Peter Larkin, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association, plans to retire Dec. 31.
A search committee will begin looking for a replacement in January, according to a news release. During Larkin’s tenure, NGA membership has more than doubled, and attendance at The NGA show has nearly tripled. The NGA Foundation has also grown, and the NGA Grocers Political Action Committee has supported candidates favorable to the industry.
“Peter has led a renaissance of NGA and will be leaving an organization that is well prepared to support our industry for many years to come,” Cheryl Sommer, chairman of the NGA board of directors and owner of Kaune’s Neighborhood Market, said in the release. “Peter’s passion and enthusiasm for NGA and the independent grocer is infectious, which is evidenced by the tremendous growth that NGA and The NGA Show has experienced under his leadership. Independent grocers serve as the cornerstones of their communities and ensure consumers have vibrant choice in the marketplace, making it critical for independents to have a strong advocate, such as NGA, to support our segment of the supermarket industry.
“Peter has elevated NGA as an organization and highlighted the important role independent grocers have in the US economy and our nation’s food distribution network,” Sommer said. “I wish Peter and Jody all the best in the next chapter in their lives.”