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Nancy Dawson-Brady has been named to Progressive Grocer’s 2020 Top Women in Grocery list, which was released in June. Based in North Kingstown, R.I., she serves as the Central Fresh Kitchen Campus Lead with Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA.

As one of four Retail Business Services women-leaders recognized by Progressive Grocer for outstanding leadership capabilities and honorable achievements, Nancy said being named to the ‘Top Women in Grocery’ list is a career goal she is proud to check off her list. She believes the company’s emphasis on diversity in all areas, including gender, ethnicity and race, is what puts Retail Business Services ahead of the competition.

“I work with people from many different countries, speaking multiple languages with broad backgrounds. I think our diversity helps reflect our communities and helps us better represent the customers we serve,” said Dawson-Brady. “Our diverse backgrounds make us better.”

Dawson-Brady leads an onsite Retail Business Services team that supports Ahold Delhaize USA brands at the Central Fresh Kitchen, a Retail Business Services subsidiary that prepares fresh items, such as green salads, grain and pasta salads, sandwiches and wraps, for Hannaford and Stop & Shop stores. She has held an integral role in bringing the kitchen to life – from its construction and October 2019 launch to helping oversee daily operations and production today.

She and her team manage the financial health of the Central Fresh Kitchen and the relationship between Retail Business Services and their key vendor partner Taylor Farms, which manages the facility, as well as the role of Retail Business Services as a strategic partner to merchandising teams and the local brands. As Campus Lead, Dawson-Brady keeps senior management and partners informed on construction updates, category rollouts, progress toward financial goals and much more.

Passionate about service and helping others during times of need, Dawson-Brady finds great fulfillment in her work with the kitchen. When asked about her proudest moment from the past year, she immediately recalled Friday, March 27, in the early stages of the Coronavirus pandemic in America, when she was approached about supplying meals for first responders at hospitals.

“It was amazing what we accomplished in just three days. We had organized a collaborative team of transportation, the fresh kitchen, warehousing and operations – that was Friday afternoon,” shared Dawson-Brady. “By Monday, we were producing 5,000 meals and shipping them off to hospitals.”

Since March, the team has produced more than 160,000 meals for first responders at six hospitals, as well as food for some associates who continued to work in the office and distribution center workers, all focused on supporting the great local brands during the coronavirus pandemic.

With more than 40 years of experience in strategic development, sourcing and procurement, Dawson-Brady has served in roles of increasing responsibility with companies of Ahold Delhaize USA for more than 20 years. In 2015, she achieved the Ahold USA Store Support Associate Award, and in 2014, she received Associate of the Year and the Ahold Leadership Award for Simplicity.

She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island, CPM Certified and holds a certification in Project Management from the University of Massachusetts. Dawson-Brady volunteers as a leader at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and is an active participant in the Network of Executive Women (NEW). She resides in Narragansett, R.I., with her husband, and enjoys spending time with their three sons and one daughter-in-law.