SALISBURY, N.C. – Amelia Barton, store manager of the Food Lion located at 2201 W. WT Harris Blvd. in Charlotte, N.C, was named Food Lion’s 2025 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner. Barton was selected from a group of more than 1,100 store managers serving their neighbors across Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.
Named after one of Food Lion’s founders, the Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Awards recognize and honor exceptional store managers who enrich the lives of Food Lion’s customers, associates and communities they serve.
In addition to Barton’s recognition as Food Lion’s 2025 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner, four other store managers were honored for exceptional leadership as 2025 Divisional Store Manager Excellence Award recipients. Each demonstrates a strong commitment to exceptional service while making a meaningful impact in the towns and cities they serve. They include:
- Northern Division: Kathy Castle, 20 Windmill Square, Stuarts Draft, Va.
- Richmond/Norfolk Division: Almedin Dokic, 11272 Patterson Ave., Richmond, Va.
- Mid-Atlantic Division: Alphana B. Jones, 4530 Fayetteville Road, Raeford, N.C.
- Southern Division: Wendy McDowell Neeley, 1319 N. Longstreet St., Kingstree, S.C.The annual award celebrates and recognizes exceptional Food Lion store managers who operate outstanding grocery stores while making a positive impact on neighbors in the towns and cities they serve. In recognition of Barton’s outstanding commitment to her community, Food Lion will donate 20,000 meals in her name to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte, N.C., through the retailer’s hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds.
After receiving the award, Barton thanked her team and spoke about the importance of empowering others and serving the community.
“It’s an honor to be here with all of you today celebrating our year together,” said Barton. “I didn’t just manage a store; I grew with it. To my team, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself; it’s about empowering others, and I am incredibly proud of my team. We’re not just stocking shelves, we’re nourishing our neighbors and setting them up for success in life. Food Lion gave me the opportunity to grow, and every day I’m reminded that what we do truly matters. I couldn’t be more proud to represent the Charlotte community.”…