Cottingham has led the company in customer count, total sales and percentage of store sales for the new GIANT DIRECT service that allows customer to shop online for pickup or delivery.

Diversity initiatives are important to Cottingham, who serves on a new business resource group for team members called MOSAIC. His priorities extend to the community, where he served as vice president of the National Black MBA in Harrisburg and has coordinated programs and scholarship opportunities for teens and young adults.

Through weekly meetings with the store’s leadership team, which often include team- building exercises, he drives action through collaboration. He created a store newsletter that outlines important information and transparency, resulting in an above-average total store engagement of 80%.

“Passionate, purposeful, empathetic, strategic, and inspirational are just a few words that Gary Cottingham embodies. Gary approaches every day with the expectation that he will achieve greatness through his team.”