LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Each year, convenience-store retailer Thorntons Inc. honors outstanding team members and vendor partners for their dedication to the company’s success. The 2015 honorees were recently announced at the company’s General Managers Conference in Marco Island, Fla.
Michael Vallejo of store 501 in Columbus, Ohio, took top honor as the 2015 General Manager of the Year. The dedicated leader has worked for Thorntons for more than nine years. In honor of his leadership and commitment to the brand, Vallejo received an all-expense paid vacation to a location of his choice, a 2015 Porsche Panamera and a cash prize.
Thorntons also celebrated vendor partners with awards for vendors who made significant contributions to the company’s success in 2014. It named Coca-Cola and key account executives Guy Cook and Kathy Williams as Vendor of the Year.
Thorntons awards this top honor to the vendor partner who consistently provides superior products and service to team members in stores and at its Store Support Center. Coca-Cola played a key role in encouraging growth at Thorntons through its support of the company’s new loyalty program.
Additional honorees include:
- Anheuser-Busch. Brian Fox received the Category Management Contribution Award, which is presented to a lead supplier that has provided the most objective and insightful information about customer, competition and category performance.
- Altria Group Distribution Co. Alice Scharrer was awarded the Thorntons Initiative Award for best exemplifying retailer initiatives.
- Crossmark. Chris Klyczek was named Regional Vendor of the Year. This honor is awarded to the broker partner who manages large national brands with significant impact while establishing strong local connections that are critical to the company’s success.
- Dawn Food Products Inc. Jennifer Wurzer received the Most Collaborative Partner Award. This recognition is given to the company that most consistently provides information, resources, products or services to support innovation and growth.
- Lipari Foods Inc. Bob Brevard and Megan Harned received the Field Focus Award for providing the best service and execution at the store level.
- Paytronix Systems Inc. Andrew Robbins was named the Refreshing Rewards Partner of the Year. New this year, this award honors the company that has best demonstrated its commitment to the growth of the Thorntons brand and its Refreshing Rewards Loyalty Program.
Based in Louisville, Thorntons operates more than 180 gasoline and convenience stores, car washes and travel plazas in six states: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Florida.
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