Kingsport Food City manager receives national award | News

KINGSPORT — Raymond Stockard, manager of the Eastman Road Food City in Kingsport, has been named the FMI, The Food Industry Association Store Manager of the Year.

Stockard was recently named one of the five grand-prize Store Manager Award winners for 2022 by FMI, a release from Food City said.

According to the FMI website, the annual awards are given to “outstanding managers who generate sales growth, effectively communicate company and store goals and objectives, demonstrate team leadership in their store/company, provide exceptional customer service through in-store programs and improve community relations.”

“Raymond is the epitome of what we hope a store manager will be,” said Steven Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “He’s a leader, a friend, and someone our teammates can look up to and emulate. Raymond’s also a great community leader, who is involved in most of the happenings within his local community. We would like to congratulate Raymond on this great honor, along with the other award winners and finalists.”

Stockard has worked for Food City for 29 years and received the company’s highest customer service recognition, the Jack C. Smith Store Manager of the Year Award, in 2013.

“During the past 29 years I’ve had the opportunity to work for and with some of the most outstanding folks you could ever ask for.” Stockard said in the release. “Being recognized as an FMI Store Manager of the Year definitely says more about these folks than it will ever say about me. I’m very blessed to have two awesome families, my work family and more importantly the love and support of my wife, Shannon, and our children, Meg and Spencer.”

Stockard and his team recently completed a major remodel project, which included the addition of a Starbucks café, expanded food service offerings and a new décor package. According to the release, Stockard set several new company food service sales records throughout the transformation. His store also has the highest staff count within his district.

Stockard is also involved with various Food City and community events and serves as the chair for the region’s Santa Train project, which distributes more than 15 tons of candy, toys, food and gifts annually each Christmas to families throughout the region.

Food City is headquartered in Abingdon and operates 138 locations throughout Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee, North Georgia and Alabama. For more information, go to www.foodcity.com.