Washington D.C. – The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent grocery industry, has presented Randy Arceneaux with the prestigious Spirit of America Award, recognizing his commitment to community service and government relations on behalf of independent grocers.
Arceneaux, president and CEO of Amarillo, Texas-based wholesaler Affiliated Foods, received the award during the Affiliated Foods annual shareholder meeting March 23 in Amarillo.
“Randy has been a steadfast advocate for independent grocers throughout his career, but especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as he helped guide grocers through these trying times,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “Additionally, Randy has been active in Washington, D.C., helping to advance antitrust reform by meeting with FTC and Congress, calling on them to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act.”
Arceneaux met with senators and administration officials in Washington last year to discuss critical issues impacting the independent grocery industry, including the truck driver shortage impacting the entire country, added Chris Jones, NGA SVP of government relations and counsel. “He helped persuade the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to provide flexibility so that wholesalers could more easily supply grocers with essential items,” Jones said.
Well known in the community for his generosity, Arceneaux is currently helping to start Soup for the Soul, an outreach program to feed the homeless in Amarillo. He has also helped in many ways to support Life Challenge of Amarillo, a local faith-based adult and teen addiction treatment center.
Arceneaux has worked on several benevolent projects at the Faith City Mission of Amarillo and is very active with fundraising for The Turn Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing therapy services to children with special needs. Additionally, he started a charity golf tournament that has generated more than $250,000 for several non-profit organizations throughout the Texas Panhandle.
Established in 1982, the NGA Spirit of America Award honors key industry and community leaders in the areas of community service and government relations on behalf of the independent supermarket industry. NGA has proudly presented this award to distinguished individuals who serve the grocery industry and the public interest, including Presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford.
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About NGA
Washington, D.C.-based NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
