Shelby Publishing Salutes Independents At EIA Reception

The 141 recipients of Shelby Publishing’s second annual Exceptional Independents Awards (EIA) were recognized Monday during a reception at the Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Accompanied by friends and family, many of the honorees were on hand, filling the Summit Room on the show floor.

Addressing the crowd, Shelby President Stephanie Reid thanked the program’s sponsors – ECRS, LOC Software, C&S Wholesale Grocers and Southern Champion, maker of BuzzBallz – and reminded the gathering that independents are the backbone of the industry and essential to their communities.

She also expressed gratitude for the company’s relationship with NGA, which gave Shelby the platform to host. The awards program, Reid said, is Shelby’s way of shining a light on these businesses that “continue to help feed our communities.”

“We are very honored by the overwhelming turnout for our second annual EIA event and excited to celebrate our award recipients,” she said. “It is amazing to see all the operators included in this salute and the pride they share in their recognition for excellence.”

The reception was part of the 2024 NGA Show, which continues through Tuesday at the convention center, with countless educational sessions and workshops featuring hundreds of speakers spread across its three-day run.

The recipients of the Exceptional Independents Awards (EIA) were largely retailers, though they varied in size from single-store operators to regional chains. And they came from all corners of the country, California to Connecticut, South Carolina to Missouri and seemingly everywhere in between. 

After Reid’s welcome, the sponsors took turns calling the individual honorees to the stage to receive their awards. Photos and fellowship followed.

Coverage of the award winners will be featured in the March 2024 editions of The Shelby Report – Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, West and Northeast. Awards winners also will be featured on theshelbyreport.com.

Read more independent store news from The Shelby Report.