The golden pencil award
The Food Industry Association of Canada
2023 Golden Pencil Awards
Golden Pencil Grocery Connex Event
Monday, November 20, 2023
Event Registration Now Open
Golden Pencil Grocery Connex Event
Monday, November 20, 2023
Event Registration Now Open
2023 Golden Pencil Award Honourees
Jamie Nelson
Chief Operating Officer
Pattison Food Group
With 43 years of grocery retail experience, Jamie Nelson is a key member of the executive leadership team of the Pattison Food Group, a division of the Jim Pattison Group.
Jamie began his career in the grocery business as a retail clerk in Mission, B.C., and steadily rose through various levels of management at Save-On-Foods before joining the company’s leadership team in 2012. Today, as chief operating officer of the Pattison Food Group, Jamie holds overall management accountability and strategic direction for the operations of all Pattison Food Group banners – including Save-On-Foods, the group’s largest company, and the company’s American banners, Roth’s Fresh Markets and Chuck’s Fresh Markets.
A respected senior leader in the company and the grocery industry at large, Jamie has received Save-On-Foods’ highest accolade twice in his career. In 1997, he was named Store Leader of the Year during his time as a store manager in Red Deer, Alta., and in 2009 he was named Business Leader of the Year when he was the general manager of centre of store. In 2022, Jamie was inducted into Grocery Business magazine’s Hall of Fame for his contributions to the grocery industry. He inspires countless team members every day with his down-to-earth and humble leadership style, and his strong, strategic vision.
Jamie is known for his high standards of operational excellence, his ability to successfully facilitate team member engagement, and for his unwavering dedication to his teams and to the retail grocery industry. Jamie’s passion and expertise has parlayed into active participation on numerous industry boards over the years, including that of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, for which he is vice chair.
Jamie and his wife Becky live in his hometown of Mission, B.C. They are adventurous travelers who enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle that includes hockey, hiking and mountain biking. Above all, Jamie is a dedicated family man, who loves to spend time with Becky and their grown children: son Ben and his fiancée Kaitlin, and daughter Megan and her husband Rob.
Susan Niczowski
President and Founder
Summer Fresh Salads Inc.
Susan Niczowski, President and Founder of Summer Fresh Salads Inc. is a trailblazer and an industry innovator in the food landscape and is known for shaping the fresh, gourmet food category as we know it today. Her remarkable journey began with humble beginnings, as she and her mother used to craft recipes and create delicious salads from their basement. Together, they experimented with flavours, perfected recipes, and shared their homemade creations with friends and family. The passion and dedication they poured into their craft laid the foundation for what would eventually become the renowned brand, Summer Fresh Salads.
With a BSC in Chemistry and a passion for food, Niczowski identified the need for healthy, convenient, ready-to-eat consumer packaged goods. With the decision to pursue this market three decades ago, Summer Fresh was created. On a mission to provide real food consumers can feel good about eating, the family-owned company has become a staple in homes across North America with its small-batch hummus, dips and salads made from fresh, simple ingredients. Susan’s Food is Fashion™ philosophy has made Summer Fresh the enterprising brand it is today, known for setting trends with new and exciting flavours from season to season.
With over 30 years in the industry, both Niczowski and Summer Fresh have been recognized with a number of accolades and awards, including RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur, W100 Top Women Entrepreneurs and Canada’s 50 Best Managed companies over two decades. Today, Summer Fresh Salads stands as a testament to Susan's dedication and ability to turn a simple idea into a flourishing business. Rooted in family values and a genuine love for creating wholesome and delicious food, the brand continues to delight customers with its exceptional products. Susan Niczowski's journey from the basement to the helm of Summer Fresh Salads exemplifies the power of passion, determination, and a love for culinary excellence.
President and Founder
Summer Fresh Salads Inc.
Susan Niczowski, President and Founder of Summer Fresh Salads Inc. is a trailblazer and an industry innovator in the food landscape and is known for shaping the fresh, gourmet food category as we know it today. Her remarkable journey began with humble beginnings, as she and her mother used to craft recipes and create delicious salads from their basement. Together, they experimented with flavours, perfected recipes, and shared their homemade creations with friends and family. The passion and dedication they poured into their craft laid the foundation for what would eventually become the renowned brand, Summer Fresh Salads.
With a BSC in Chemistry and a passion for food, Niczowski identified the need for healthy, convenient, ready-to-eat consumer packaged goods. With the decision to pursue this market three decades ago, Summer Fresh was created. On a mission to provide real food consumers can feel good about eating, the family-owned company has become a staple in homes across North America with its small-batch hummus, dips and salads made from fresh, simple ingredients. Susan’s Food is Fashion™ philosophy has made Summer Fresh the enterprising brand it is today, known for setting trends with new and exciting flavours from season to season.
With over 30 years in the industry, both Niczowski and Summer Fresh have been recognized with a number of accolades and awards, including RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur, W100 Top Women Entrepreneurs and Canada’s 50 Best Managed companies over two decades. Today, Summer Fresh Salads stands as a testament to Susan's dedication and ability to turn a simple idea into a flourishing business. Rooted in family values and a genuine love for creating wholesome and delicious food, the brand continues to delight customers with its exceptional products. Susan Niczowski's journey from the basement to the helm of Summer Fresh Salads exemplifies the power of passion, determination, and a love for culinary excellence.
