Steve Shing and Jim Colucci are set to be the inaugural inductees.
AWMA has announced that Steve Shing, corporate vice president, sales and marketing at GSC Enterprises Inc. and James Colucci, recently retired as executive vice president of sales and marketing, at Altadis U.S.A., will be the first recipients of the newly established AWMA Hall of Fame Awards during a special ceremony at the AWMA Show in Las Vegas.
The Thursday morning General Session program and awards will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 16 at the AWMA Show, at the Paris Hotel, in Las Vegas.
The Hall of Fame Award, AWMA’s highest honor, is designed to recognize individuals at both distributor and manufacturer companies who have demonstrated a lifetime of service to AWMA and the industry at the very highest level.
Shing began his career with Grocery Supply Company in 1975. He has held several sales and management positions during his 37 years. Currently, Shing is corporate vice president, sales and marketing, GSC Enterprises Inc. GSC Enterprises is a full-service distributor of grocery and convenience products to a diverse customer base within Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Shing is a former AWMA board of director and AWMA chairman of the board, as well as past chairman of the Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors (SAWD).
Colucci retired in July of 2011 as Altadis U.S.A. executive vice president of sales and marketing. He spent 34 of the past 37 years with Altadis and its predecessor company, Consolidated Cigars. In his role Colucci oversaw the sales and marketing plans for the many brands owned by Altadis U.S.A–one of the largest manufacturers of cigars in the world. He served on the board of directors of the AWMA and the SAWD, as well as on the associate board of the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association.
In 2011, the AWMA board of directors voted to establish a Past Chairman’s Advisory Council. One of the first tasks the board delegated to the council was planning and developing an awards program. The Past Chairman’s Advisory Council recommended to the AWMA board of directors that AWMA establish the AWMA Hall of Fame award program, to recognize lifetime service to the industry and AWMA. The Past Chairman’s Advisory Council also recommended the reactivation of the AWMA Dean Awards, which are designed to recognize ongoing support of and service to AWMA and the Industry.
An additional AWMA Hall of Fame Award and the first AWMA Dean Award will be presented at the AWMA Summit & Business Exchange (ABX) in September, at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fla.
Please join the Past Chairmen’s Advisory Council, the AWMA Board of Directors, and the staff of AWMA in congratulating both Steve Shing and Jim Colucci on their selection for induction into the AWMA Hall of Fame, and plan to be present on Feb. 16 at 8:30 a.m.