Presenting…

Lauren Poisson
Senior Business Manager
Daymon

In her 20-year career with Daymon, Lauren has partnered with 100+ suppliers and 20+ retailer partners to catalyze private brand growth by aligning strategies and delivering measurable growth. "er collaboration with cross-functional teams across all levels, both internally and externally, gives her valuable perspective to develop holistic solutions that drive private brand business. “Lauren has been instrumental in driving various product development initiatives, from ideation to on-shelf execution. Her influence and leadership in these moments have ensured that Daymon and their supplier and retail partners all capture critical revenue, strengthening trust in shared financial goals.”

Heather Warthen
Associate Manager, Corporate Communications
Topco Associates

Heather is a go-to communications leader for numerous parts of the business, coupling her relationship building with strategy, perspective and effort. “By leveraging data, she’s been able to articulate her perspective on an optimal go-forward approach. This strategy has afforded continuous improvement as initiatives advance, allowing the communication methods to evolve with the workstream. Heather's ability to identify avenues to provide a consistent, cohesive look across all external communications is one of the more notable achievements for the team.”

Tina Manipon
Own Brands, Innovation Manager
Giant Eagle

This year, Tina developed a cohesive, store brand–led seasonal program spanning multiple categories across Fresh & Grocery, targeting trend-right flavors, such as dill pickle and regional flavors like strawberry pretzel. She was part of the Merchandising Inclusion Champions for FY2025. “Tina introduced trend-driven product offering that are exclusive to Giant Eagle stores, making Giant Eagle a seasonal destination. Her work led to a sales impact, increasing seasonal category sales and incrementally boosted private brand penetration through engaging product ‘treasure hunts.’”

Shawn Ahlgren
Senior Quality Systems Manager
John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.

Shawn leads Quality Systems at the JBSS Lakeville facility, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, driving continuous improvement, and fostering a culture of food safety and excellence. Her expertise spans food safety, operations, supplier management, regulatory compliance, and employee engagement. This year Shawn led a seamless site integration, maintained a SQF Excellence score since 2009, and acts a key liaison with customers. “Her leadership in regulatory compliance, safety, and employee engagement makes her a standout figure in the store brands industry.“

April Edmonson
Senior Marketing Manager
Simmons Prepared Foods

Over the past year, April has led initiatives that significantly reduced leftover product lifecycle risk through organized and effective communication strategies—directly supporting brand strategy and retail efficiency. “Her work has directly contributed to Simmons becoming the sole supplier for two major retail accounts, supported by the launch of 10 strategically selected SKUs. This achievement resulted in a significant improvement in Simmons’ retail sales performance and demonstrated her ability to execute high-impact initiatives with precision and excellence.”

Lisa Taylor
Director of Merchandising, Frozen & Bulk
Sprouts Farmers Market

Lisa is responsible for approximately $250 million in annual business and works with 100+ brands, including Sprouts Brand. Since taking leadership of the Frozen department in early 2024, Lisa has driven measurable success. “Lisa plays a key role in strategic adjustments, such as optimizing fruit package sizes, ensuring value and innovation are continuously delivered to our customers. Lisa knows the consumers value store brand for these types of everyday options and wants to continue to drive that value for Sprouts customers.“

Zorayda Garcia
Plant Manager
OFI

With over a decade of experience in the Store Brands industry, Zorayda has consistently delivered operational excellence while keeping the customer satisfaction and value as a top priority. Her achievements this year include cost reductions with customer value in mind, yield optimization for product consistency, and operational excellence driving customer satisfaction. “Zorayda exemplifies the kind of leadership that transforms operations into customer-centric engines of growth. Her ability to balance cost efficiency with quality, safety, and team engagement has made a measurable impact on the success at OFI Spices Private Label.“

Sherri Olson
Customer Experience Analyst
Schreiber Foods, Inc.

Sherri is specifically responsible for single-handedly managing the customer service and transportation relationships with Walmart & Sam's. “Sherri has been instrumental in advancing our Walmart store brand program. er impact is felt at our DC level as well as by Walmart's Transportation team. Sherri is never ok with ‘good enough’ and will go above and beyond to ensure seamless operations. Sherri's excessive commitment to ensuring the PO and truckload processes go smoothly is a competitive advantage for Schreiber as well as Walmart.“

Rhonda Frudd
Sr. Director, Supply Chain Finance
TreeHouse Foods

Rhonda drives impact across the organization while inspiring those around her. She leads the manufacturing finance team supporting 25 facilities nationwide, delivering more than $40 million in operational savings, a testament to her sharp financial acumen and relentless focus on results. “Beyond the numbers, Rhonda spearheaded a transformative shift to a global service model, harnessing automation and advanced technology to unlock new levels of efficiency and effectiveness. Her vision for smarter, faster ways of working is reshaping how the team delivers value to the business. “

Marlo Lanahan
Director of Private Brands
Sabre Private Label Group

This year Marlo successfully led several key projects that strengthened her company’s partnerships with top national retailers. She expanded distribution in multiple categories, secured significant new private label contracts, and guided the launch of several retailer-exclusive products that are already driving category growth. “Beyond sales achievements, she played a central role in aligning cross-functional teams—working with R&D, supply chain, and category management—to ensure projects moved seamlessly from concept to shelf.”