FMI Recognizes Two State Association Executives with Public Affairs Award

TGCSA's Ikard and IRMA's Karr Receive MacManus Award

Arlington, VA - Today, FMI - The Food Industry Association proudly recognized Rob Ikard, president and CEO of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association (TGCSA), and Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA), as the 2024 recipients of the Donald H. MacManus Award for their extraordinary achievements in public affairs.

After joining TGCSA in 2014, Ikard was instrumental in overseeing and guiding implementation of the previously enacted landmark "wine in grocery stores" law, which allowed retail food stores to begin selling wine in 2016. Among other achievements, Ikard oversaw the association's efforts working alongside a broad coalition to pass "statewide standardization," which preempts local governments in Tennessee from passing bans or restrictions on packaging materials, grocery bags, and food ingredients that would have created a patchwork of challenging requirements to implement. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he also enrolled TGCSA to serve at the state's emergency operations center as a liaison with state government on food supply chain issues to ensure his member companies were able to keep shelves stocked and customers fed. Ikard has also spearheaded the advocacy and education of the prohibition of interchange fees on sales tax in his state as well as providing education to his counterparts in other states.

Karr was similarly recognized for the significant public policy wins that IRMA secured under his leadership. Most recently, the association successfully advocated for a first-in-the-nation law prohibiting the levying of credit card swipe fees on the sales tax, excise tax and gratuities portion of a transaction. Under Karr's guidance, IRMA also achieved wins on a host of policy issues, including the creation of an organized retail crime association along with the Attorney General and others; shaping an extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy that has been adopted as a national model; expanding access to vaccinations at pharmacies; and "test and treat" allowances in which customers can get tested at a pharmacy for common ailments and receive treatments for those illnesses in the same visit.

FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin stated, "Both Rob Ikard and Rob Karr are passionate advocates for the food retail community, as demonstrated by the breadth and depth of their accomplishments to support the food industry in their respective states. Whether it's combatting excessive swipe fees, shepherding the implementation of wine sales at grocery stores, or expanding access to critical pharmacy services in their communities, both gentlemen reflect the spirit and dedication of the food industry professionals they serve every day. We are honored to be able to present each of them with this year's Donald H. MacManus Award."

In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, FMI temporarily suspended the Donald H. MacManus Association Executive award program and instead recognized the tireless efforts of all state executives during challenging times. This year marks the first time since 2019 that the awards were given at FMI's State Issues Retreat, an annual event that brings together food retail grocery associations and grocery company professionals from each state to discuss state legislative and regulatory issues of interest to the food industry.

A complete list of past recipients of the Donald H. MacManus Award is available here.