2022 Midwest/Southeast Wholesaler of the Year

From page 22

“As a creative person, the opportunity to rejoin the advertising team appealed to me. A lot had changed in the process since I was last in the department. Everything was done on a Mac using Adobe software, which was a learning curve.”

In early 2011, Adams moved again when an opportunity opened as an accounts payable clerk. During this time in accounting, she was trained as a backup for payroll and payroll taxes.

In 2016, she became payroll manager and in 2019 took on the responsibility of

Family atmosphere ‘appealing’

Nemenz IGA in Struthers, Ohio, has been with Laurel Grocery Co. since 2013, when Judy Gabriele’s father decided to become a customer of the London, Kentucky-based wholesaler.

She and her husband, Don, have been running the store for about eight years now and continue to use Laurel.

“They’re a family-oriented wholesaler, a family business, which makes it very appealing,” she said. “We don’t get lost in the shuffle.”

The Nemenz family has been in the Struthers community for four generations.

Gabriele said Laurel Grocery treats them well and is very open to any needs they may have. She also mentioned the educational opportunities the wholesaler offers. “They keep us informed.” human resources director while keeping her payroll duties.

Nemenz IGA was nominated by Laurel as a USA Retailer of the Year for IGA just before COVID-19 hit the U.S. Gabriele said the wholesaler “really put forth great effort to get us ready for that and to let us know what to expect and what to do” to be considered for the honor.

She also noted the “very good” communication from Laurel Grocery, adding that when she or her husband call, someone answers and responds quickly to whatever is needed. Gabriele said Laurel Grocery “absolutely” focuses on customer service.

“In my time at Laurel, I have been afforded many opportunities to grow and progress. What I have found is that if you put your heart into your daily tasks and stick with it, you can have a great career,” Adams said. “One of the things I love is that Laurel really does feel like a family – everyone knows everyone’s spouse and children. It is a really tight-knit group of people.”

Brenda Givens

Brenda Givens, in accounts payable expense, has been with Laurel for 51 years. She said Bruce and Steve Chesnut are close to her in age, while Winston Griffin was about 9 years old when she came aboard.

She recalled working with Elizabeth Griffin in the summer and they would get Winston, who was the youngest, to “go to the candy hole and to bring us back gum and candy.”

She said Laurel has been a family to her. “I grew up in the company with Winston, Bruce and Steve. God had a hand in my joining this company, and I feel that is why I have stayed.”

When she first started working at Laurel, Givens said she needed a car. She had moved from Middlesboro to London and didn’t know anyone locally. When she went to the bank for financing, she was told she needed a co-signer because of her age and being new in town.

“I had nowhere else to turn, so Mr. (George) Griffin co-signed my loan so that I could get a car. I was so grateful to him for doing that for me,” she said. “From that point, I knew that he had a heart for people. He knew each employee and what was going on in their lives.

“The family has been very good to me. I have enjoyed every moment of my time at Laurel and wouldn’t change anything about it.”

Givens said after losing her husband, her Laurel family has become even more important.

“As long as I can remember how to get here and what to do, I don’t want to retire – I want to keep working.”

Eileen Murray and Cosetta Hale

Eileen Murray, a buyer and buyer trainer, and Cosetta Hale, accounts receivable manager, started at Laurel about the same time – about 50 years ago.

The women started with the company by keying orders. They would have to physically wait on the sales staff to go out and get ordering strips from the stores and bring them back. In some cases, that could keep them waiting until after hours on a Thursday or Friday.

Murray said she is thankful to the Griffins and Chesnuts for her job, which has helped her to raise her family and stay in Laurel County. She has four children and all of them have worked at the wholesaler at some point. And one still does – daughter

Melissa Caudill is Laurel’s controller.

“The owners really make you feel like family. If things were not going right, they would always bring you into their office to talk to you about it,” Murray said.

She shared that an older lady at her church, who knew she worked at Laurel, told her she would have a job as long as she wanted it, adding that it was “the place” to work.

Murray also noted that when she and Hale were hired there were not many places to work in Laurel County, which caused people to leave the area.

Hale said she is thankful to the owners, who have treated her like family. She said they helped her husband get a job at Institutional Distributors, a sister company at the time, so they could stay in Laurel County. Her daughter also worked for the company at one point.

“When my daughter started working at Laurel, I introduced her to Bruce [Chesnut] and he said, ‘I feel like I know her, I’ve watched her grow up on your desk through the years,’” said Hale, referring to photos on her desk each year.

Hale also recalled Winston Griffin’s mother, Elizabeth “Sis,” used to invite them to her home during the holidays and would take them out to eat. “She was really nice and genuine,” she said.

Both Murray and Hale are still going strong and enjoy walking together when the weather allows.

“We’re just not walking quite as fast as we used to,” Hale said.

Doug George

Doug George, CFO, has worked for Laurel since Aug. 1, 1985. He said his grandfather opened a store about the same time that Laurel got its start in 1922.

“He was in the grocery business until 1969, when my mother took the store over. Back then, stores were the only social gathering place in the community and the post office was located in the store [Marydale, Kentucky],” George said.

Don Chesnut used to call on his grandfather. When his mother took over the store, she was a Laurel customer. George said back then, “You got a job at one of three places – Laurel Grocery, Griffin Pie [now