Daniel R. Wegman

Since Danny Wegman joined Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. in 1964, he has been instrumental in helping the family-owned company become a model of excellence and a leader in the industry, growing it substantially from its 1916 origins with a single-produce pushcart in Rochester, New York. Wegman, who graduated with honors from Harvard University with a degree in economics, became CEO in 2005 after serving as president for nearly 30 years.

Wegman is known for his allegiance to the communities Wegmans serves. The company has five giving priorities: helping young people succeed, food for the needy, strengthening neighborhoods, healthy eating and activity, and the United Way. He is particularly committed to the Hillside Work Scholarship Connection, a program founded by Wegmans in 1987 to reduce the dropout rate within the Rochester City School system by providing participating students with a part-time job, a youth advocate, and a workplace mentor at Wegmans or another organization. The combination of work and support has motivated hundreds of students, including the 2,300 middle- and high-school students who currently participate, to excel academically and gain job experience.

Wegman and his company have been honored many times as a model employer and retailer for excellence in community service. Such achievements have helped to place Wegmans on the list of Fortune magazine’s “100 Companies to Work For” for 13 consecutive years. It ranked No. 1 in 2005. Last year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center gave Wegmans the Corporate Stewardship Award for “strong financial success, a sustained contribution to community, and social programs.”

Widely regarded for his efforts to make health and healthy eating a priority, Wegman has received numerous accolades. He is an active member of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and currently serves as chair of FMI’s Food Safety Task Force. He is a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Rochester and the Hillside Work Scholarship Connection Board of Directors. He also serves on the City of Rochester Community Action Team and the Rochester Business Alliance Healthcare Task Force.

Wegmans operates 75 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland with annual sales of $5.15 billion in 2009. The company has built an international reputation for its overall excellence in quality, customer service, and variety.