Alabama Grocery Industry Veteran Receives FMI Public Affairs Honor

CHICAGO – Food Marketing Institute (FMI) today recognizes Peter V. “Greg” Gregerson, president and CEO of Gregerson’s Food and Pharmacy Inc., for two decades of government relations advocacy for FMI and the food retail industry on Capitol Hill in both Washington, D.C., and Montgomery, Ala. FMI honored Gregerson with its Glen P. Woodard Award for Public Affairs at the organization’s professional development event, Future Leaders eXperience.

Gregerson’s three-store operation with a stand-alone drug store has been a mainstay in Gadsden, and consistent with the Woodard Award, Gregerson has been committed to his community and the greater industry at large by serving in a significant leadership capacity with the FMI Board of Directors as its vice chairman of FMI Public Affairs.

FMI Chief Public Policy Officer & Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Jennifer Hatcher recalled, “Greg was the first FMI member who greeted me personally when I came to work for FMI, as I had already known him and his stellar reputation from my work on Capitol Hill, and I’m witness to his deep dedication to our organization and the food industry – notably, in the two decades I’ve known him, he has not missed a single Day in Washington advocacy event.” Hatcher said, “He is devoted to critical industry issues such as swipe fee reform, most evident in his willingness to come back to Washington for a special plea to then Senate Banking Committee Chairman, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) to preserve the 2010 debit reforms, which we argue have increased competition, fostered increased security and helped to contain costs.”

Hatcher further commended Gregerson’s sense of community in rallying around industry issues, even when some regulations he advocated for and against in Washington may not directly and immediately apply to his business. She said, “Greg doesn’t hesitate to wear a broad industry hat when he represents FMI in Washington. For instance, even though Greg is an independent operator, he remains resolute in his stance against the application of a chain restaurant menu labeling rule that has sweeping business implications for establishments with 20 or more locations. Since his representative is a key member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Gregerson continues to play a strategic role in advocating for legislation that offers solutions for less costly and more flexible ways of sharing nutrition information with customers.”

Gregerson’s successes have been well documented. He received the Community Impact award in 2010 from the Gadsden Chamber of Commerce. He’s been named both Alabama Grocer of the Year (2011) and Retailer of the Year (2012) by the Alabama Grocers Association and Alabama Retail Association, respectively. He was also the Rotary Club’s Paul Harris Fellow.

In addition to his role with FMI, he continues to serve on a diverse set of boards that represent both business and community: the Alabama Grocers Association, WinSouth Credit Union, Gadsden Etowah Industrial Development Authority, Greenville, S.C., Shriners Hospital for Children and was recently reappointed by the Governor to the Alabama Small Business Commission.

Gregerson and his wife Marcy have four daughters and eight grandchildren. 

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