SACRAMENTO
Foods Etc. Dennis Darling to serve as 2023 CGA Board Chair
During the California Grocers Association annual meeting on November 30, outgoing board chair Renee Amen passed the gavel to Dennis Darling, who will serve as the next CGA board chair for 2023.
Darling and his wife, Ruth, have owned and operated Foods Etc. in Clearlake and Susanville, California, for 25 years. At the end of 2024 the couple is retiring, and their daughter and son-in-law will take over the business. In the meantime, Darling is going to step back from the day-to-day operations and take on a more strategic role while he serves as CGA board chair.
“The industry has been really good for me and my family, and this is an opportunity for me to give back,” Darling told CGA. “And you know what, I just love the idea of being able to communicate with all these different grocers and vendors, too. There are so many outstanding people who are involved in CGA and I’m just really proud to be a part of that group.”
As a longtime owner of an independent grocery store, Darling is especially familiar with the grocery industry from the perspective of an independent business. He has experienced many challenges over the years, most recently with the challenges of COVID compliance and labor issues. But Darling also believes wholeheartedly in the benefits of running his own business, noting that it’s been a rewarding experience that allowed his family to be an integral part of the communities they serve.
Prior to his membership and work with CGA, Darling was active in the California Independent Grocers Association (CIGA), which represented the voice of independent grocers for many years. In 2013, Darling and another and Bob Parriott began working with CGA to discuss a merger. CIGA was struggling with leadership but had funds to contribute, and CGA was eager to add more independents to its membership.
Thanks to the work of Darling and a handful of others, the two organizations officially merged in mid-2014. The move strengthened the grocery industry in California, boosting advocacy efforts and creating a more diverse member pool. Since then, CGA has been a strong voice for independent grocers in addition to larger chains and companies.
CGA also established the Independent Operators Committee, which Darling said has been integral to ensuring small independents are well-represented within CGA. The committee meets twice a year and supports independent grocers with issues like compliance, hazardous waste disposal, workers’ comp and labor and employment issues.
As the grocery industry faces ongoing challenges from inflation, labor and supply chain, Darling expects 2023 to be a busy year.
“If we had even one of those at a time it would be very challenging, but to try and deal with them all at the same time has really made the business much more difficult,” he said.
During his time as board chair, Darling also wants to focus more on advocacy at the local level for both chains and independent stores － in addition to CGA’s already active efforts at the state and national levels.
“The independents are really well-positioned to advocate on behalf of the industry at the local level,” he said. “They know who their local elected officials are, they know the sheriffs, they know who the local regulatory people are, and so I think they’ll be a big help in that.”
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SACRAMENTO
CAWG announces 2023 Awards of Excellence recipients
The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) announced the selection of Central Coast grower Dana Merrill as the 2023 Grower of the Year, and employment and immigration attorney Jeanne M. Malitz as the 2023 Leader of the Year. To honor both, CAWG will be hosting an Awards of Excellence Reception on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, at 6 p.m. The reception will be held during the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, immediately following the welcome reception at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento.
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SAN DIEGO
Covered California Joins Behavioral Health leaders to promote enrollment and improve access to address increased need for mental health care
Covered California joined leading health officials in San Diego to encourage enrollment in a quality insurance plan and improve access to address an increased need for behavioral health care across the state.
“The pandemic took a toll on us in so many ways, including our behavioral and mental health, which are critical to our ability to live happy, healthy and productive lives,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “Getting the right behavioral health care starts with making sure people have health insurance with access to quality providers, and that can be done right now through Covered California’s open enrollment.”
What you need to know
Open enrollment is the time of year when eligible Californians can sign up for health insurance and receive financial help to lower the cost of their coverage. Thanks to the increased and expanded financial help made available through the Inflation Reduction Act, two-thirds of Covered California’s consumers are eligible for comprehensive health insurance coverage at a cost of $10 or less per month.
“There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of people who want professional help to deal with these personal and complex challenges, but you do not have to search for solutions by yourself,” Altman said. “Covered California works with 12 health insurance companies, each with their own network of behavioral health care providers, to help Californians get the right care for their individual needs.”
In addition, those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also:
- Get free and confidential assistance over the phone, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
- Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
- Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.
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