NEW YORK CITY – The ninth annual NRF Foundation Honors took place Sunday night at the New York Marriott Marquis to celebrate industry leaders, award student scholarships and showcase retail as an industry with unlimited opportunity. The event raised more than $3 million to fund the NRF Foundation’s career development programs and resources.
Our scholarships, our case competitions and our industry-recognized RISE Up credentials — all our programs are built upon the fact that retail is a great place to start and a great place to grow.
“Our scholarships, our case competitions and our industry-recognized RISE Up credentials — all our programs are built upon the fact that retail is a great place to start and a great place to grow,” NRF Foundation Executive Director Adam Lukoskie said. “The NRF Foundation is honored to recognize and celebrate young, aspiring and experienced retailers who are the cornerstone and the future of our dynamic industry.”
Presented by American Express and PwC, the 2024 event included more than 800 attendees and was co-hosted by Macy’s, Inc. President and CEO-elect and NRF Foundation Board Chair Tony Spring and Walmart U.S. President and CEO and NRF Board Chair John Furner.
DICK’S Sporting Goods Executive Chairman Ed Stack was presented with The Visionary 2024 award for his leadership of the largest omnichannel sporting goods retailer in the United States.
The evening also recognized The List of People Shaping Retail's Future 2024:
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lululemon Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President Julie Averill
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Crocs Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Heidi Cooley
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The Kroger Co. Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Yael Cosset
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Shopify President Harley Finkelstein
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Snoopslimes Founder and CEO Jungmin Kang
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Burlington Stores Inc. Senior Vice President of Leadership and Organizational Development, DEI and Community Impact Mecca Mitchell
The event also included announcements of the NRF Foundation’s scholarship recipients. Kev Addison of Indiana University was announced as the top recipient in the 2024 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship presented by SAS. Aly Chew, Rajvi Dharamshi, Allie Gress and Krysta Mendoza of Drexel University were named the top team in the 2024 NRF Foundation Student Challenge competition presented by Kohl’s.
Additionally, Dublin City Schools of Dublin, Ohio, was honored as the 2024 RISE Up Partner of the Year.
Since 2015, the NRF Foundation Honors has been the NRF Foundation’s signature fundraising event. More information is available at nrffoundation.org/honors.
NRF Foundation Honors event photos are available for download here.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com
About NRF Foundation
The NRF Foundation provides the skills and resources needed for life-changing careers. As NRF's nonprofit 501(c)(3), we connect people to an industry that’s a great place to start and a great place to grow. Together, we help people build better lives and stronger communities. nrffoundation.org