CGA Hosts Annual Lobby Day

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Lynn Melillo

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Grocery retailers and suppliers from throughout California gathered in Sacramento on Wednesday, April 8, to discuss key industry issues with state legislators and staff during CGA’s Annual Grocers Day at the Capitol.

More than 60 grocers and suppliers participated in this one-day annual event that included face-to-face meetings with legislators in the State Capitol. Prior to their Capitol visits, attendees heard from freshman Assemblymember David Hadley (R-Torrance) and political insider Paul Mitchell.

“Grocers Day is our industry’s opportunity to talk face to face with state elected officials and discuss the key legislation being considered,” said CGA President/CEO Ron Fong. “This year was particularly important due to the challenging legislation now before both houses.”

To maximize their legislative visits, attendees were separated into smaller groups and pre-assigned legislators with stores in their district. CGA staff supplied each attendee with talking points and leave behind material on three key pieces of legislation, including:

AB 359 (Gonzalez) – Grocery Worker Retention
AB 305 (Gonzalez) Workers’ Compensation Apportionments
AB 357 (Chiu) Employee Scheduling

Following Grocers Day, attendees and legislators were invited to CGA’s annual President’s Reception at the Association’s headquarters, which provided a more causal atmosphere to further discuss industry topics.

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Agriculture Secretary Addresses CGA Board

Posted on April 10, 2015March 13, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross addressed the CGA Board of Directors on Thursday, April 10, on the impact of California’s ongoing drought.

Secretary Ross said the state is going to have to make “some very hard decisions in this very serious time.”

Ron Fong, CGA President; Secretary Karen Ross; CGA Chair Joe Falvey, Unified Grocers, Inc.

She said California should look to countries like Australia to better understand the impact of long-term droughts, including the critical importance of water conservation. She said Australians, who have endured an ongoing drought for nearly two decades, would be shocked by California’s lack of sustained water conservation, saying “drought fatigue” coupled with some rain this past month has created a false sense of water security with many Californian’s abandoning their water conservation efforts. The latest monthly statewide water conservation numbers were at their lowest levels since the drought began.

In developing solutions to California’s drought and ever-growing water challenges, entities involved in water management and usage will need to better understand how it is used and the multiple benefits of every water molecule.

She told the Board there needs to be more cooperative agreements between groups with different water priorities, singling out the adversarial relationship between farmers and environmentalists. She called on California’s rich history of cooperation to help fuel the innovation needed to prepare and reduce the impact of future droughts.

Secretary Ross recognized the importance of the grocery industry, saying it is “a critical part of our food chain.” She said her department wants to partner with the grocery industry. She thanked grocery retailers involved in the state’s California Grown program and encouraged all retailers to participate.

CGA Foundation Inducts Industry Execs

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Lynn Melillo

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Event Photographs Below

More than 700 friends, family and industry peers celebrated the induction of three grocery industry executives into the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement on March 26, 2015 in Sacramento, CA.

Jim and Joyce Raley Teel, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, and Joseph E. Gallo, E. & J. Gallo Winery, join a prestigious group of Hall of Achievement recipients who have been recognized for their many contributions to not only the grocery industry, but the communities they serve.

“This year’s inductees are true icons of our industry. It is with great pleasure that we recognize Jim, Joyce, and Joe, for their lifelong commitment to the grocery industry,” said CGAEF President Ron Fong. “Their stories personify hundreds of similar families, including my own, who experienced the American dream of creating successful businesses through hard work, dedicated service and reliance on the strength of family.”

Led by this year’s event chairs Mike Teel, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, and Gary Ippolito, E. & J. Gallo Winery, the event raised more than $500,000 – funds that support the Foundation’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.

“It is very gratifying to celebrate the spirit of family business by honoring two California families with deep roots in the Golden State’s grocery industry,” Fong said.

The evening featured an inspiring speech by Raley’s employee Albert Enemuoh, a CGAEF scholarship recipient. After his presentation, guests bid on live auction items and participated in a Fund-A-Need supporting CGAEF’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.

The CGA Educational Foundation was created under the direction of the California Grocers Association Board of Directors in 1992. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offer educational programs to advance the grocery industry. For more information regarding CGAEF programs and for a complete listing of past Hall of Achievement honorees, visit www.cgaef.org.

About our honorees:

James E. Teel, Co-chair Emeritus, Board of Directors
Joyce Raley Teel, Owner and Co-chair Emeritus, Board of Directors

James E. Teel celebrates 65 years of service with Raley’s in 2014. Jim began working for Thomas P. Raley as a bottle sorter while attending McClatchy High School in Sacramento. He continued to work for Raley’s while he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Sacramento State College in 1952.

Jim learned the grocery business from the ground up – loading, unloading and driving delivery trucks, as well as working as a Grocery Clerk and Produce Clerk. After college graduation, he worked as an Apprentice Butcher at store level for two years. He was then promoted to Meat Buyer and began working at Raley’s corporate office. While there, he helped set up the company’s central control operation for merchandising and buying, and became the company’s first Personnel Director in 1958. Over the years, Jim became a trusted adviser to owner, Tom Raley, serving as Vice President of Operations and later Chairman of the Board. He now serves as Co-chair Emeritus with his wife, Joyce, whom he married in 1950. He served on the board of the Northern California Grocers Association for 15 years and is a former president of that organization.

Joyce Raley Teel, daughter of Raley’s founder Thomas P. Raley, is the owner of the company and serves as Co-chair Emeritus with her husband. Joyce grew up working in her father’s stores and officially joined the company in 1985. A strong believer in supporting her community, Joyce co-founded Raley’s Food For Families program, providing food assistance in partnership with food banks. This effort has since raised $31 million and 21 million pounds of food in the communities served by Raley’s stores.

Joyce started the Thomas P. Raley Foundation for family philanthropic endeavors in 1995. In 1998, she established the Joyce Raley Teel Scholarship to assist employees and their family members in their educational pursuits. Joyce also strongly supports the local arts community.

Jim and Joyce have five children. Their son, Mike Teel, serves as President and CEO of Raley’s. Two of their daughters (Laurie Struck and Lisa Davidson) and two sons-in-law sit on Raley’s Board of Directors.

Raley’s Family of Fine Stores operates 128 stores in California and Nevada. The company includes Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source stores.

Joseph Gallo, E. & J. Gallo Winery

Joseph E. Gallo, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the E. & J. Gallo Winery, the world’s largest family-owned winery. The company has a significant presence in the California wine, brandy and distilled spirits industries with eight wineries and more than 60 brands including table and sparkling wines, dessert wines and distilled spirits.

As President and CEO, Mr. Gallo has focused much of his energy on growing the company and has overseen a number of acquisitions including Barefoot, Louis M. Martini, Mirassou Vineyards, William Hill Estate, Columbia Winery and, most recently, Edna Valley Vineyards. He has also directed the expansion of the company’s import portfolio with entries from nine different countries as well as the introduction of New Amsterdam Gin, New Amsterdam Vodka and Familia Camarena Tequila.

Mr. Gallo joined the winery’s sales department in 1965, and was instrumental in the company gaining national distribution by 1970, applying lessons learned from working alongside his father, Ernest Gallo, and his uncle, Julio Gallo. Prior to becoming CEO in 2001, he focused most of his efforts on the company’s expansion into international markets, overseeing sales, distribution, marketing and operations. Today, Gallo International has various regional headquarters around the world. In the United States, Mr. Gallo has served on the Board of Directors for the Wine Institute of California since 1972, and the Grocery Manufacturers Association since 2001. Mr. Gallo has served on the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Advisory Council. Stanford University recognized Mr. Gallo with the Stanford Associates Achievement Award.

Born in Modesto, California, March 12, 1941, to Ernest and Amelia Gallo, Mr. Gallo spent his youth working in the family business. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1962, and earned his M.B.A. from the Stanford Business School in 1964. He and his wife, Ofelia, are the parents of three children, Stephanie, Ernest and Joseph and have six grandchildren.

Mr. Gallo and the Gallo family are committed to helping grow wine consumption throughout the world and contributing to the long-term success of the global wine industry. The Gallo family considers family ownership its greatest asset and believes that the benefits of private ownership enable long-term business sustainability through investment back into physical assets, brand building, vineyard research and continued long-term relationships with winery employees, growers, distributors, retailers and customers.

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Save Mart’s Bob Piccinini Passes Away

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Lynn Melillo

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Reprinted from The Modesto Bee

Robert M. “Bob” Piccinini, the congenial and savvy chairman of the board and majority shareholder of the Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets empire, died Tuesday morning, March 24, 2015, at his Modesto home. He was 73.

Word of his death slowly circulated Tuesday afternoon. Later in the afternoon, Save Mart released an official statement: “The Piccinini family announced with sadness today the passing of Robert “Bob” Piccinini, the Chairman of Save Mart Supermarkets. In life, Bob was most passionate about two things – his family and his company. He purchased Save Mart from the Piccinini and Tocco families in 1985 after working his way up through the ranks – box boy, truck driver, store manager, Vice President of Real Estate and on to President and Chief Executive Officer. He is credited with taking Save Mart from a homegrown, Central Valley chain to the regional competitor it is today. …”

Piccinini’s health declined over the past two years, said people close to him, and he reportedly died of congestive heart failure. He retired as Save Mart CEO in September and left the day-to-day operations to Steve Junqueiro, Greg Hill and his daughter Nicole Piccinini Pesco.

CGA President Ron Fong

The California Grocers Association and its 400-plus member companies were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Save Mart Supermarkets Chairman Bob Piccinini on Tuesday.

Bob was a true giant of the food industry, guiding Save Mart’s growth to become one of Northern California’s largest supermarket chains. He served as CGA Chairman of the Board and in 1996 was inducted into the CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement.

CGA extends its condolences to the Piccinini family. He will be missed.

Born in Modesto and raised in Manteca, Piccinini broke into the grocery business when he was 12 at his father’s store, Mike’s Market. He pressed labels onto packaged meats and earned 50 cents an hour.

Sixty years later, Piccinini leaves a major imprint as owner and operator of more than 240 stores in Northern and Central California under the Save Mart, S-Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx and Maxx Value banners. Under his stewardship, Save Mart became California’s largest family-owned grocery store chain. Piccinini was ranked 243rd in the 2013 Forbes list of wealthiest Americans, with a net worth estimated at $2.3 billion.

Piccinini’s passion for sports was lifelong, though he did not excel at athletics. He was a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors and owned several minor-league baseball teams over the years, including the Modesto A’s. He headed an investment group that nearly purchased the Oakland Athletics in 1999. Piccinini was seen at his courtside seat at Oracle Arena during Monday night’s Golden State win over Washington. In fact, he attended five games during the Warriors’ recent six-game homestand.

“In my mind, his life was cut short, but it was a terrific life,” said Dan Kiser, general manager of the Modesto A’s from 1971 to ’89. Piccinini, who met Kiser while they were students at the University of San Francisco, hired Kiser as GM. “His father, Mike, was in business for himself and was a good instructor,” Kiser said. “Bob worked himself through all the positions at Save Mart. He had a good foundation and carried it throughout his career. He just knew what was necessary to make it work.”

In 1998, Piccinini engineered a revival of the then-sagging Modesto Relays through sponsorship and kept the world-class track meet alive and in Modesto for another decade. His company’s name has been on NASCAR’s Sonoma stop – the Toyota/Save Mart 350 – since 1992. Save Mart Center at Fresno State also was built with a major contribution from Piccinini.

He attended Modesto Junior College, USF and the University of the Pacific and became the Save Mart vice president in 1971 (at age 29) after his father died. The twice-divorced father of four eventually became company president a decade later.

Piccinini always possessed a knack for locating his stores and getting the money for expansion. An expert deal-maker, he took great pride in his company’s growth and prosperity. Last summer, he celebrated his 50th anniversary with Save Mart. “Either you have it or you don’t,” he once said. “It’s more of a case of how to make more good decisions than bad. You could go to school for 12 years and never get it.”

He is survived by children Nicole Pesco, Joseph Piccinini, Alexandria Piccinini and Dominic Piccinini; he was preceded in death by son Michael Piccinini.

Grocers/Law Enforcement Discuss Prop. 47

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Lynn Melillo

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Retailers from throughout the Southland met with Los Angeles City and County law enforcement and attorneys on March 4 to discuss how to address issues connected to the implementation of Proposition 47.

CGA organized the meeting at the request of members expressing concern about a noticeable upturn in theft, particularly organized retail crime, since the passage of Proposition 47 last November.

The proposition reduces the classification of most “nonserious and nonviolent property and drug crimes” from a felony to a misdemeanor.

The two-hour meeting focused on building stronger relationships between law enforcement and grocery retailers. Fifteen grocery companies, along with three CGA staffers, representing a cross-section of large and small retailers attended.

“The meeting allowed both retailers and law enforcement to share their concerns with Prop. 47,” said Dave Heylen, CGA. “Both sides are frustrated with the unintended consequences of the initiative.”

Both law enforcement and grocers emphasized the need for greater collaboration.

Calif. Prisons Have Released 2,700 Inmates Under Prop. 47

Posted on March 10, 2015March 5, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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Reprinted from the San Francisco Chronicle

SACRAMENTO — California’s prisons have released 2,700 inmates after their felonies were reduced to misdemeanors under a ballot measure that voters approved in November, easing punishment for some property and drug crimes.

The mass inmate release over the past four months under Proposition 47 has resolved one of the state’s most ingrained problems: prison overcrowding, state prisons chief Jeffrey Beard told a Senate committee at a legislative hearing Thursday. Prop. 47 has allowed the state to comply with a court-ordered inmate reduction mandate a year ahead of schedule, Beard said.

But law enforcement leaders say they’ve already seen an increase in crime, and they believe it’s because of Prop. 47.

“The good news is we’ve addressed our jail overcrowding situation in California, which wasn’t acceptable to anybody,” said San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr in a phone interview. “The thing we are grappling with is the tremendous rise in property crime.”

Prop. 47 allows inmates serving sentences for crimes affected by the reduced penalties to apply to be resentenced and released early. Those crimes include shoplifting, grand theft and writing bad checks, among others. About 150 inmates a week are being released under the relaxed laws. Initially, 250 to 300 inmates a week were being let out.

4 freed early in S.F.

Four people sentenced in San Francisco had their felonies reduced and were released from prison under Prop. 47, according to the San Francisco district attorney’s office.

Prisoners released under Prop. 47 are required to be on parole for one year unless a judge decides otherwise.

California now has 112,500 inmates in its prisons, which is 1,300 inmates below the final cap the state was required to meet by February 2016.

Impact lauded

“We are happy to see the impact it’s having,” said Lenore Anderson, executive director of the Oakland group Vote Safe, which sponsored Prop. 47. “The intent of the measure was to stop wasting precious resources on incarcerating people in state prisons for low-level, nonviolent crimes and reinvesting that in treatment and prevention at the local level.”

Opponents of Prop. 47, including the union lobbying group the Police Officers Research Association of California, argued that the measure would result in higher crime rates as more criminals return to the streets. The groups also pointed out concerns that felony possessions of drugs commonly referred to as date-rape drugs would become misdemeanors.

Last month, lawmakers introduced a bill that would allow voters to restore felony penalties for possession of those drugs, such as Rohypnol and GHB.

In San Francisco, Suhr said burglaries are up 20 percent, larceny and theft up 40 percent, auto theft is up more than 55 percent, between 2010 and 2014. Suhr said those crimes shot up largely due to prison realignment, Gov. Jerry Brown’s program that changed sentencing, sending thousands of convicted felons to county jail or probation instead of state prison. Suhr said auto burglaries are up quite a bit this year, and he believes it’s because of the Prop. 47 release.

Crime down last year

Last year, violent crime and property offenses in San Francisco were down overall, according to end-of-year data released by the Police Department last month.

“This situation is not unique to San Francisco,” Suhr said. “I don’t think this is something we can’t figure out, but there is a new normal for property theft we have to figure out.”

Prop. 47 scrapped felony penalties for possession of most illegal drugs, such as methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, as well as for property crimes in which the loss was $950 or less. Prior to the measure, the threshold for misdemeanor property crimes was $450. Those crimes include forgery, check fraud, petty theft, shoplifting and receiving stolen property.

Defendants in those cases could still be charged with felonies if they had a previous conviction for specified serious or violent crimes or sex offenses.

“There are still consequences,” Anderson said. “Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor can face a year in county jail.”

Each year, 40,000 people in California are convicted of crimes covered by Prop. 47, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, which projected the state will save $100 million to $200 million beginning next fiscal year from the measure. Most of that money is slated for mental health and substance abuse programs.

California has been under a federal court order since 2009 to reduce prison overcrowding. The three-judge court extended the deadline several times for the state to bring its inmate population to 137.5 percent of designed capacity.

1,300 inmates below cap

The state is currently 1,300 inmates below the final cap required by next year at its prisons, although the state utilizes out-of-state contracted prisons in order to meet the requirement.

“Prop. 47 was designed to ensure law enforcement agencies prioritize serious and violent offenders instead of sending people to state prison for personal drug use,” said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón. “Cycling addicts in and out of jail is a sinkhole for taxpayer resources, and it doesn’t make us safer.”

Foundation To Award Record Scholarship Amount

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Lynn Melillo

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Scholarships To Help Students Offset Rising Tuition Costs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – February 2, 2015 – For the first time in its 23-year history, the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation College Scholarship Program, the nation’s largest statewide program supporting the grocery industry, will provide a record $500,000 in financial relief from ever rising costs that prevent many students from completing their education.

CGA member company employees and their dependents are eligible to apply for this life-changing financial assistance for the 2015-16 academic year through college scholarships awarded by CGAEF – a $92,000 increase over last year’s award total.

“The significance of this scholarship program and the grocery industry’s generosity cannot be overstated; this program has been indispensable to countless individuals. At a time when students struggle to continue their education while attempting to lessen their financial burden, this program ensures that hundreds of students every year will receive the financial support they need,” said Jim Van Gorkom, CGAEF Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

“CGAEF scholarship donors are investing in the development of tomorrow’s grocery industry leaders,” added Van Gorkom. “We are grateful for the tremendous ongoing support of CGA member companies which allows the Foundation an opportunity to provide college scholarships to deserving students.”

Beginning with a single scholarship in 1992, the Foundation has grown exponentially over the last 23 years to bestow almost 3,000 worthy college students with scholarships totaling more than $3.5 million – ensuring that California’s grocery employees and their dependents have the resources necessary to start or complete their higher education.

The program includes four types of scholarships: CGAEF funded, Legacy, Donor and Piggyback. CGAEF college scholarships are open to high school seniors, college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students who are dependents of employees or are themselves employed by a CGA member company. The online scholarship application is available through April 1 at www.cgaef.org.

“Education and training represent essential tools to the future prosperity of our industry,” noted CGAEF Executive Director Shiloh London. “In these uncertain economic times, providing opportunities for individuals to enhance job skills and further educational goals is more important than ever.”

“Too many talented students are being forced to curtail their education and career ambitions because of financial constraints,” said London. “With 300 scholarships, we hope these extraordinary individuals can attend college, earn their degree, and go on to make an impact in their professions and their communities.”

Independent Operators Gather for CGA Symposium

Posted on January 21, 2015March 5, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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2015_symposiumsponsor_final Independent grocery retailers from throughout California gathered in Hawaii recently for the 34th Annual CGA Independent Operators Symposium which included an enhanced educational program that featured several high-caliber educational sessions targeted at key challenges and opportunities facing independent retailers.

Speakers for this year’s Symposium included former Walt Disney executive Dennis Snow, noted author and succession planning expert Tom Deans, and industry consultant Craig Rosenblum.

“The Symposium was a tremendous success,” said CGA President Ron Fong. “It provided our independent grocers a unique opportunity to gather in a relaxed setting to share industry best practices and learn successful new strategies to grow and sustain their business.”

Snow, a Disney executive for more than 15 years, shared his unique perspective on providing the “Disney Approach” to customer service. Deans, the author of the best-selling book, “Every Family’s Business,” provided new concepts on navigating family ownership issues while developing and updating a company’s succession plan.

Using industry-specific data and examples of best and worst practices from independent grocers, Rosenblum, a partner at Willard Bishop Consulting, shared five key trends every independent operator show know and how to successfully apply them to their stores.

This year’s Symposium was January 11-18, at the beautiful Disney Aulani Hotel on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

“We look forward to building this event in the coming years and making it the premier gathering for our independent retailers,” Fong said. “I encourage every independent operator to mark their calendars for next January and plan to join their peers for this tremendous event.”

2015 Independent Operators Symposium Highlights

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A Year in Review

Posted on December 24, 2014March 13, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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‘Twas the day before Christmas

And all ‘round the Capitol

Barely a creature was stirring

It was rather dull

So AM Alert weighed its options

It considered them with care

A vacation would be best

Yes, until the new year

But first, one more post

To send us all on our ways

See you in 2015

And happy holidays!

JANUARY: Coolio welcomed the Legislature back to session, and Democrats were sitting pretty with two-thirds supermajorities in both houses. But any excitement about what issues they might tackle with their unprecedented power was soon dashed when Sen. Rod Wright, D-Baldwin Hills, was found guilty of eight felonies related to living outside the district he ran for in 2008. (After a protracted legal process, Wright eventually resigned in September and served 71 minutes in jail.) Gov. Jerry Brown also caused a stir at his annual State of the State address, debuting Sutter Brown playing cards to make the case for another year of fiscal prudence.

FEBRUARY: The scandals kept rolling with the indictment of Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, on 24 counts including bribery, and a record political ethics fine for lobbyist Kevin Sloat. We briefly paid attention to Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom when he turned on high-speed rail, a pet project of Brown’s, while venture capitalist Tim Draper made headlines with his ultimately unsuccessful effort to split California into six new states.

MARCH: The Capitol was really shaken when the FBI raided the offices of Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, who was arrested and later charged with corruption and conspiracy to traffic weapons. Days later, Yee, Calderon and Wright were all suspended with pay. (Yee and Calderon termed out at the end of the session.) Early on, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, appeared to be the Republican to beat in the race to lose the governorship to Brown, who had already amassed a $20 million war chest.

APRIL: Failed attempts to restore affirmative action and ban orca shows drew attention to the Legislature, though senators paused their work for a day of ethics training. Sen. Tom Berryhill, R-Twain Harte, could have used the help earlier; he was fined $40,000 for money laundering. Republican gubernatorial challenger Neel Kashkari brought in big endorsements in an attempt to kickstart his floundering campaign. Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown, D-San Bernardino, mounted a comeback of her own to win the annual Capitol Frog Jump.

MAY: Another month, another scandal in the Senate: President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg fired a Capitol peace officer for drug use, a revelation that unraveled issues of nepotism in the upper house and led to the retirement of its longtime heads of law enforcement and human resources. Over in the Assembly, Toni Atkins became the first openly gay woman to ascend to the speakership. Lawmakers came together to place a rainy-day reserve measure, touted by Brown, on the November ballot. Kashkari dumped $2 million of his own money into the governor’s race in an attempt to make up ground on Donnelly, then the two scrapped in a feisty radio debate.

JUNE: Kashkari edged out Donnelly to advance from the gubernatorial primary and face Brown, but the biggest drama of the June election was the state controller’s race. An unknown Republican named David Evans had Democrats biting their nails on election night, and the final result came down to 481 votes. (Leland Yee finished third in an aborted bid for secretary of state.) A court ruling striking down California’s teacher employment rules as unconstitutional injected new life into the superintendent of public instruction contest. Brown and lawmakers reached a budget deal creating preschool for poor children and setting aside cap-and-trade money for high-speed rail. Then his old nemesis, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, showed up to needle Brown on job creation. The fight over regulating Uber also arrived at the Capitol.

JULY: A high-profile recount didn’t change the results in the controller’s race. (Maybe medical marijuana advocates pushed Betty Yee over rival John A. Pérez?) Activists finally got their advisory question about money in politics onto the November ballot, only to have it booted by the California Supreme Court. Brown named Stanford Law School Professor Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar to one of the vacancies on the court, then jetted off to Mexico for talks on trade and the environment amid a border surge of undocumented minors, leaving us with four governors in four days. In search of some much-needed attention, Kashkari pretended to be homeless in Fresno.

AUGUST: With a deadline looming, the Legislature came together in rare bipartisan goodwill to place a water bond before voters in November. (Birdzilla became a star while we all waited. And waited.) In the waning days of the session, Democrats also passed a number of controversial proposals, including a sweeping plastic bag ban, a “yes means yes” sexual assault bill, and, at the very last minute, paid sick leave for all workers. It had been a while without a fresh scandal in the Senate, but Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, got himself arrested for driving under the influence after a party at the Capitol made its way to social media. He later pleaded no contest to a “wet reckless.”

SEPTEMBER: Ignoring his own precedent, Brown participated in only one debate with Kashkari, where they clashed over California’s economic recovery and teacher dismissal laws. Then he signed a much-lobbied-for film tax credit, much-lobbied-against historic groundwater regulation, and more gun control measures. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger briefly returned to the Capitol to unveil his official portrait, which included a poorly removed image of estranged wife Maria Shriver.

OCTOBER: With Brown basically ignoring his own reelection campaign, attention (and loads of money) unexpectedly turned to the superintendent of public instruction contest, where incumbent Tom Torlakson and Marshall Tuck debated the future of California public schools. Kashkari tried to get in on the action with a much-derided ad depicting a drowning child. The local battle between Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, and Republican Doug Ose was the most expensive, and perhaps the nastiest, congressional race in the country. Kevin de León took over as Senate president pro tem with a $50,000 inauguration paid for by special interests. Plastic bag makers launched an expensive effort to overturn the state’s new ban.

NOVEMBER: A tame election cycle sent voter turnout tumbling to a record low. Brown was easily elected to a record fourth term as governor with 60 percent of the vote and Democrats swept statewide office, but they lost their supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature. Weeks later, we finally found out that Bera had eked out a nail-biting victory, and an unknown named Patty Lopez had just unseated a supposed frontrunner for the next Assembly Speaker. No sooner was the election over than the University of California announced plans to raise tuition, sparking a budget battle with Brown and massive student protests. Brown filled another vacancy on the California Supreme Court with Obama administration lawyer Leondra Kruger, a surprisingly controversial pick. All was quiet on the Senate front, and de León laid off dozens of staff members.

DECEMBER: The Legislature swore in a new class of fresh faces and immediately set about trying to avoid the UC tuition hike. A shoeshine man and the oversight office were revealed as further victims of Senate budget troubles. After federal officials finally approved a design, California prepared for the launch of its new drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. With his typical diplomacy, Michael Peevey stepped down as head of the California Public Utilities Commission amid scandal. Oh, California, we do things different.

Call The Bee’s Alexei Koseff, (916) 321-5236. Follow him on Twitter @akoseff.

Unified Grocers Exec Elected CGA Chairman

Posted on December 8, 2014March 5, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

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SACRAMENTO, CA (Dec. 5, 2014) – Joe Falvey, Senior Vice President and President, Market Centre Inc., for Unified Grocers, Inc., was elected the 2014-2015 California Grocers Association Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 5, 2014.

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As Chair, Falvey will oversee CGA’s numerous legislative, educational, communications and industry-related programs. The Association is comprised of more than 300 retail companies operating more than 6,000 stores in California and Nevada. The chair serves for one year. He succeeds Immediate Past Chair Mary Kasper, Fresh & Easy.

“Joe’s extensive knowledge of the grocery industry, particularly here in California, will be of tremendous value to the Association,” said CGA President and CEO Ronald K. Fong. “He has strong professional relationships throughout the industry and is very well respected by his peers. The Board and staff look forward to his leadership in the coming year.”

At Unified Grocers, Falvey is responsible for Market Centre, the company’s subsidiary that distributes, sells and markets specialty, natural, ethnic foods, as well as candy, general merchandise and seasonal products and services.

In addition to Falvey, the following individuals were elected to the 2014-2015 CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee: First Vice Chair, Kevin Konkel, Raley’s; Second Vice Chair, Diana Godfrey, Smart & Final Stores; Treasurer, Jim Wallace, Albertsons, LLC; Secretary, Bob Parriott, Twain Harte Market; and Immediate Past Chair, Mary Kasper, Fresh & Easy.

Chairman’s appointments to the Executive Committee include: Dave Jones, Kellogg Company; Kendra Doyel, Ralphs Grocery Company; and Kevin Arceneaux, Mondelez International Inc.

Outgoing Chair Mary Kasper hands gavel to Joe Falvey.

Directors elected to their first full three-year term include: Rich Arnold, Oberto Brands; Art Jackson, Costco Wholesale; Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms; and Denny Silva, Coca-Cola Refreshments.

Directors elected to their second three-year term include: Brent Cotton, The Hershey Company; Casey McQuaid, E. & J. Gallo Winery; Dan Meyer, Stater Bros. Markets; Phil Miller, C&S Wholesale Grocers; and Mike Stamper, Nestle, DSD.

Former CGA Chair Kevin Davis, Bristol Farms, was elected an honorary board member.

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The California Grocers Association is a non-profit, statewide trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 300 retail members operating over 6,000 food stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 200 grocery supplier companies.