Vermont Business MagazineVermont Retail & Grocers Association will announce the winners of their 2018 Merchant Awards in September of this year. The Merchant Awards were introduced to recognize and reward the incredible work of Vermont businesses across the state in the face of an increasingly competitive market. All businesses are eligible for the awards and do not have to be a VRGA member to be nominated. There are three different categories businesses can be nominated under:
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Merchant of the Year: Merchant of the Year recognizes the store with the highest level of innovative retailing excellence. The winning store will demonstrate that they hold their staff accountable to the highest standards possible; develop relationships with customers; implement innovative merchandising; and develop staff to help them reach their career goals.
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Greentailer of Year: Greentailer of the Year honors a store that has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to environmental excellence during the award period. Examples of eligible initiatives are energy conservation and efficiency, recycling, green building, and any sustainable practices the business has engaged in.
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Community Gem: The Community Gem award honors a Vermont store that has made unique and valuable contributions to its community.
Nomination forms are due by July 20th and can be found at: bit.ly/MerchantsAwardsApp18. Winners will be announced at VRGA’s annual meeting in September.
“We’re bringing back these awards because it’s time we start recognizing again the businesses across Vermont for their dedication to their communities, employees, and Vermont as a whole,” said Erin Sigrist, President of Vermont Retail & Grocers Association. “In a time where online shopping continues to grow at rapid speeds and costs of doing business are rising as well, Vermont retailers persist in innovation and change, and strive for growth; all while contributing to the sustainability of their communities. It’s time we get back to recognizing some of these leaders.”
About Vermont Retail & Grocers Association:
Vermont Retail & Grocers Association creates a unified voice for its engaged membership to influence legislation through lawmaker and public education. Their benefits are fundamental to their members’ economic success and to their positive community impact. VRGA is the leading voice representing Vermont’s retail industry. Their membership is inclusive of a variety of business types and models, collaborative and extremely diverse. Members, policy makers, community leaders and valued stakeholders recognize the association’s critical role in shaping legislation, improving the community, and contributing to each member’s success and the state’s economic vitality.
Source: VRGA 6.28.2018. To learn more about the work VRGA does, visit their website atwww.vtrga.org, follow them on facebook & twitter, call their office at(802) 839-1928 or visit them at 963 Paine Turnpike N. Berlin, VT 05602.