By George Anderson
Dave Skogen has been named the recipient of the Wisconsin Grocers Association Grocer of the Year.
Mr. Skogen is the president and chief executive of a business that operates eight Festival Foods stores and a Skogen's Market in Wisconsin.
In a manner typical of the grocery industry veteran, Mr. Skogen told the Holmen Courier, "So many people deserve a part of this."
As to the why behind his success as an independent in a world dominated by retail chains, Mr. Skogen said, "It's about serving people, not about profits, money or ego."
Mr. Skogen, who adheres to the "servant leadership" philosophy of management, has his entire organization focused on meeting the needs of customers.
Brandon Scholz, president of the Wisconsin Grocers Association, called Mr. Skogen, "the epitome of the local grocer. He's always got the customer, the community and his business on his mind and that is what this award is all about."
Moderator's Comment: Which people in the industry would you put on your list of grocers of the year?
We extend our congratulations to Dave Skogen on this honor.
We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Skogen a number of years ago while working on a soft drink category video for Supermarket Insights. We learned a lot more that day than what it takes to sell pop. Mr. Skogen understands what it takes to be a leader of people. - George Anderson - Moderator