customer service, innovation and connecting families in the midst of a pandemic,” GIANT president Nicholas Bertram said. “The team members recognized this year are role models for our entire organization, embracing our customer and team promises, keeping The GIANT Company’s values front and center, and leading be example to live our purpose in all that they do. We are so grateful for their contributions to our company and the communities they serve and are thrilled to recognize them for their performance.”

The 2021 award recipients include:

• Store of the Year, awarded to a store that best demonstrates operational excellence and lives the company’s values, bringing them to life by actively engaging its customers and team members. The Keyser, W. Va. MARTIN’S located at 100 Keyser Mall was recognized as the top store of the year.
• Category of the Year, awarded to the category team that continuously finds ways to enhance the customers’ shopping experience, actively seeks ways to simplify processes, effectively generates incremental sales and profits and exemplifies the “one team” attitude was presented to the Ethnic team comprised of Crickett Blauch, category manager, Jessica Dorsey, analyst, Haley Michaels, admin, and Jennifer Sheaffer, coordinator.
• Retail Team Member of the Year, awarded to a team member who consistently provides outstanding customer service, is always willing to support fellow team members and lives by the company’s values, was presented to Nicole Garafola, GIANT Direct lead at New Hope, Pa. GIANT.
• Distribution Center Team Member of the Year, awarded to a team member who consistently provides leadership and support across all areas in distribution in acting with a sense of urgency and continuously finding new ways to elevate the brand and support the stores, was presented to Jamie Rhone, supervisor of maintenance at the company’s Carlisle, Pa., perishable distribution center.
• Support Center Team Member of the Year was awarded to Ashley Flower, manager, public relations. This award recognizes one team member who consistently and emphatically provides leadership and support across all functions of the brand, acting with a sense of urgency and continuously finding new ways to elevate the brand and the support center.
• Simplify Shopping, awarded to a team member who has created or had exceptionally executed a simplified shopping experience for customers, was presented to Emily Mikus, director, loyalty.
• Inspiring Fresh Ideas, awarded to a team member who has demonstrated courage to innovate and create value for customers, was presented to John MacDonald, director, marketing operations and meal solutions.
• Creating Healthier Communities, awarded to a team member who has demonstrated connecting and innovative value with communities to help them be healthier and more sustainable, was presented to The GIANT Company’s COVID-19 response team consisting of 16 team members from across all functions of the business. Honored were: Rodney Allen, district director of operations;  Dan Alonso, manager of innovation; Kiara Banks, coordinator, store communications; Chris Brand, director of communications and social impact; Jason Clarke, manager of communications planning; Deb Franklin, manager of associate relations; Ron Hawes, director of store support; Mark Hornung, brand manager GIANT Direct; Greg Lux, director of quality assurance; Bill Patton, manager of development and industry; Michael Raimo, director of non-perishable field merchandising; Morgan Shreiber, director of fresh field merchandising; Chris Saboe, director, e-commerce operations; Caron Sanders, director of regional human resources; Leigh Shirley, director of pharmacy operations; and Kim Taylor, manager of marketing store operations.
• Grow Through New Opportunities was awarded to Sabita Singh, store manager at East Stroudsburg, Pa. GIANT. This award is presented to a team member who has demonstrated a team member attitude by fostering and mentoring team members to grow in the organization.
• Make a Difference, awarded to a team member who has volunteered and connected with a nonprofit organization to make communities stronger, was presented to Mike Tirrell, specialist, field merchandising.
• Be You, awarded to a team member that demonstrates the value of care and creates an inclusive environment where they value all voices heard and a sense of belonging for all, was presented to Aaysha Noor, head of diversity and inclusion.

Rounding out the company’s awards program, the President’s Award was presented to Steve Harfield, district director serving South Central Pennsylvania and parts of Maryland. This award is The GIANT Company’s highest honor presented annually and is voted upon by all of the company’s living past presidents including Rick Herring, Tom Lenkevich, Allan Noddle, Tony Schiano, Carl Schlicker, and Sander van der Laan. The prestigious award recognizes an individual who consistently delivers exceptional performance, contributes to the organization’s success in countless ways, is a role model for the company’s values, and brings the company’s purpose to life in all that they do.