SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Recently, Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes recently recognized several employees who demonstrated outstanding service during 2012.
The evening began with the recognition of Joan Seifried, who has been a part of the Nice N Easy family since the 1980s. She started many years ago as the manager of the Herkimer Nice N Easy, moved into director of franchise and corporate operations and then thought it best to become a Nice N Easy Franchisee. The company thanked Joan for her many years of service and many spoke of their fond memories with Joan.
Each year, Nice N Easy awards a Trade Partner of the Year based on the year's sales and growth, as well as the company that worked to achieve an overall successful year with Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes. It chose Frito-Lay as the Trade Partner for 2012.
Nice N Easy recognized Hyde Fuel of Saranac Lake as the 2012 Franchise of the Year. This group currently owns and operates three Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes in Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake. Their staff takes a true team approach to achieve their success. Crowley Foods and Tri-Valley Beverage sponsored the Franchise of the Year Award.
Nice N Easy named Casey Trask as 2012 Assistant Manager of the Year. He was employed at the Brewerton Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppe when the store was rebuilt, and was a tremendous asset to the location. He has been acting manager at Phoenix Nice N Easy during the manager's absence and is ready to run his own store. Trask is very knowledgeable about every aspect of a Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppe. Dr. Pepper Snapple and MillerCoors sponsored the Assistant Manager of the Year Award.
The company honored Vickie Verschneider as Mama Mia Foodservice Manager of the Year, sponsored by DeIorio's, and Ashley Ryfun as Easy Street Eatery Foodservice Manager of the Year, sponsored by Hormel Foods and Bake 'n Joy. Vickie works at Clifford Fuel's Alder Creek Shoppe. She shows respect to all of her employees, established an outstanding team and they have fun as their sales continue to increase. Vickie is very involved with the local community and treats her customers like family. According to senior district manager Kate Millett, "Ashley lives and breathes her team's success and is a player in every part of store operations. She is infectious." Ashley currently works at the newest store located on Onondaga Hill in Syracuse, and previously worked at an East Syracuse location. She increases sales each year and does an outstanding job.
The Carthage Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppe won the top honors of Store of the Year, sponsored by Acosta Sales & Marketing and Crown Imports. This particular store is a corporate location and is 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. We are all very proud," said Widrick.
Nice N Easy presented the Manager of the Year Award to Carlos Gonzales of the Tupper Lake store, sponsored by Crowley Foods and Frito-Lay. The store is owned and operated by Hyde Fuel. According to Penny Willette, operations manager of 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. Since his leadership, the store sales have increased each year."
Gonzales said, "Being named Manager of the Year has really changed my perspective. It is not about how much each store profits, it is about doing the best you can with what you have--'whatever you do let it be done well'."
The company honored Fran Duskiewicz, senior executive vice president, with the Sharon Jordan Memorial True Spirit Award. John MacDougall, president and CEO of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, presented the award. Each year, MacDougall selects one employee who emulates the "true spirit" shown by our former employee, Sharon Jordan. Sharon was an exceptional employee of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes who passed away following a short illness. This award is one of the most prestigious that an employee can receive. Duskiewicz's dedication and commitment to Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes are just a few of the reasons the company honored him, said MacDougall.
Canastota, N.Y.-based Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes currently operates more than 85 stores in the upstate New York market.
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