The Marketing at-Retail Industry Hails Executives and Achievers
Held Thursday, June 5, at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia, PA, the POPAI 2008 Night of Honors recognized leaders and achievers. POPAI - the Global Association for Marketing at-Retail - also used the occasion to induct new members to the marketing at-retail Industry Hall of Fame and to present the 2008 Retail Chief Award for Merchandising Excellence.
Bruce Watson, president of Rapid Displays, was presented with the Pat Cloud President's Award in recognition of a substantial contribution to POPAI while being a long term, active, and loyal leader in the association.
The Andrea Martin Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Michael Heneghan, director, business development and marketing at-retail, at Alliance, a division of Rock-Tenn Company. This award is presented to the POPAI volunteer whose significant contribution and dedication in a particular area has helped the association to grow and progress. The Volunteer of the Year gets involved by working on many committees and volunteering his or her time and ideas to finding solutions.
The Industry Achievement Award went to Don Whetstone, senior director, merchandising strategy and development, Walgreen Co. It is presented to those who merit recognition for their industry achievements, but have fewer than 25 years of service. This award is intended to recognize the achievements of those in the earlier years of their marketing at-retail careers or those who may have worked in the industry for only part of their careers.
The highest honor of individual achievement is the induction of members into the Industry Hall of Fame, administered by POPAI. The Industry Hall of Fame is an industry lifetime achievement award. The winners have worked in the retail marketing at-retail industry for at least 25 years, made a significant contribution to the industry in his/her community, and observed ethical business practices during his/her career. This year Barbara Daugherty, director of the Merchandising Center of Excellence, Frito-Lay, and Michael Lauber, chairman and CEO, Tusco Displays, were inducted.
BARBARA DAUGHERTY
Daugherty joined Frito-Lay in 1980 as a sales manager designate in Michigan, beginning as a route salesman, advancing to district manager, and, in 1982, being named the first female zone sales leader. She is currently director of the Merchandising Center of Excellence. Prior to that she was customer marketing manager, national sales marketing manager, and held several positions involving communications, promotions, and merchandising with corporate responsibility for Frito-Lay nationally at Frito-Lay's corporate headquarters. She served as the second brand marketer and second female chair of POPAI's Board of Directors from 2003-2004, and has represented Frito-Lay in POPAI for the past 15 years.
She currently serves on POPAI's Strategic Planning and Chairman's Advisory Committees, and has been a presenter at POPAI conferences in Australia, Canada, Mexico, Paris, London, Brazil, India, and Argentina, and spoke at EuroShop '08 in Dusseldorf. She is the recipient of numerous POPAI awards, including the 2007 Andrea Martin Volunteer of the Year Award, the 2006 Pat Cloud President's Award, and the 2001 Industry Achievement Award. Daugherty is actively involved in her community, serving as co-chair of the Dallas chapter of the Network of Executive Women (NEW), Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the American Cancer Society. She holds degrees in Psychology and Education from MiamiUniversity ( Ohio) and resides in Plano, TX with her husband, Ajax.
MIKE LAUBER
Mike Lauber is chairman and CEO of Tusco Display in Gnadenhutten, OH, one of the nation's leading designers and manufacturers of custom, permanent, point-of-purchase displays and fixtures. He was one of the youngest chairmen of POPAI's Board, and his strategic thinking, leadership in research, and globalization of the medium was pivotal in moving the industry and the association forward. He has been active in POPAI for over 20 years and played an instrumental role in selling POPAI's tradeshow to enable the organization to become a true trade association. He served as chairman of the Board of Directors from 1995-1996. In 1992 he was chairman of the POPAI Marketplace and was the recipient of the 1998 Industry Achievement Award and the 2004 Pat Cloud President's Award.
Lauber is very active in POPAI's Permanent Display Manufacturer's Forum (PDMF) Group and hosted a tour of his facility in 2006. He serves on a number of local, regional, and statewide boards, including the Board of Trustees of the FirstMoravianChurch, the United Way of TuscarawasCounty, the Ohio Small Business Development Council, and the National Association of Manufacturers Presidents Council. In 2005, he was named TuscarawasCounty's Citizen of the Year. A graduate of WoosterCollege and the Amos Tuck School of Business at DartmouthCollege, Lauber lives with his wife Elizabeth and their four daughters in Dover, OH.
SAFEWAY HONORED
The highest industry honor for corporate achievement, the Chiefs Award was presented to Safeway. The Retailer Chief Award is presented to companies that demonstrate effective and innovative use of marketing at-retail in their overall marketing strategy and adhere to the highest business standards.
In a video, Mike Minasi, president of marketing for Safeway, thanked POPAI and the industry for recognizing the contributions that Safeway has made to the marketing at-retail industry. Accepting the Award for Safeway was Greg Teneyck, director of public affairs and government relations.
Members of POPAI are solicited for their nominations for this award. POPAI's Nominating Committee selects the company that will accept the award during the Night of Honors at the annual Industry Leadership Conference. Tom Ujfalussy, chairman of the Nominating Committee and director of new concept marketing for The Central Group explains, "Safeway was chosen for their innovative marketing at-retail programs; for their pioneering participation in the Marketing at-Retail Initiative (MARI); and for their dedication to ethical business practices." Past Chief Award winners include BP Oil Corporation, General Motors, McDonalds Corporation, and Walgreens Company.
ABOUT POPAI
POPAI is the only non-profit association serving the global marketing at-retail industry. On its member's behalf, POPAI initiates strategic programs that positively impact the industry's direction and protect the industry from undue regulation. POPAI provides the industry with research, education, and resources, plus the Outstanding Merchandising Awards (OMA) contest. The organization also facilitates an international dialog and information exchange between its worldwide members. POPAI is leading the industry in the area of digital signage and supporting media networks - technology that has already opened up the market to hundreds of new creative ideas that promise to further stimulate growth. For additional information about POPAI, visit www.popai.com/hq.
