Wakefern President Mike Stigers was given the Herbert Hoover Award in recognition of
his humanitarian service in the food industry by FMI – The Food Industry Association.
With a career spanning five decades, Stigers began as a part-time courtesy clerk at
Safeway in California and rose through the ranks in both retail and wholesale, gaining
expertise in operations, merchandising, retail technology, food safety and supply chain
management.
His leadership has guided organizations including Cub Foods, SuperValu and UNFI,
and he has served on the boards of major industry associations.
In the summer of 2023, Stigers was named president of Wakefern, the nation’s largest
retailer-owned cooperative.
Stigers was honored at the recently concluded 2026 Midwinter Executive Conference in
Chula Vista, Calif.
